Ms. Wainwright : )
Showing posts with label A Not So Wimpy Resource: Test Prep. Show all posts
Showing posts with label A Not So Wimpy Resource: Test Prep. Show all posts
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Test Prep: Magic Words Math Chart
I was going to take a break this evening and get some work done for school..... BUT, because I have officially reached 200 Facebook fans on The Diary of a Not So Wimpy fanpage, I am posting freebie to show my appreciation: ) Please visit my TPT store and download your Magic Math Words learning chart FOR FREE! There is also a P.O.E.(process of elimination) chart bundled in with a set of Magic Math Words bookmarks. I hope you enjoy them. I will be posting more test prep activities toward the end of the week. Have a great week!
Ms. Wainwright : )
Download it from my TPT store
Ms. Wainwright : )
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Test Prep Linky Party!
It is that time of year again! Over the next few months, schools all over the country will be getting ready to take "THE TEST". What is THE TEST called in your state? Our test here in Pennsylvania is called the PSSA (Pennsylvania System of School Assessment). This is a standards-based, criterion-referenced assessment used to measure a student's attainment of the academic standards while also determining the degree to which school programs enable students to attain proficiency of the standards. Every Pennsylvania student in grades 3 through 8 and grade 11 is assessed in reading and math. Every Pennsylvania student in grades 5, 8 and 11 is assessed in writing. Every Pennsylvania student in grades 4, 8 and 11 is assessed in science.
Even though the names may change, what this test represents does not. As we all get ready for this high-stakes test, what are you doing to prepare your students? Share your favorite activity, chart, game, and/or strategy. Do you have a favorite website or program that you use? Feel free to share as much as you like. I am positive that whatever you have to offer will help another teacher. I love creating games and authentic expereinces that promote the application of important strategies that translate well on both an assessment and in real life. I will continue to post my activities over the next several weeks!
I look forward to reading and sharing all of your post. Please share your post's link and blog button address below! Check back often for updates and new posts!
Happy testing,
Ms. Wainwright : )
The PSSA isn't a DIFFICULT test....the PSSA is a TRICKY test.
This is my mantra and I repeat it over and over and over and over again. It is very important for my students to understand that this test isn't timed for a reason. Aside from teaching students the necessary comprehension skills that are needed to navigate the standardized test, it is important to teach them "how" to take THE test. I always tell them, the test isn't timed for a reason. TAKE YOUR TIME, YOU DO NOT GET BONUS POINTS FOR FINISHING EARLY.....I have given this test for the last 13 years and I can say that I have seen some students make the same mistake over and over and over again....How many times did you want to cringe when you see a student answer a question incorrectly and you KNOW they KNOW the answer......READ! is what I want to shout.....OMG!!! I finally got hip to this problem and began teaching the tricks to "passing" this test. I tell them all year everything that I want them to remember when they take the test. I even give 5 minute drills where students have to write as many strategies and tips they can remember. We even make flip books. They get so used to writing and hearing these tips that they actually think twice when testing! So, let me share some of these tips with you....
#1. The "testmakers" (that is the name that I gave them) expect you to make certain mistakes and they put those mistakes on the test as an option. And, if you are not carefull, you will make this mistake. For example, when they ask you for the synonym of a word, alot of times they will put the atonym as option A....IF you are not paying attention you will choose this answer. What can you do? You can cirlce the word synonym. Just by doing this, you are highlighting what they are asking you for. AND if you say to yourself, "I am looking for the synonym", you are less likey to make a silly mistake.
#2. Many times if you read the multiple choice questions before responding to your open-ended response, you will find that there is a multiple choice question that is similar to the open-ended question. For example, there might be a multiple choice question asking you for the main idea of the passsage. Then your open-ended question may ask you to summarize the passage. Well......if you use your 2 W's strategy (who did what), you will be able to identify the main idea. Then, when writing this summary **lightbulb**....you already have your topic sentence (main idea) writen for you!!!!! YES, this is true. It isn't guarenteed to always happen; however, looking for this clue is very helpful int he event that it does happen.
#3. If you are stumped when trying to figure out the main idea....and yes, this sometimes happens. Remember.....the title is the shortest possible summary. Reread the title and it should give you a clue as to what the overall main idea of the story is. If this is a nonfiction passage, always reread the first and last paragraph; it will usually be stated in the opening paragraph and restated in the final paragraph (just like when we write a 5-paragraph essay....reading and writing go hand in hand!)
#4. Some questions that follow a reading passage can be answered without reading the passage!!!! A fact is a fact is a fact is a fact. If you know the difference between fact and opinion, it doesn't matter what the passage is about. Answer the question BEFORE you read. That way when you are reading the passage you can focus on looking for the answers that you need the passage for. Other questions that can be answered without reading the passage are: Which is an example of alliteration/personification/metaphor/simile/onomatopoeia.....Let's read with a purpose!!!
#5. Elliminate the NONSENSE answers. Everytime you elliminate an impossible answer you increase your chances of getting the correct answer. USUALLY when a response uses an extreme word like NEVER or ALWAYS, it is usually incorrect.
