Sample | Boot Camp for STAAR End of Course

Sample

Boot Camp for STAAR End of Course: Better STAAR scores in one day!

How Boot Camps work: MasteryPrep’s STAAR Boot Camps are half-day events designed to increase the number of your students scoring Meet and Master on the STAAR assessment.

Each Boot Camp focuses on a single subject and provides students the review and motivation they need to put their best foot forward on test day. You’ve worked all year to build student competence on the TEKS standards. The Boot Camps help your students connect what they’ve learned in school to how those skills will be assessed on the new STAAR test.

Each Boot Camp is led by a MasteryPrep-certified instructor who will arm your students with the tips, strategies, and reasoning skills they need to succeed on test day.

In just three hours, students will: • Review the most heavily tested standards • Learn test-taking and guessing strategies • Avoid trap answers and acclimate to the new technologyenabled test items • Discuss how to overcome test anxiety and properly prep for testing

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

What’s Included?

Our Boot Camps for STAAR provide test prep that fits your schedule, even at the last minute. We take care of everything. No hassle, no stress, and no attendance limits.

• Virtual or in-person instruction by an expert MasteryPrep instructor • A workbook for each student with exercises to complete during the event and additional practice leading up to test day.

3-hour Boot Camps for each STAAR EOC:

Algebra I

Biology

“I was able to relearn and remember new things I had learned earlier in the school year. I think other students should get this experience because I am now really confident for my STAAR Algebra 1 test!”

- Student, Carter Junior High School-TX

English I

English II

U.S. History

“My instructor helped me feel more confident in my test than I had before. He was very helpful when we were struggling and made it feel as if it is okay to make mistakes. He was very helpful, positive, and kind to everyone during the Boot Camp.”

- Student, Nazareth ISD-TX

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for STAAR Algebra I

CONTENTS ORIENTATION

1

Why Does This Test Matter?

2

How Is the STAAR Algebra I Test Scored?

3

STAAR Redesign

4

Tools of the Trade

5

What's on the Test?

6

What Is a Boot Camp?

7

SOLVING LINEAR EQUATIONS

9

Solving Linear Equations Preview

10

Desmos: The Algebra I MVP

12

Distribution Done Right

13

Desmos for Inequalities Too

14

Plugging In

15

Direct Variation: Know Just One Thing

16

Test Run

17

GRAPHING LINEAR EQUATIONS

19

Graphing Linear Equations Preview

20

The Process of Elimination

24

It’s All in the Name

25

Intercepts

27

Slope: Draw It Out

28

Solving Linear Equations Reboot

30

Zero and Undefined Slope

31

Plugging In, Part Two: Graphs

32

Test Run

33

SYSTEMS OF EQUATIONS

37

Systems of Equations Preview

38

What Are Systems of Equations?

40

X Marks the Spot (and the Solution)

41

Bop It. Twist It. Stack It

42

No Wasted Steps

43

It’s Like Folding Socks, but With Math

44

We Don’t Know What We Don’t Know

45

Graphing Linear Equations Reboot

46

Test-Taking Skills: Plug In

47

Test Run

48

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for STAAR Algebra I

SOLVING NONLINEAR EQUATIONS

51

Solving Nonlinear Equations Preview

52

The Power of Zero

54

Systems of Equations Reboot

56

Distribution in the Big Leagues

57

Partial Elimination: First and Last

58

Factoring

59

Working Backward

60

Test Run

61

GRAPHING POLYNOMIALS

63

Graphing Polynomials Preview

64

The Universal Translator

65

Solving Nonlinear Equations Reboot

68

Knowing Stuff: Domain and Range

69

Test Run

72

MINI-TEST Mini-Test

73 74

CONCLUSION

81

Key Test-Taking Skills

82

Before the Test

83

CONTRIBUTORS

85

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for STAAR Algebra I

SECTION 2

SOLVING LINEAR EQUATIONS

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Solving Linear Equations | Boot Camp for STAAR Algebra I

Solving Linear Equations Preview Instructions Complete the quiz. If time remains, check your answers.

1 What is the solution to 5 – 3(m – 10) = 2(10 – m)?

Enter your answer in the box.

2 What is the solution set for –3x + 12 ≤ 4x + 40?

A. x ≤ –4 B. x ≥ –28 C. x ≥ –4 D. x ≤ –28

10

Solving Linear Equations Preview

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for STAAR Algebra I | Solving Linear Equations

3 A coach is ordering lunch for his team. He can choose any combination of sandwiches and cheeseburgers for the lunch offering, and he does not want to spend more than $40.

If sandwiches cost $5 each and cheeseburgers cost $4 each, which inequality represents all possible combinations of x sandwiches and y cheeseburgers?

A. 5x + 4y < 40 B. 5x + 4y ≤ 40 C. 4x + 5y > 40 D. 4x + 5y ≤ 40 4 The value of y varies directly with x. If x = 5, then y = 40. What is the value of x when y = 280?

A.

5 7

B. 1

2 5

C. 8 D. 35

Solving Linear Equations Preview

11

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Solving Linear Equations | Boot Camp for STAAR Algebra I

Desmos: The Algebra I MVP Instructions Refer to the question below as your instructor leads the discussion.

Solving Equations With Desmos Whenever you need to solve an equation with one variable, you can use Desmos. Here’s how: 1. Set the left side of the equation equal to y.

2. Set the right side of the equation equal to y on a new line.

3. Find the intersection. The x-coordinate is the correct answer.

1 What is the solution to 5 – 3(m – 10) = 2(10 – m)?

Enter your answer in the box.

