SUMMARY OF STRATEGIES
| eqao_strategies.docx |
GRADE 3 EQAO RELEASED TESTS
GENERAL STRATEGIES
Come prepared with a pencil, eraser, highlighter
Come prepared and fuelled! Have a great breakfast and/or lunch!
Are manipulatives allowed in the section? If so, use them if needed!
Spend more time/energy on short answer responses than multiple choice questions
Complete what you are confident in first and then revisit things you're unsure of!
-Use a " ~ " symbol next to questions you are somewhat unsure of.
-Use a " X " symbol next to questions that you are truly unsure of that might require a guess!
Remember, EQAO is usually completed over the course of 3 days. Do take the time to scan through all of your booklets to get an overview of things to make you feel settled.
QUESTIONS AND WRITING TASKS THAT ARE TYPICALLY ENCOUNTERED...
Why did the author use a particular text feature? (Examples: Bold Words, Italic Words, Diagram, Photograph with Captions, Number Steps, Subtitles/headings, Glossary, Phonetic Pronunciation in Brackets).
Why did the author decide to use a particular title?
Explain how X,Y,Z might be helpful for someone?
Explain what is meant when a character said: XYZ.
Narrative ("Write a story about the first time you rode your bike)
Comparative paragraph (Think: Venn Diagram)
Explanatory paragraph
Persuasive paragraph
Letter
Announcement
SHORT ANSWERS
Break down the question: Does it have 1, 2, or 3 parts that need your attention? Build in the requisite success criteria boxes for you to check off!
When there is a third part to a question (“Use your own ideas”), this means—make a connection and relate to the text. It’s okay to fib and make up something if you’re stuck. No one will come and knock at your door and verify if you were telling the truth.
Now insert success criteria check boxes to remind you to apply "OPP/Our Proofreading Plan" and to UWQSA (Use the words in the question to start off your answer)!
Now slowly plan out your answer. Have a clear idea as to what you plan on saying. Ensure you are actually answering the question correctly before beginning!
"HACKS"
Remember to write small! Generally speaking, people who write larger letters, tend to also write wider letters. Use the "Timber" strategy and drop your pencil over your writing. Your words should disappear beneath it.
Try to use your pencil eraser as the width of space between your words.
Start your answers slightly off the line and write slightly off the end of the line ("Stretch the line") to squeeze in some extra space for words.
Use the ^ carrot symbol if you feel as though you're going to run out of room. Write above to save some room.
SUPPORTING WITH PROOF FROM THE TEXT...
When finding proof from the text, state where it can be found. To save room, you might want to use the "P" paragraph symbol in place of the word paragraph. and make sure you unpack the proof too!
Try to use the following sentence starters...
My proof can be found in P #2. This shows ABC.
OR
In P #2, it says: " X, Y, Z" which proves ABC.
OR
For example, in P # 2, it says: "X, Y, Z". This means...
OR
It says: "X, Y, Z" in P #2 ..... This means.....
WHEN FINISHED...
You should have already applied OPP/Our Proofreading Plan after every sentence! Regardless of whether or not you did, apply it once more.
YOU MUST: Use the handshake/oral approach. Actually read your work out loud in a low murmur. Isolate each sentence. Imagine extending your hand to someone randomly on the street to shake their hand and saying the ONE isolated sentence out loud! The person might be surprised by such an unpredictable gesture but would your sentence make sense to them? If so, great. Move on to the next sentence and repeat the handshake approach!
MULTIPLE CHOICE STRATEGIES
When reading multiple choice questions, highlight key words.
If a question talks about a specific line/paragraph/stanza #, reread it before you answer the question.
Eliminate ridiculous choices from multiple choices
If you're stuck, make a guess. Test makers often include a very high answer and a very low answer
For Example:
Solve: 5 + 5=
A) 1235
B) 10
C) 0
D) 11
If you have to make a guess, cross out the highest answer (A) and the lowest answer (C) leaving two possibilities
WRITING SECTION TIPS
Typical text forms: Paragraph (Comparative, Explanatory, descriptive, persuasive), narrative, letter,
Plan ahead! Create your own success criteria checklist!
Paragraph Success Criteria
www.drooker.ca/paragraphing.html
www.drooker.ca/explanatory-writing.html
www.drooker.ca/descriptive-writing.html
www.drooker.ca/reviewpersuasive.html
Indent (Use the "P" symbol instead)
Topic sentence
Transition words
Supporing ideas (3-5)
Closing sentence
OPP (Do so after every sentence)
Narrative Success Criteria
www.drooker.ca/narrative-writing.html
Indent (Use the "P" symbol instead)
Orientation
Problem
Series of Events
Resolution
Dialogue
Transition words
Similes
OPP (Do so after every sentence)
Letter Writing Success Criteria
www.drooker.ca/letter-writing.html
Date,
Greeting , (Formal? Informal?)
Paragraphs
Indent (Use the "P" symbol instead)
Transition words
Closing ,
Name/Signature
MATH TIPS
Review your times table tricks.
www.drooker.ca/number-sense.html
Remember that multiplication can be used to help with division!
Word problems require pictures, numbers and words to show off your thinking.
I suggest solving word problems in the following order:
Numbers
Words
Pictures.
Don't immediately divide your work space into 3 equal sections as you might need more space for pictures than you do for words, etc.