These tips do not take the place of learning important skills and strategies for math and reading. HOWEVER, these are tips that every student should be aware of. Like I said.....the PSSA is not a difficult test (especially when you can use your comprehension strategies to understand a variety of texts)....but is a TRICKY test and knowing what tricks to expect is half the battle.
Stay posted as I continue to post strategies and teaching tips that will definitely help you prepare your students for the upcoming TEST.....Feel free to share any of your tips and insights, I look forward to it.
Ms. Wainwright : )
#1. The "testmakers" (that is the name that I gave them) expect you to make certain mistakes and they put those mistakes on the test as an option. And, if you are not carefull, you will make this mistake. For example, when they ask you for the synonym of a word, alot of times they will put the atonym as option A....IF you are not paying attention you will choose this answer. What can you do? You can cirlce the word synonym. Just by doing this, you are highlighting what they are asking you for. AND if you say to yourself, "I am looking for the synonym", you are less likey to make a silly mistake.
#2. Many times if you read the multiple choice questions before responding to your open-ended response, you will find that there is a multiple choice question that is similar to the open-ended question. For example, there might be a multiple choice question asking you for the main idea of the passsage. Then your open-ended question may ask you to summarize the passage. Well......if you use your 2 W's strategy (who did what), you will be able to identify the main idea. Then, when writing this summary **lightbulb**....you already have your topic sentence (main idea) writen for you!!!!! YES, this is true. It isn't guarenteed to always happen; however, looking for this clue is very helpful int he event that it does happen.
#3. If you are stumped when trying to figure out the main idea....and yes, this sometimes happens. Remember.....the title is the shortest possible summary. Reread the title and it should give you a clue as to what the overall main idea of the story is. If this is a nonfiction passage, always reread the first and last paragraph; it will usually be stated in the opening paragraph and restated in the final paragraph (just like when we write a 5-paragraph essay....reading and writing go hand in hand!)
#4. Some questions that follow a reading passage can be answered without reading the passage!!!! A fact is a fact is a fact is a fact. If you know the difference between fact and opinion, it doesn't matter what the passage is about. Answer the question BEFORE you read. That way when you are reading the passage you can focus on looking for the answers that you need the passage for. Other questions that can be answered without reading the passage are: Which is an example of alliteration/personification/metaphor/simile/onomatopoeia.....Let's read with a purpose!!!
#5. Elliminate the NONSENSE answers. Everytime you elliminate an impossible answer you increase your chances of getting the correct answer. USUALLY when a response uses an extreme word like NEVER or ALWAYS, it is usually incorrect.
These tips do not take the place of learning important skills and strategies for math and reading. HOWEVER, these are tips that every student should be aware of. Like I said.....the PSSA is not a difficult test (especially when you can use your comprehension strategies to understand a variety of texts)....but is a TRICKY test and knowing what tricks to expect is half the battle.
Stay posted as I continue to post strategies and teaching tips that will definitely help you prepare your students for the upcoming TEST.....Feel free to share any of your tips and insights, I look forward to it.
Ms. Wainwright : )
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Effective Teaching and Test Prep Get Married!
Effective teaching is the key to success on any high stakes test. If you take away all of the political nonsense and "crap" we have to deal with, I am actually in favor of standardized testing. Primarily because it gives you a starting point and an ending point for the students in your class and it allows you to measure growth in the areas of math and reading. The stress that is sometimes put on the teachers to "increase test scores" sometimes does more harm than good....(that is an entirely different post if I start talking about that). The question is, "when does test prep start and how does it look?" The answer is, test prep looks like effective teaching and it starts on day one.
I have been in some schools where test prep starts right about now. In actuality test prep starts in September (it starts in kindergarten if you want to get technical). But the point I am making is that it's not about shoving testing terms and practice tests at students a few months before the test and assume that this is test prep. If a child is to be successful on an exam, they must be able to read fluently, apply comprehension strategies or math strategies to process information, and use critical thinking skills to make logical choice. Reinforcing these strategies and skills from the start of the school year looks like read alouds, workshop activities, opportunities to explore inquiries, completing activities that require them to apply newly learned skills to real-life scenarios, rigor in daily instruction, repetition and the drill and practice of basic skills in math, high-interest assignments and projects that encourage thoughtfulness, integration of technology, and cross curricular activities that show how these skills can transfer into other subject areas. If this is done with consistency throughout the school year, preparing them for the test can be more meaningful. I believe that you must expose students to passage reading and standardized test questions before they take the actual test. But the focus should be making sure that the students can apply those same skills that were taught in reading and math to solving the questions on the test. I do this by making sure that the students can identify the variety of skills that I've taught. For example what does a question that is asking the author's purpose look like? I provide students with a passage and multiple choice questions. We read the questions together and the students are required to tell me what type of question is being asked. This may be a question that requires them to use context clues or identify the main idea....whatever the case may be they have to identify the strategy. This strengthens their metacognitive skills as well as sets their purpose for reading. They now have an idea of what they are looking for while they read when taking the test. I also encourage them to mark up the text (read with pen in hand). Being able to do this not only sets them up for success on the test, it also teaches them how to be active readers and will ultimately set them up for success for the upper grades.