12

Desmos: The Algebra I MVP

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for STAAR Algebra I | Solving Linear Equations

Distribution Done Right Instructions Refer to the question below as your instructor leads the discussion.

Negative Paranoia: When you see subtraction or negatives in a question, double-check every step to make sure you don’t forget about the negatives.

Solving Equations With Distribution Whenever you need to solve an equation using distribution, here’s how: 1. Copy the equation to your scratch paper or notepad.

2. Draw arrows to visualize the distribution.

3. Distribute.

4. Collect like terms and solve.

Show your work for question 1 below.

Distribution Done Right

13

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for STAAR Biology

CONTENTS ORIENTATION

1

Why Does This Test Matter?

2

How Is the STAAR Biology Test Scored?

3

STAAR Redesign

4

Tools of the Trade

5

What's on the Test?

6

What Is a Bootcamp?

7

CELLS

9

Cells Preview

10

Eukaryotes Versus Prokaryotes

14

Decoding DNA

16

Breaking Down Enzymes

18

Respiration and Photosynthesis. Big Words. Big Energy. Big Mood.

20

The Cell Cycle

22

Test Run

24

GENETICS

27

Genetics Preview

28

Maybe She’s Born With It. Maybe It’s a Mutation.

32

Variety: The Spice of Life

34

Mendel and His PEAS

36

Cells Reboot

38

4x4 Punnett Squares

39

Test Run

40

CELLS, VIRUSES, AND KINGDOMS

43

Cells, Viruses, and Kingdoms Preview

44

Constant Cellular Components

46

Cells and Viruses

47

Characteristics of Kingdoms

48

Test Run

49

Genetics Reboot

50

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for STAAR Biology

ECOLOGY

51

Ecology Preview

52

Decoding Food Webs

56

Ecological Succession

58

MINI-TEST Mini-Test

61 62

CONCLUSION

67

Key Test-Taking Skills

68

Before the Test

69

CONTRIBUTORS

71

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for STAAR Biology

SECTION 2

CELLS

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Cells | Boot Camp for STAAR Biology

Cells Preview Instructions Complete the quiz. If time remains, check your answers.

1 A student uses the following objects to make a model of a cell:

• A marble to represent the nucleus • A rubber band to represent the cell membrane • Dry rice to represent ribosomes • Pieces of yarn to represent RNA Which material should NOT be included in a model of a prokaryotic cell?

A. Marble (nucleus) B. Rubber band (cell membrane) C. Dry rice (ribosomes) D. Pieces of yarn (RNA)

10

Cells Preview

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for STAAR Biology | Cells

4 A model of the interaction between two cellular processes is shown below.

What products are produced at each phase of the interaction?

Write the name of the correct product in each box in the figure below.

O2

Glucose

CO2

H2O

Light Energy

ATP

Organelle II

Organelle I

5 The events of the cell cycle are divided into distinct phases. Which phase of the cell cycle involves one cell dividing into two identical daughter cells?

A. G1 B. G2 C. S D. M

Cells Preview

13

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Cells | Boot Camp for STAAR Biology

Breaking Down Enzymes Instructions Add arrows in the blank boxes to complete the diagram.

The #1 Thing to Remember Enzymes can only “unlock” specific substrates.

Enzyme reactions are different from typical chemical reactions.

Chemical Reactions Reactants → Products Enzyme Reactions Enzyme + Substrates → Enzyme-Substrate Complex → Enzyme + Products

The Lock and Key Mechanism

Representations of enzyme reactions give momentary pause in the middle to highlight the complex that is formed before moving on to the products.

18

Breaking Down Enzymes

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for STAAR Biology | Cells Instructions Refer to the question below as your instructor leads the discussion. Circle the correct answer.

3 An enzyme catalyzes a chemical reaction with a substrate as shown below.

Substrate

Enzyme Which of the following most correctly depicts the products AFTER the chemical reaction?

A.

C.

B.

D.

Breaking Down Enzymes

19

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Cells | Boot Camp for STAAR Biology

Respiration and Photosynthesis.

Big Words. Big Energy. Big Mood.

Instructions Fill in the diagram as your instructor leads the discussion.

The mitochondria and chloroplasts are like cousins. They’re sort of related in that they both deal with energy, but they look different and have different priorities.

YOU are mighty, like the mitochondria.

IN

20

Respiration and Photosynthesis. Big Words. Big Energy. Big Mood.

OUT

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for STAAR Biology | Cells Instructions Refer to the question below as your instructor leads the discussion. Rewrite each term in the correct box.

4 A model of the interaction between two cellular processes is shown below.

What products are produced at each phase of the interaction?

Write the name of the correct product in each box in the figure below.

O2

Glucose

CO2

H2O

Light Energy

ATP

Organelle II

Organelle I

Respiration and Photosynthesis. Big Words. Big Energy. Big Mood.

21

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for STAAR English I

CONTENTS ORIENTATION

1

Why Does This Test Matter?

2

How Is the STAAR English I Test Scored?

3

STAAR Redesign

4

Tools of the Trade

5

What's on the Test?

6

What Is a Bootcamp?

7

LITERARY TEXTS

9

Literary Texts Preview

10

Plug In

13

Cut the Drama and Clutter

14

Predict the Future

15

Test Run

16

INFORMATIONAL TEXTS

19

Informational Texts Preview

20

Define, Define, Define

23

Read Between the Lines

24

Literary Texts Reboot

26

One From You. One From Them.

27

Test Run

28

PAIRED PASSAGES

31

Paired Passages Preview

32

Informational Texts Reboot

36

1-2-Wrong!