Review word problem strategies
www.drooker.ca/math-toolkit.html
Come prepared and fuelled! Have a great breakfast and/or lunch!
Are manipulatives allowed in the section? If so, use them if needed!
Spend more time/energy on short answer responses than multiple choice questions
Complete what you are confident in first and then revisit things you're unsure of!
-Use a " ~ " symbol next to questions you are somewhat unsure of.
-Use a " X " symbol next to questions that you are truly unsure of that might require a guess!
Remember, EQAO is usually completed over the course of 3 days. Do take the time to scan through all of your booklets to get an overview of things to make you feel settled.
QUESTIONS AND WRITING TASKS THAT ARE TYPICALLY ENCOUNTERED...
Why did the author use a particular text feature? (Examples: Bold Words, Italic Words, Diagram, Photograph with Captions, Number Steps, Subtitles/headings, Glossary, Phonetic Pronunciation in Brackets).
Why did the author decide to use a particular title?
Explain how X,Y,Z might be helpful for someone?
Explain what is meant when a character said: XYZ.
Narrative ("Write a story about the first time you rode your bike)
Comparative paragraph (Think: Venn Diagram)
Explanatory paragraph
Persuasive paragraph
Letter
Announcement
SHORT ANSWERS
Break down the question: Does it have 1, 2, or 3 parts that need your attention? Build in the requisite success criteria boxes for you to check off!
When there is a third part to a question (“Use your own ideas”), this means—make a connection and relate to the text. It’s okay to fib and make up something if you’re stuck. No one will come and knock at your door and verify if you were telling the truth.
Now insert success criteria check boxes to remind you to apply "OPP/Our Proofreading Plan" and to UWQSA (Use the words in the question to start off your answer)!
Now slowly plan out your answer. Have a clear idea as to what you plan on saying. Ensure you are actually answering the question correctly before beginning!
"HACKS"
Remember to write small! Generally speaking, people who write larger letters, tend to also write wider letters. Use the "Timber" strategy and drop your pencil over your writing. Your words should disappear beneath it.
Try to use your pencil eraser as the width of space between your words.
Start your answers slightly off the line and write slightly off the end of the line ("Stretch the line") to squeeze in some extra space for words.
Use the ^ carrot symbol if you feel as though you're going to run out of room. Write above to save some room.
SUPPORTING WITH PROOF FROM THE TEXT...
When finding proof from the text, state where it can be found. To save room, you might want to use the "P" paragraph symbol in place of the word paragraph. and make sure you unpack the proof too!
Try to use the following sentence starters...
My proof can be found in P #2. This shows ABC.
OR
In P #2, it says: " X, Y, Z" which proves ABC.
OR
For example, in P # 2, it says: "X, Y, Z". This means...
OR
It says: "X, Y, Z" in P #2 ..... This means.....
WHEN FINISHED...
You should have already applied OPP/Our Proofreading Plan after every sentence! Regardless of whether or not you did, apply it once more.
YOU MUST: Use the handshake/oral approach. Actually read your work out loud in a low murmur. Isolate each sentence. Imagine extending your hand to someone randomly on the street to shake their hand and saying the ONE isolated sentence out loud! The person might be surprised by such an unpredictable gesture but would your sentence make sense to them? If so, great. Move on to the next sentence and repeat the handshake approach!
MULTIPLE CHOICE STRATEGIES
When reading multiple choice questions, highlight key words.
If a question talks about a specific line/paragraph/stanza #, reread it before you answer the question.
Eliminate ridiculous choices from multiple choices
If you're stuck, make a guess. Test makers often include a very high answer and a very low answer
For Example:
Solve: 5 + 5=
A) 1235
B) 10
C) 0
D) 11
If you have to make a guess, cross out the highest answer (A) and the lowest answer (C) leaving two possibilities
WRITING SECTION TIPS
Typical text forms: Paragraph (Comparative, Explanatory, descriptive, persuasive), narrative, letter,
Plan ahead! Create your own success criteria checklist!
Paragraph Success Criteria
www.drooker.ca/paragraphing.html
www.drooker.ca/explanatory-writing.html
www.drooker.ca/descriptive-writing.html
www.drooker.ca/reviewpersuasive.html
Indent (Use the "P" symbol instead)
Topic sentence
Transition words
Supporing ideas (3-5)
Closing sentence
OPP (Do so after every sentence)
Narrative Success Criteria
www.drooker.ca/narrative-writing.html
Indent (Use the "P" symbol instead)
Orientation
Problem
Series of Events
Resolution
Dialogue
Transition words
Similes
OPP (Do so after every sentence)
Letter Writing Success Criteria
www.drooker.ca/letter-writing.html
Date,
Greeting , (Formal? Informal?)
Paragraphs
Indent (Use the "P" symbol instead)
Transition words
Closing ,
Name/Signature
MATH TIPS
Review your times table tricks.
www.drooker.ca/number-sense.html
Remember that multiplication can be used to help with division!
Word problems require pictures, numbers and words to show off your thinking.
I suggest solving word problems in the following order:
Numbers
Words
Pictures.
Don't immediately divide your work space into 3 equal sections as you might need more space for pictures than you do for words, etc.
Review word problem strategies
www.drooker.ca/math-toolkit.html