Lesson Overview 

Ah tests!  Up to this point the students have been taking short (just about every day) quizzes on the reading they did for homework.  Those quizzes have two things in common - 1) they are designed to see if students did the reading  2) they do not require think - critical or otherwise.  But now it is time to see if they've been paying attention during discussions, group works, assignments, essays, etc.  How are they putting together everything that we've done in class.  See my page on Quizzes and Exams.

Another good reason to give students an exam on the Unit is to  help them prepare for college (98% of my students went on to college).  Most colleges give (or used to give) multiple choice exams.  They will also be seeing multiple choice on the ACT & the SAT exams.  The more comfortable students are with those type of exams, the better.

It is more than possible to write a good, thinking exam that accurately reflects the thought that's been happening in the class.  It does take time.  I don't believe in "trick questions or answers" -- though I'm not exactly sure what those are (sometimes a student will say there is a trick answer, and I'm like "no, that's the wrong answer - and it's not close to the right answer and it's not meant to fool the the test taker."

This exam covers the material, discussions, group works, movie, and other assignments that took place during the Beowulf and Grendel unit.   There also exists a version of this exam that include the Anglo-Saxon poetry that follows this unit.  I've also included the most recent study guide - please for this lesson disregard (or edit) what it says about Anglo-Saxon poetry.  I have not included an exam key at this time - but may in the future.

Exams in my class usually count for 450 points (a reading quiz is usually 100 points).  Their Beowulf Plays were 800 points.

Thoughts on the Lesson 

The first exam is always a shock for the students and for me.  I always expect them to do incredilby well - and the average ends up being about a 70% (which is not bad I guess - but the test seems so darn easy to me (I know...).  It is another tool - a wake up call.