37

Same Energy

38

Compose Yourself

39

Outline Quickly and Type Slowly

40

Outline and Underline

42

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for STAAR English I

REVISION

43

Revision Preview

44

Finding Common Ground

46

Under Construction

47

Combining Sentences

48

Literary Texts Reboot

50

Connecting Ideas

52

Finding an Anchor

53

Test Run

54

EDITING

57

Editing Preview

58

Broken Sentences

60

Revision Reboot

62

Fix-It Questions

63

Sounds Wrong Is Wrong in Action

64

Test Run

66

MINI-TEST Mini-Test

69 70

CONCLUSION

79

Key Test-Taking Skills

80

Before the Test

81

CONTRIBUTORS

82

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for STAAR English I Boot Camp for STAAR English I

SECTION 2

LITERARY TEXTS

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Literary Texts | Boot Camp for STAAR English I

Literary Texts Preview Instructions Complete the quiz. If time remains, check your answers.

from American Cake

by Alexi Petrov

10

1

You must concede that the stars in foreign places are larger than the stars in Russia. I really don’t have to mention the shooting stars, telescopes, astronomy, and the like. Only this cake, not that important, really. How do the Americans make such cakes? Such shiny plastic wrapping, and the vanilla ones are so white, the chocolate ones so shiny, dark, paint-like, as if made of wax. They really exist, but appear so manufactured.

2

Not to boast or anything, but as a photographer at a local magazine, the first time I laid eyes on an American snack cake was in a foreign newspaper ad in our company’s reference library. It appeared to be a grocery store with stacks of cakes carefully arranged, a stack of vanilla cakes, then a stack of chocolate cakes, then another stack of vanilla cakes, on and on, reaching out like a huge sea serpent. Especially the vanilla cakes, they looked so white, so shockingly white, that there wasn’t any hint of other flavors in them.

3

In this place we call home where everyone loves to chase after anything trendy, all sorts of foreign sweets fill up grocery market aisles, but the ones people go the craziest for are the American snack cakes. The appearance of American snack cakes increased the agony in my heart. I felt like a childish boy struggling with an unrequited crush, who, despite his raging desire, could not bring himself to do anything more daring than sneak clandestine glances at his darling from a distance. For a hundred times I allowed my artist’s imagination to dream freely and delighted in my thoughts of how delicious and sweet American snack cakes would taste, but I refused to get close to them. One American snack cake for 100 rubles, twice as much as a whole case of the local vanilla “Polyot” cakes. Not that my pockets cannot afford an occasional American cake. It’s only that I didn’t wish to throw away my money on these trendy foreign things.

4

One afternoon I took my son shopping. Of the many thousands of products on display in the huge shopping center, his heart was set on the American snack cakes alone. And he refused to give me a break until I bought one. I pulled out all the tricks I had to redirect his obsession and even bought him his favorite Mindal pudding, Bird’s Milk cake, and rugelach bites, but none caught his eye. He sulked unhappily the entire next day and night and didn’t wish to speak to me at all. When he woke up the following morning, he still had not let it go. I had never experienced such hardheadedness for so long in my son, even at his young age. I felt stunned. These vanilla American snack cakes had such a frightening appeal to our young kids.

5

I guessed, no matter how I cut it, I shouldn’t have refused my son and discouraged his burgeoning curiosity about the mysteries of life. To put it another way, I should have allowed my son to see what the American snack cake tasted like. So I kept my nose to the grindstone for a week, sold some more photographs, made a little more money, and rushed to the shopping center. There I used a two-hundred-ruble bill and purchased two American snack cakes from a youthful, ever-grinning sales clerk. When I returned home with the two cakes, my son bounced with excitement, but he didn’t immediately rip open the plastic wrapping.

Literary Texts Preview

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for STAAR English I | Literary Texts Rather, he put the cakes next to his brown bear, his favorite toy. At night before going to sleep, he would take one final glance and touch the snack cake’s wrapping in his hand with care. I asked: Why won’t you eat them? I’ll get you more if you love them that much. He would sigh deeply, his eyes still glued to the deliciously wrapped cakes. He couldn’t bring himself to unwrap the cakes that he thought looked so perfect in their plastic packaging.

6

A few days later, after finishing a serious business proposal, the clients gave all of the veteran employees an elegant gift box, each holding four pristinely-wrapped American snack cakes. I felt so excited about the gift, which felt so precious in my hands. At my encouragement, my son eventually surrendered and decided to eat a cake. My son’s enthusiastic eyes watched me carefully as I gently pulled open the shiny plastic wrap of the snack cake with my fingers, almost ceremoniously, but I still felt like I was breaking a rule.

7

I had anticipated my son would bounce with excitement again, but at only the first bite, he stiffened, a confused look in his bright eyes. He smacked his lips a couple of times as if unsure of his sense of taste. Then, with obvious unhappiness, he slid the plate across the table: How come it tastes like this?

8

I ate a bite and my forehead creased immediately too. Certainly it tasted like cardboard compared to our vanilla “Polyot” cakes.

9

So we set the elegant box of American snack cakes aside uneaten and forgot they existed for some time. When we remembered them again after all that time, the cakes inside eerily hadn’t changed at all.

1

2

Read the dictionary entry.

Read this quotation from paragraph 4.

concede \kən-’sēd\ v 1. recognize the superiority of an opponent in a game or match 2. give up grudgingly or hesitantly 3. accept as valid or true 4. grant as an honor or right Which definition best matches the word concede as it is used in paragraph 1?

A. Definition 1 B. Definition 2 C. Definition 3 D. Definition 4

He sulked unhappily the entire next day and night and didn’t wish to speak to me at all.

When he woke up the following morning, he still had not let it go.

