The ACT Advanced  Mathematics and Science Reasoning Video Course

This video course provides extensive practice on the Mathematics and Science Reasoning sections of the ACT.  The course price, $279, includes two 90-minute videotapes plus a package of 10 student workbooks.  Extra student workbooks are $12.50 each.

Course Description and Lessons Plans

This course provides detailed practice on the Mathematics and Science Reasoning sections of the ACT.  One 90 minute videotape demonstrates strategies and problem solving techniques for 70 Mathematics problems.  The other 90 minute videotape explains techniques for understanding Science Reasoning charts, graphs, and tables.  The 150 page workbook contains all the problems presented on the videotape along with several practice examinations.

Lesson plans are provided for each videotape.  These plans can be used by course administrators to implement this material quickly into classes or workshops.  Furthermore, the course is designed so that students can use the material on their own, in media facilities.

Outline of Video Programs

Video Program 1: Advanced ACT Mathematics

• Directions 

• General Strategies for Solving Difficult ACT Mathematics Problems

• Pre-Algebra and Elementary Algebra Video Problems 

• Elementary Algebra and Coordinate Geometry 

• Plane Geometry and Trigonometry

Video Program 2:  Advanced ACT Science Reasoning

• Directions

• General Strategies for Solving Difficult ACT Science Reasoning Sets

• Data Representation Problem Sets

• Research Summaries Problem Sets

• Conflicting Viewpoints Problem Sets

Workbook Table of Contents

The workbook contains all the problems presented on the video.  Furthermore, the workbook has three practice Mathematics tests (each 60 minutes in length) and two practice Science Reasoning tests (each 35 minutes in length).  Scoring directions and explanations for all problems are provided.

• Lesson Plans

• Mathematics Checklist of Facts and Formulae

• Mathematics Video Problems

• Mathematics Practice Test 1 with answer explanations

• Mathematics Practice Test 2 with answer explanations

• Mathematics Practice Test 3 with answer explanations

• Science Reasoning Terminology Checklist

• Science Reasoning Video Problems

• Science Reasoning Practice Test 1 with answer explanations

• Science Reasoning Practice Test 2 with answer explanations

How to Use this Course

This course is designed to be implemented quickly by teachers, counselors, or principals.  Furthermore, the course can be used by individual students, in library or media facilities.  The videotapes present strategies and practice problems.  Course administrators are instructed to pause the videotape when a problem is presented while students attempt to solve the problem.  Then, course administrators can play the videotape so students can listen to an explanation of how the problem is solved.  This interactive format continues throughout the course.

One common way that schools have used these materials is to designate time for two workshops, either after-school, on weekends, or on in-service days.  The strategies and practice problems on the videotapes and in the workbook can be organized as follows:

Workshop 1: ACT Advanced Mathematics (approximately three hours)

Workshop 2: ACT Advanced Science Reasoning (approximately three hours)

Students can then take the three Mathematics practice tests on their own (each test is 60 minutes) and the two Science Reasoning practice tests on their own (each test is 35 minutes) Or administrators can time the students on each practice test. Answers and explanations to all questions on the practice test, together with instructions for scoring, are contained in the workbook.

Other schools have incorporated this course into regular Mathematics and Science classes.  In this manner, the material on the videotape can be supplemented by teachers.