PSSA Reading & Writing Grade 8 (Second Edition)

by The Editors of REA

Overview

Practice with REA and Pass the PSSA! 
 
REA’s second edition of our Ready, Set, Go!® Reading & Writing test prep for the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) exam gets Pennsylvania students ready for this crucial high-stakes test. 
 
Specifically designed to boost essential reading and writing skills, this test prep provides all the instruction and practice eighth grade students need to excel on this important exam. Written in an easy-to-follow, student-friendly style, it’s perfect for classroom, family, or individual study. 
 
Fully aligned with the Assessment Anchors adopted by the Pennsylvania Department of Education, the review chapters cover every topic tested on the exam, including: word recognition, inferences and conclusions, main ideas, literary analysis, and writing and revising essays. Numerous drills and review lessons throughout the book enhance student vocabulary and literary analysis skills. Key tutorials reinforce writing skills and increase the reading comprehension abilities needed to succeed on the test. Color icons highlight the key concepts, questions, and activities in each chapter. 
 
A diagnostic Pretest pinpoints student strengths and weaknesses, and a full-length Posttest allows students to measure their progress and focus on areas in need of further study. Our confidence-building test tips help reduce test anxiety and boost test-day readiness for this important high-stakes exam. 
 
Whether used in a classroom, for home or self study, or with a tutor, this test prep gets Pennsylvania students ready for their important high-stakes exam, set to take on new challenges, and helps them go forward in their studies! 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780738604824
Publisher:	Research & Education Association
Publication date:	11/16/2009
Series:	Test Preps
Edition description:	Second
Pages:	240
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 10.90(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	13 Years

Read an Excerpt

SUCCEEDING ON THE PSSA: 8th Grade READING AND WRITING
 

ABOUT THIS BOOK

This book provides excellent preparation for the Pennsylvania System of School Assessment (PSSA) for 8th Grade Reading and Writing. Inside you will find lessons, drills, strategies, and test practice—all of it with a single-minded focus: success on the PSSA. 

We have also made every effort to make the book easy to read and navigate. This book is divided into several parts. The first section is a PRETEST, which is half the length of an actual PSSA test and introduces students to some elements of the actual test, including: 

• Nonfiction reading passages, including biographies and articles
• Fiction reading passages, such as poems and excerpts from novels
• Multiple-choice and open-response questions

Following the pretest is a lesson section, which teaches students about the different types of test questions, step by step. A full-length POSTTEST, which matches the content and structure of the actual PSSA, appears at the end of the book. An answer key with detailed explanations of each answer is provided. 

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

FOR STUDENTS: To make getting through the book as easy as possible, we’ve included icons shown on the next page that highlight sections like lessons, questions, and answers. You’ll find that our practice tests are very much like the actual PSSA you’ll encounter on test day. The best way to prepare for a test is to practice, so we’ve included drills with answers throughout the book, and our two practice tests include detailed answers.  

FOR PARENTS: Pennsylvania has created grade-appropriate Assessment Anchors that are listed in the table in this introduction. Students need to meet these standards as measured by the PSSA. Our book will help your child review for the test and prepare for the exams. It includes review sections, drills, and two practice tests complete with explanations to help your child focus on the areas he or she needs to work on to help master the test. 

FOR TEACHERS: No doubt, you are already familiar with the PSSA and its format. Begin by assigning students the pretest. An answer key and detailed explanations follow the pretest. Then work through each of the lessons in succession. When students have completed the subject review, they should move on to the posttest. Answers and answer explanations follow the posttest.  

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

About Research & Education Association 
Acknowledgments 
Succeeding on the PSSA: 8th Grade Reading and Writing 
About This Book
How to Use This Book 
Why Students Are Required to Take the PSSA 
What’s on the PSSA
Assessment Anchors
Tips for the Student  
Tips for Parents 
Pretest
Pretest Answers

PART 1: READING

Lesson 1: Word Recognition 
 Passage 1: America’s First Zoo 
 Passage 2: Catching the Butterflies 
 Passage 3: The Common Cold: Unbeatable Bug? 
 Passage 4: The Invisible Tree 

Lesson 2: Inferences and Conclusions 
 Passage 1: The Truth about Organ Donation 
 Passage 2: Excerpt from Hard Times 
 Passage 3: Space Colonization: Too Big a Risk 
 Passage 4: Excerpt from The Secret Garden 
 
Lesson 3: Main Idea 
 Passage 1: The Trail of Tears 
 Passage 2: The Birth of Golf 
 Passage 3: The Lamplighter  
 Passage 4: Mosquitoes: Annoying but Amazing 

Lesson 4: Author’s Purpose 
 Passage 1: How to Set up an Aquarium 
 Passage 2: The Frame 
 Passage 3: Beating Writer’s Block 
 Passage 4: Cutting Class Size 

Lesson 5: Literature, Part 1 
 Passage 1: Excerpt from Bleak House 
 Passage 2: Up-Hill 
 Passage 3: Mr. Salazar 
 Passage 4: The Story of an Hour 

Lesson 6: Literature, Part 2 
 Passage 1: Memories of Montgomery 
 Passage 2: The Bunkhouse  
 Passage 3: Bitter Competition 
 Passage 4: Because I Could Not Stop for Death

PART 2: WRITING AND REVISING
Lesson 1: Revising/Editing  
Lesson 2: Essay Writing 

Posttest 
Posttest Answers