What does this quote from paragraph 4 convey about the narrator’s son?

A. He will continue to ignore his father until he gets a cake.

B. He’s sad that he will never have an American snack cake of his own.

C. He feels resentful of his father for not purchasing a cake for him.

D. He spends his days and nights deep in thought about how to raise funds for a cake.

Literary Texts Preview

11

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for STAAR English I | Literary Texts Literary Texts | Boot Camp for STAAR English I

Cut the Drama and Clutter Instructions Refer to the question below as your instructor leads the discussion.

When the question gives you the quote, it’s counting on you to be lazy. Why bother going back to the passage if it’s already in front of you, right? Wrong! Take time to go back and reread the whole paragraph where the sentence shows up.

You’ll also commonly see the same kinds of traps in these question types:

• The Dramatic One, which goes way overboard and outside of what the passage actually says.

• The Recycled Words, which repeat words or phrases from the quotation in an inaccurate way.

2 Read this quotation from paragraph 4.

He sulked unhappily the entire next day and night and didn’t wish to speak to me at all. When he woke up the following morning, he still had not let it go.

What does this quote from paragraph 4 convey about the narrator’s son?

A. He will continue to ignore his father until he gets a cake.

B. He’s sad that he will never have an American snack cake of his own.

C. He feels resentful of his father for not purchasing a cake for him.

D. He spends his days and nights deep in thought about how to raise funds for a cake.

14

Cut the Drama and Clutter

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Literary Texts | Boot Camp for STAAR English I Boot Camp for STAAR English I | Literary Texts

Predict the Future Instructions Refer to the question below as your instructor leads the discussion.

When you see answer choices full of italicized text, you know you’re about to be quizzed on text evidence.

Instead of diving straight into the answer choices, answer the question for yourself. What do you think? Use what you come up with to eliminate bad answers.

3 Which sentence best explains the narrator’s resistance to buying the American cakes?

Predict the Future:

A. I had anticipated my son would bounce with excitement again, but at only the first bite, he stiffened, a confused look in his bright eyes. (paragraph 7) B. In this place we call home where everyone loves to chase after anything trendy, all sorts of foreign sweets fill up grocery market aisles, but the ones people go the craziest for are the American snack cakes. (paragraph 3) C. Such shiny plastic wrapping, and the vanilla ones are so white, the chocolate ones so shiny, dark, paint-like, as if made of wax. (paragraph 1) D.

It’s only that I didn’t wish to throw away my money on these trendy foreign things. (paragraph 3)

Predict the Future

15

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for STAAR English I | Literary Texts Literary Texts | Boot Camp for STAAR English I

Test Run Instructions Complete the quiz. If time remains, check your answers.

In 1932, Joseph Stalin was the communist leader of Russia, and he suppressed all political opposition to increase his control. During this time, many Russian citizens were imprisoned or killed. In the following excerpt, Demitri Radcensky contemplates a memory of his grandmother from this period.

from Twice as Strong: Living in Two Cities

by Demitri Radcensky 1

Each night when I would twist and turn trying to fall asleep, I would feel plagued by visions of my grandmother floating above me. I would picture her in my ten-year-old’s imagination as a refined older woman during the toughest years of Stalin’s reign: Winter 1932.

2

My grandmother kept an assortment of traditional Russian “aristocratic arts”: quills from empires of old, nesting dolls painted by renowned artists, prized fur hats, bear-bone hairbrushes, and exquisite books of poetry. For three months before I was moved from our family home in Moscow, every evening before she fell asleep, my grandmother would take these items gently out of their protective bags and inspect them. She would handle them carefully, as if they were beloved childhood friends. Then she would choose one item to leave on the dresser next to her bed. The next morning, an expression of misery covering her normally peaceful face, she would venture into the city of Moscow and sell it for a trifle.

3

Stalin’s Red Army had closed down the local grocery stores and taken over the food supply for the city. Every family was provided with limited amounts of flour, vegetable oil, potatoes, salt, and meat.

Sometimes that wasn’t sufficient to feed every person in our family. Some grocers were selling food in the underground market because they couldn’t make enough money to take care of their families. As a middle-class family, we had consistently enough money to feed ourselves. But in that time, food was becoming scarce. My grandmother understood that if she wasn’t prepared to let go of her cherished heirlooms, her loved ones would starve. She steeled herself, knowing that the loss would ache.

4

Every evening when my grandmother set aside the treasured antiques she hoped to sell the following morning, she would explain to me why she cared for them. One evening, she took out a Russian nesting doll that was painted by a distinguished Russian writer, Nikolai Gogol. As she shared with me the tale of how she’d gotten the doll—it was a present from her dear father, who had put in a lot of effort to get it for her fifteenth birthday—she laid her fingers on it delicately. Then she unscrewed the middle and removed the top, revealing another nesting doll underneath that twinkled like pixie dust.

5

Another night, my grandmother talked with me before bed and took out a delicate silver necklace from underneath her collar as she spoke. Even though it was a plain, unremarkable chain of silver, she had fiddled with it so much that it had taken on an aged, tarnished appearance.

6

“One time, a long time ago,” my grandmother described, “I was strolling down the sidewalk when I was mesmerized by a one-armed man playing the balalaika”—a traditional Russian folk music instrument. “Around two hundred women were circled about to listen, so I paused as well. The onearmed man’s playing was bewitching. Once he completed his tune, I gave him some coins, assuming I would be on my way. But the musician started pulling at my cloak.

16

Test Run

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Literary Texts | Boot Camp for STAAR English I Boot Camp for STAAR English I | Literary Texts 7

“’I wish to offer you this silver necklace,’ the one-armed man said. ‘Will you purchase it from me? I need the income to support my family.’

