Power Up: Math ACT Prep, Week 1

Show slide 7 and direct students to access the ACT student portal at my.act.org. Let students know that they can track their progress and set goals from test to test if they have access to their ACT online portal.

Have students navigate to their score report. Hand out the Goal Setting handout. Display slide 8 and have them use coloring utensils to fill in their current composite score and math score, but have them wait to fill in their goals.

Display slide 9. Share with students that, while some schools are moving toward a test-optional format, the ACT can be important in obtaining scholarships and school admissions. If you have students who plan to enter the workforce directly after high school, let them know that improving this score can provide more options if they later decide to pursue a degree or obtain certifications. This ACT practice helps with general test preparation and reading comprehension skills that can transfer to other areas of life. Share that their scores are also used to show the state what students have learned. If your school has an average goal to achieve, you can share that here.

Direct students to use the information from slide 9 and their current composite score to select a goal composite score. Have students use their coloring utensil to shade in the goal row for their composite ACT score. Encourage students to be realistic about their goal setting. This may mean if their current score is in the 13–15 range, a good realistic goal would be in the 16–19 range even if they want to attend a research university. This goal is just for the next ACT. Remind students that they can improve their score each time they take the test and that this goal is only for the next time they take the test at school. They can take the ACT again during their senior year or even during the summer before their senior year.

If students are unsure how to pick a goal, recommend one step above where they currently are. Allow students to set a goal for two steps if you feel like they are ready for the commitment and dedication it would take for a more significant score jump.

Direct students’ attention to the Math Section Score portion of their handout. Have them set a goal for their math score. Remind students that their composite score is an average of all four sections of the ACT. This means that they can consider their strengths and weaknesses to average at their goal composite score. However, their goal for the math section should be both higher than their current score and near their composite goal. Have students use their coloring utensil to shade in the goal row for their math section score.

Once students have set their score goals, move to slide 10. Transition students into thinking about how to achieve these goals. Explain to students that this slide shows how many math questions they would need to answer correctly to get each corresponding score on the math section of the ACT.

Direct students to use their goal to determine how many questions they need to answer correctly, recording their findings on their handout. For example, if a student selects a goal for the math section to be in the 20–23 range, have them now pick a more specific goal of 20, 21, 22, or 23. If a student previously scored a 16 on the math section of the ACT, they might set their next goal at a score of 20 and would therefore need to answer 29 questions correctly.

Please let students know that this chart serves as a helpful estimate, as these values can change from test to test. This information could also explain why a student may have earned a 16 on their previous math section after answering 28 questions correctly.

Once students record how many questions they want to answer correctly, ask the class, “How many questions are on the math portion of the ACT?” Once you hear the answer (60 questions), ask them to calculate the percentage of questions they need to answer correctly based on the number of correct answers they plan to strive for. (If students do not know that there are 60 questions on the math section, give them this information.) Allow students to use calculators to determine these percentages.

Once students have started working on calculating their percentages, transition to slide 11. Use this slide to help students who are unsure how to find the percentage.

Ask the class to think about the following question: “What is an action you can take between now and the next ACT exam to help improve your score?”

After giving the students a few moments to think, move to slide 12. Ask students to read through the list of possible actions on their handout and commit to one action they can practice in the coming weeks. Explain that in the coming weeks they will have the option to add other actions. For now, based on what they know about themselves and their goals, have them commit to just one action they can take and practice as a habit. Have students record the number of their selected action in the chart at the bottom of their handout. If they prefer and have enough room, students can instead copy the entire goal.

Ask students to use the columns to record each date they practice that skill to power up their ACT abilities.

Direct students to put their Goal Setting handouts in a designated space and remind them that they will revisit the handout at a later time. If time allows, recommend to students that they set an alarm or reminder on their device to help them remember to practice their selected action.