8

“’No, I don’t need another necklace,’ I responded, declining the one-armed man’s offer. I murmured good-day and hurried off.

9

“The next morning, I ran into the same musician strumming. Once more, I felt bewitched by his tune and paused to hear it. Once more, the one-armed man tugged at my cloak and urged me to purchase his silver necklace, but I declined.

10

“It continued like this morning after morning. Finally, on the sixth morning, when the one-armed man pleaded with me to buy the necklace so he could help his family, I gave in. I think I paid much more than its actual value because I turned out my pockets and handed the one-armed man all my coins. But it wasn’t about the quality of the necklace. I merely felt inspired to help this kind soul who played such heavenly music. I hoped that he would be able to feed his children.”

11

My grandmother exhaled seriously. “Soon, I’ll trade this necklace to a moneylender for maybe fifty rubles—around one-hundredth what I got it for. What brings me the most heartache is not the price. It’s that I’ll be trading my good luck charm. After all, from that morning on after I bought the silver necklace, I’ve worn it under my collar and touched it to bring our family good fortune. That’s how it has gotten this tarnished finish.”

12

In that instant, my grandmother’s mouth broke into a gut-wrenching smile. “At the same time, it feels right, anyhow. Purchasing this necklace was how I one time helped a man protect his family. Now, in trading it, I’ll be protecting my own family. I suppose this silver necklace has accomplished what I wanted it to.”

4

5

Read the dictionary entry.

Read this quotation from paragraph 4.

trifle /’trīf(ə)l/ n 1. a British dessert made of cake, custard, and jelly 2. a thing of little importance 3. minimal value or price 4. senseless talk or writing Which definition best matches the word trifle as it is used in paragraph 2?

A. Definition 1 B. Definition 2 C. Definition 3 D. Definition 4

As she shared with me the tale of how she’d gotten the doll—it was a present from her dear father, who had put in a lot of effort to get it for her fifteenth birthday—she laid her fingers on it delicately.

Why does the author include this detail about how the narrator’s grandmother acquired the doll?

A. To show that her father paid a lot of money for the doll B. To highlight the reason why the doll was so precious to her C. To explain why she was guaranteed to get a good price when she decided to sell it D. To share the story about the time she met a famous Russian author

Test Run

17

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for STAAR English II

CONTENTS ORIENTATION

1

Why Does This Test Matter?

2

How Is the STAAR English II Test Scored?

3

STAAR Redesign

4

Tools of the Trade

5

What's on the Test?

6

What Is a Boot Camp?

7

LITERARY TEXTS

9

Literary Texts Preview

10

Half Wrong Is All Wrong

13

Half-and-Half

14

Avoid Traps

15

Test Run

16

INFORMATIONAL TEXTS

19

Informational Texts Preview

20

Define, Define, Define

24

Read Between the Lines

25

Literary Texts Reboot

26

One From You. One From Them

27

Test Run

28

PAIRED PASSAGES

33

Paired Passages Preview

34

Informational Texts Reboot

40

1-2-Wrong!

41

Compose Yourself

42

Outline Quickly and Type Slowly

44

Outline and Underline

46

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for STAAR English II

REVISION

47

Revision Preview

48

Finding Common Ground

50

Under Construction

51

Is There an Echo in Here?

52

Paired Passages Reboot

54

Connecting Ideas

55

Finding an Anchor

56

Test Run

58

EDITING

61

Editing Preview

62

Broken Sentences

64

Revision Reboot

66

Fix-It Questions

67

Test Run

68

MINI-TEST Mini-Test

71 72

CONCLUSION

79

Key Test-Taking Skills

80

Before the Test

81

CONTRIBUTORS

83

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for STAAR English II

SECTION 5 3

INFORMATIONAL TEXTS

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Informational Texts | Boot Camp for STAAR English II

Informational Texts Preview Instructions Complete the quiz. If time remains, check your answers.

The Power of Music

by Elena Curtis 1

The opening motif of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony makes up perhaps the most recognized introduction in modern music. Four notes, short-short-short-long, create a powerful rhythmic sequence that introduces the piece with ominous intensity. As the violins follow with rising arpeggios, the woodwinds, horns, and trumpets join in, helping the violins carry the melody, until finally leading back to the famous motif: “da-da-da-duuuum.”

2

Listening to the opening movement of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, critics have described it as the sound of fate knocking at your door. German Romantic author E.T.A. Hoffmann was deeply affected by the first performance; he described “radiant beams” of light and “gigantic shadows ... rocking back and forth” in his account. But these are just four musical notes, and the piece consists only of combinations of sound, or changing rhythms.

So what’s happening here? Music must have a certain type of power to cause the listener to experience such strong emotions when hearing particular arrangements of notes. Well, as it turns out, there is a certain power, but it’s not in the music itself. It’s in the brains of audiences who hear it.

Total Immersion

20

3

Dr. Sara Wong, of the University of Indiana and author of Mind and Music, explains that music feels especially transcendent when we experience it live in a concert venue. “When the performers begin to play,” she explains, “you forget your surroundings. The music takes you away from your normal life.” In our daily routines, our brains are like searchlights, busy turning their focus on our surroundings, and seeking out those stimuli that are worthy of our attention or investigation: a flashing sign, a ringing doorbell. This is called the filtering process, and it simply means the way that the brain selects what we react to. But as the audience settles into their seats, and the performers begin to play, we stop scanning with our searchlights and immerse ourselves in the music. Melodies, chord progressions, dissonance, and resolution— these are all compositional elements that create a narrative and draw us into the piece.

4

As the performance continues, we are swept along by the music: the details of studying and work and chores fade away. We are no longer aware of our bodies, we don’t think about our surroundings, we are immersed in the music and its soundscape. Psychologists refer to activities like listening to music as “escapism”: when we seek out experiences that require deep attention without the constant need for searchlights, the brain’s filters, to find and respond to new input. We feel magically transported to a different world. This is why humans enjoy music: it’s as if your brain is drifting through outer space.

Informational Texts Preview

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for STAAR English II | Informational Texts

In Sync With the Music 5

But music has other effects on us too: when we engage with it, our mood actually shifts. “Music has varying rhythms and frequencies,” Wong points out, “that our brains react to. Neurons in our brains typically fire at different speeds—some are faster and some are slower—and these rates are associated with different moods; interestingly, music can actually cause these neurons to synchronize, which then results in a change to our mood.” Our bodies respond to the beats of music in other ways, too, like by increasing blood flow to our legs, causing the urge to tap our feet in time with the music, which helps our brains make sense of the rhythmic patterns. It’s like we are trying to join the orchestra. Neuroscientists and music therapists call this the “motor theory of perception,” and because of it, the opening notes of Beethoven’s Fifth actually energize us, and we become invested in where the symphony is going.

6

But there are other processes going in the brain at the same time too. Just like a suspenseful book can keep you up late reading, eagerly trying to find out what happens to the characters and whether you’ve guessed correctly, the patterns in music tell a story, and your brain can’t wait to figure out what will happen next. “Musical information is constantly being interpreted by your auditory cortex and your frontal lobes,” Wong says. “And as your brain builds its interpretation, it tries to predict what is coming up.” And when a prediction is correct, the brain releases dopamine, a chemical messenger that makes us feel satisfied.

“We experience suspense and resolution,” Wong explains, “because of the way the brain anticipates and rewards fulfillment.” That is, the longer we wait for our brain’s expected outcome, the more intense the reaction. As the dissonant chord finally resolves to the harmony we wanted, dopamine is triggered, and we experience a tingle of pleasure or chills of excitement. Music may be abstract, but our reactions to it are both mental and physical.

Active Listening 7

Unfortunately, the potency of the emotions that music inspires in us, and the resulting satisfaction we get from hearing it, may in fact be decreasing. This is because of the way we listen to it. On our phones, or on our computers, music is easily accessible. But listening on these devices reduces music’s power because the music becomes secondary: it’s easy to do other things while the music is streaming in the background. And at the same time, we are pestered with interruptions: ads loudly breaking up songs, the insistent buzz of an incoming message. The concert hall is engineered to keep out those distractions, and when it does so, our listening experience is greatly enhanced. “If you’re not actively listening to music,” Wong says, “you’re not tapping into its full effects.” Passively listening to background music might be easy, but it’s not a rich experience. Certainly we owe ourselves a better experience, and we owe it to Beethoven too.

Informational Texts Preview

21

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Informational Texts | Boot Camp for STAAR English II

Define, Define, Define Instructions The STAAR test will challenge you will all kinds of vocabulary questions, usually at least once per passage.

Use the Plug In strategy to test each option and find the best match.

Melodies, chord progressions, dissonance, and resolution—these are all compositional elements that create a narrative and draw us into the piece.

4

As the performance continues, we are swept along by the music: the details of studying and work and chores fade away. We are no longer aware of our bodies, we don’t think about our surroundings, we are immersed in the music and its soundscape. Psychologists refer to activities like listening to music as “escapism”: when we seek out experiences that require deep attention without the constant need for searchlights, the brain’s filters, to find and respond to new input.

We feel magically transported to a different world. This is why humans enjoy music: it’s as if your brain is drifting through outer space.

In Sync With the Music 5

But music has other effects on us too: when we engage with it, our mood actually shifts.

NOTES

24

Define, Define, Define

7 In paragraph 4, what does the word escapism mean?

A. Fleeing danger B. Retreating from reality C. Unhealthy isolation D. Avoiding problems

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for STAAR English II | Informational Texts

Read Between the Lines Instructions Refer to the information below as your instructor leads the discussion.

When making an inference based on a passage, it’s all about the evidence.

No Evidence = No Answer

Beethoven’s Fifth actually energize us, and we become invested in where the symphony is going.

6

But there are other processes going in the brain at the same time too. Just like a suspenseful book can keep you up late reading, eagerly trying to find out what happens to the characters and whether you’ve guessed correctly, the patterns in music tell a story, and your brain can’t wait to figure out what will happen next. “Musical information is constantly being interpreted by your auditory cortex and your frontal lobes,” Wong says. “And as your brain builds its interpretation, it tries to predict what is coming up.” And when a prediction is correct, the brain releases dopamine, a chemical messenger that makes us feel satisfied. “We experience suspense and resolution,” Wong explains, “because of the way the brain anticipates and rewards fulfillment.” That is, the longer we wait for our brain’s expected outcome, the more intense the reaction. As the dissonant chord finally resolves to the harmony we wanted, dopamine is triggered, and we experience a tingle of pleasure or chills of excitement. Music may be abstract, but our reactions to it are both mental and physical.

8 Based on paragraph 6, with which statement would the author most likely agree?

A. The power of music overrides the preconceived ideas of the listener.

B. Listening to music enhances the filtering process, bringing listeners in tune with their surroundings.

C. Music has such a powerful effect because it impacts the brain’s tendency to predict an outcome based on incoming information.

D. The increasing availability of music has increased its influence on our thought processes.

Active Listening 7

Unfortunately, the potency of the emotions that music inspires in us, and the resulting satisfaction we get from hearing it, may in fact be decreasing.

Read Between the Lines

25

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for STAAR English II | Informational Texts

Read Between the Lines Instructions Refer to the information below as your instructor leads the discussion.

When making an inference based on a passage, it’s all about the evidence.

No Evidence = No Answer

Beethoven’s Fifth actually energize us, and we become invested in where the symphony is going.

6

But there are other processes going in the brain at the same time too. Just like a suspenseful book can keep you up late reading, eagerly trying to find out what happens to the characters and whether you’ve guessed correctly, the patterns in music tell a story, and your brain can’t wait to figure out what will happen next. “Musical information is constantly being interpreted by your auditory cortex and your frontal lobes,” Wong says. “And as your brain builds its interpretation, it tries to predict what is coming up.” And when a prediction is correct, the brain releases dopamine, a chemical messenger that makes us feel satisfied. “We experience suspense and resolution,” Wong explains, “because of the way the brain anticipates and rewards fulfillment.” That is, the longer we wait for our brain’s expected outcome, the more intense the reaction. As the dissonant chord finally resolves to the harmony we wanted, dopamine is triggered, and we experience a tingle of pleasure or chills of excitement. Music may be abstract, but our reactions to it are both mental and physical.

8 Based on paragraph 6, with which statement would the author most likely agree?

A. The power of music overrides the preconceived ideas of the listener.

B. Listening to music enhances the filtering process, bringing listeners in tune with their surroundings.

C. Music has such a powerful effect because it impacts the brain’s tendency to predict an outcome based on incoming information.

D. The increasing availability of music has increased its influence on our thought processes.

Active Listening 7

Unfortunately, the potency of the emotions that music inspires in us, and the resulting satisfaction we get from hearing it, may in fact be decreasing.

Read Between the Lines

25

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Informational Texts | Boot Camp for STAAR English II

Literary Texts Reboot Instructions Identify common trap answers to improve the process of elimination as you answer the following question.

Neuroscientists and music therapists call this the “motor theory of perception,” and because of it, the opening notes of Beethoven’s Fifth actually energize us, and we become invested in where the symphony is going.

6

But there are other processes going in the brain at the same time too. Just like a suspenseful book can keep you up late reading, eagerly trying to find out what happens to the characters and whether you’ve guessed correctly, the patterns in music tell a story, and your brain can’t wait to figure out what will happen next. “Musical information is constantly being interpreted by your auditory cortex and your frontal lobes,” Wong says. “And as your brain builds its interpretation, it tries to predict what is coming up.” And when a prediction is correct, the brain releases dopamine, a chemical messenger that makes us feel satisfied. “We experience suspense and resolution,” Wong explains, “because of the way the brain anticipates and rewards fulfillment.” That is, the longer we wait for our brain’s expected outcome, the more intense the reaction. As the dissonant chord finally resolves to the harmony we wanted, dopamine is triggered, and we experience a tingle of pleasure or chills of excitement. Music may be abstract, but our reactions to it are both mental and physical.

Active Listening 7

26

Unfortunately, the potency of the emotions that music inspires in us, and the resulting satisfaction we get from hearing it, may in fact be decreasing.

Literary Texts Reboot

Read this sentence from paragraph 6.

The longer we wait for our brain's expected outcome, the more intense the reaction.

How does this sentence support the central idea of the article?

A. It shows that the brain reacts positively when music is different than predicted.

B. It argues that individuals should listen to a variety of music.

C. It provides further details about the powerful effects of listening to music.

D. It explains why people wait to listen to music in a passive setting.

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for STAAR U.S. History

CONTENTS ORIENTATION

1

Why Does This Test Matter?

2

How Is the STAAR U.S. History Test Scored?

3

STAAR Redesign

4

Tools of the Trade

5

What's on the Test?

6

What Is a Boot Camp?

7

HISTORY

9

History Preview

10

Just the Facts?

14

Process of Elimination

15

Quote Me on That

16

It's Giving Era Vibes

17

If You Time It Right

18

Test Run

20

GEOGRAPHY AND CULTURE

23

Geography and Culture Preview

24

Big Moves Need Big Reasons

27

History Reboot

28

Art Is Freedom

29

Raise 'em Up!

30

Test Run

32

Short Answer Boot Camp

34

GOVERNMENT AND CITIZENSHIP

35

Government and Citizenship Preview

36

The Three Branches of Government

37

Johnson and Nixon vs. Congress

38

Finding a Resolution

39

Geography and Culture Reboot

40

Disagreements and Deadlines

41

Roosevelt vs. the Supreme Court

42

Test Run

44

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for STAAR U.S. History

ECONOMICS, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND SOCIETY

47

Economics, Science, Technology, and Society Preview

48

I'm Not Eating That

50

History Reboot

52

Alphabet Soup

53

Logical Improvements

54

Test Run

56

MINI-TEST Mini-Test

59 60

CONCLUSION

67

Key Test-Taking Skills

68

Before the Test

69

CONTRIBUTORS

71

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for STAAR U.S. History

SECTION 2

HISTORY

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

History | Boot Camp for STAAR U.S. History

History Preview Instructions Complete the quiz. If time remains, check your answers.

1 The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

—Ninth Amendment Which of the following best explains the purpose of the Ninth Amendment?

A. To designate rights for the federal government B. To protect the rights of the people C. To ensure the separation of state and federal governments D. To protect the right to due process

2 Read the passage and answer the question that follows.

The Country to Country Music Festival, also known as C2C, is an annual American country music festival that has been held in various countries in Europe, as well as Australia, for the past decade.

It has become known as one of the premier venues for country music outside of the United States, attracting tens of thousands of fans.

Which conclusion is best supported by this passage?

A. Musical artists from other countries are becoming popular in the United States.

B. Country music is the world’s most popular musical genre.

C. American music is primarily derived from the music of immigrants.

D. American culture is diffused to the rest of the world through music.

10

History Preview

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for STAAR U.S. History | History

3 Read the excerpt and answer the question that follows.

They joined the military as part of the World War II effort to defeat totalitarian regimes based on myths of racial and national superiority. These African American men and women were well aware of the large irony built into the fact that they were serving in racially segregated units.

—"African Americans: Pioneers," Library of Congress, www.loc.gov (accessed December 23, 2022) How did the United States government address the irony described in this excerpt?

A. By enforcing the Brown v. Board of Education ruling against “separate but equal” treatment B. By enacting a law to guarantee voting rights for all American citizens C. By issuing an executive order to integrate the armed forces D. By passing a constitutional amendment to forbid all racial discrimination

History Preview

11

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

History | Boot Camp for STAAR U.S. History

Just the Facts?

Instructions Refer to the questions below as your instructor leads the discussion.

Option 1 Which of the following quotations appears in the Declaration of Independence?

A. “We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.”

B. “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

C. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by the Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”

D. “They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”

Option 2 The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

—Ninth Amendment Which of the following best explains the purpose of the Ninth Amendment?

A. To designate rights for the federal government B. To protect the rights of the people C. To ensure the separation of state and federal governments D. To protect the right to due process

14

Just the Facts?

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for STAAR U.S. History | History

Process of Elimination Instructions Use the process of elimination to answer the question below.

The Process of Elimination There are more wrong answers than right ones. Focus on picking out the ones you know are wrong, with the goal of narrowing your options down to just one: the right one.

2 Read the passage and answer the question that follows.

The Country to Country Music Festival, also known as C2C, is an annual American country music festival that has been held in various countries in Europe, as well as Australia, for the past decade.

It has become known as one of the premier venues for country music outside of the United States, attracting tens of thousands of fans.

Which conclusion is best supported by this passage?

A. Musical artists from other countries are becoming popular in the United States.

B. Country music is the world’s most popular musical genre.

C. American music is primarily derived from the music of immigrants.

D. American culture is diffused to the rest of the world through music.

Process of Elimination

15

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

History | Boot Camp for STAAR U.S. History

Quote Me on That Instructions Underline key words and dates in the quotation below that can help you answer the question.

Mine Quotes for Clues As you review a quote or excerpt, focus on: Capitals: names, places, eras, titles of legislation, major events, etc.

Numbers: specific years that appear in the quote, but watch out for traps in the attribution Key Words: anything that jumps out as familiar When you are unsure of how to answer the question, think back to the era. What do you remember about that topic? Use the process of elimination to narrow your options.

3 Read the excerpt and answer the question that follows.

They joined the military as part of the World War II effort to defeat totalitarian regimes based on myths of racial and national superiority. These African American men and women were well aware of the large irony built into the fact that they were serving in racially segregated units.

—"African Americans: Pioneers," Library of Congress, www.loc.gov (accessed December 23, 2022) How did the United States government address the irony described in this excerpt?

A. By enforcing the Brown v. Board of Education ruling against “separate but equal” treatment B. By enacting a law to guarantee voting rights for all American citizens C. By issuing an executive order to integrate the armed forces D. By passing a constitutional amendment to forbid all racial discrimination

16

Quote Me on That

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for STAAR U.S. History | History

It’s Giving Era Vibes Instructions Refer to the information below as your instructor leads the discussion.

1900s

1910s

Industrial Revolution

World War I

1920s

The Roaring 20s

1930s

The Great Depression

1940s

World War II

1950s

Boomers

1960s

The Vietnam War

1980s

The Cold War Ends

Know Your Timeline

• Know Your Timeli

• 1900s and earlier

• 1910s – World Wa

• 1920s – The Roar

• 1930s – The Grea Civil Rights

• 1940s – World Wa 2000s

• 1950s – Boomers

9/11

• 1960s – The Vietn

• 1980s – The Cold • 2000s – 9/11 It’s Giving Era Vibes

17

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

History | Boot Camp for STAAR U.S. History

If You Time It Right Instructions Use the decade timeline to answer the next three questions.

4

Leffler, Warren K, photographer. Large crowd at a National Mobilization to End the War in Vietnam direct action demonstration, Washington, D.C. / WKL. Washington D.C, 1967.

[21 Oct] Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2015647173/.

This photograph was taken in Washington, D.C., in 1967.

Select ONE correct answer in each box to complete each sentence. segregating schools sending troops overseas raising taxes This crowd wanted the United States government to stop

.

This protest occurred during a period of public unrest caused by the

.

Vietnam War Cold War Great Depression

18

If You Time It Right

Boot Camp for the STAAR Workbook

Boot Camp for STAAR U.S. History | History

5 Which factor directly contributed to the outbreak of World War I? A. The growth of nationalism throughout Europe B. Economic hardship resulting from the Great Depression C. Unprecedented technological improvements to manufacturing processes D. Increased tensions between the Soviet Union and the United States

Newspaper Illustrations, 1959

Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.), 19 Feb. 1959. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers.

Lib. of Congress. <https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045462/1959-02-19/ed-1/seq-29/>

6

Source: The Library of Congress

These illustrations demonstrate — A. the rationing necessary to conserve supplies for war B. the spread of counterculture among the nation’s youth C. the hardships caused by an economic depression D. the rise of consumer culture during an economic boom

If You Time It Right

19

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