This evening I created a game that will reinforce some of the skills we have learned so far:
Strategies Bingo is a resource with terms and strategies on flash cards and a few activities that I will be completing to reinforce comprehension and test taking skills. Feel free to download these activities and share any games or activities that you do to prepare for "THE TEST".
(click HERE to download)
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES FOR STRATEGIES BINGO
TAG it a 3!
This is another strategy that I use starting at the beginning of the year. Open-ended questions carry the most weight and are usually the largest area of weakness on the standardized test. Overall students need to know how to respond thoughtfully to an open-ended question. They need to know how to organize this response logically and provide supporting details for their answer. By using the TAG it a 3 strategy, students practice turning the prompt/question around, answer the question and provide 2-3 details to support their answer. We practice this weekly. Students are given a rubric at the top of their writing paper and they must refer to this rubric as they write. The rubric I provide is kid-friendly and is based on the Pa writing rubric (just less wordy). When teaching students how to respond to open-ended questions, I also reinforce how to look for what the prompt is asking you to do (do you have compare/contrast, sequence events, identify the theme or the main idea, etc.). Below I have posted a TAG it a 3! picture of what the chart looks like. The PDF file is in the document link posted above. Please feel free to use it and share your thoughts and suggestions for other activities that are great for teaching test-taking strategies.
I have been in some schools where test prep starts right about now. In actuality test prep starts in September (it starts in kindergarten if you want to get technical). But the point I am making is that it's not about shoving testing terms and practice tests at students a few months before the test and assume that this is test prep. If a child is to be successful on an exam, they must be able to read fluently, apply comprehension strategies or math strategies to process information, and use critical thinking skills to make logical choice. Reinforcing these strategies and skills from the start of the school year looks like read alouds, workshop activities, opportunities to explore inquiries, completing activities that require them to apply newly learned skills to real-life scenarios, rigor in daily instruction, repetition and the drill and practice of basic skills in math, high-interest assignments and projects that encourage thoughtfulness, integration of technology, and cross curricular activities that show how these skills can transfer into other subject areas. If this is done with consistency throughout the school year, preparing them for the test can be more meaningful. I believe that you must expose students to passage reading and standardized test questions before they take the actual test. But the focus should be making sure that the students can apply those same skills that were taught in reading and math to solving the questions on the test. I do this by making sure that the students can identify the variety of skills that I've taught. For example what does a question that is asking the author's purpose look like? I provide students with a passage and multiple choice questions. We read the questions together and the students are required to tell me what type of question is being asked. This may be a question that requires them to use context clues or identify the main idea....whatever the case may be they have to identify the strategy. This strengthens their metacognitive skills as well as sets their purpose for reading. They now have an idea of what they are looking for while they read when taking the test. I also encourage them to mark up the text (read with pen in hand). Being able to do this not only sets them up for success on the test, it also teaches them how to be active readers and will ultimately set them up for success for the upper grades.
This evening I created a game that will reinforce some of the skills we have learned so far:
Strategies Bingo is a resource with terms and strategies on flash cards and a few activities that I will be completing to reinforce comprehension and test taking skills. Feel free to download these activities and share any games or activities that you do to prepare for "THE TEST".
(click HERE to download)
SUGGESTED ACTIVITIES FOR STRATEGIES BINGO
•Strategies
Bingo: you can play corners, x, or t. Give a blank bingo sheet to each student
(printed on front and back). Have them randomly write 9 of the strategies on
each side. Have them choose a side to play with. They can switch sides or trade
with a classmate at the start of each game.
•Run
off 2 sets for each pair of students. Students can play Strategies Go Fish or
Memory with the cards. They can also quiz each other.
•Teacher
vs
Student: Every strategy that is defined correctly by a student earns the
students a point. Every strategy that they answer incorrectly earns the teacher
a point. The teacher can establish the incentive at the start of the game.
Strategies
Tic Tac Toe:
Post a blank bingo sheet on the board. Between activity transitions, give the
first group ready the chance to read and define a strategy card. If they get it
write they can write their group’s number in the box of their choice. The first
group to get Tic Tac Toe
can pick from the goodie bag or add a star to their behavior envelopes.TAG it a 3!
This is another strategy that I use starting at the beginning of the year. Open-ended questions carry the most weight and are usually the largest area of weakness on the standardized test. Overall students need to know how to respond thoughtfully to an open-ended question. They need to know how to organize this response logically and provide supporting details for their answer. By using the TAG it a 3 strategy, students practice turning the prompt/question around, answer the question and provide 2-3 details to support their answer. We practice this weekly. Students are given a rubric at the top of their writing paper and they must refer to this rubric as they write. The rubric I provide is kid-friendly and is based on the Pa writing rubric (just less wordy). When teaching students how to respond to open-ended questions, I also reinforce how to look for what the prompt is asking you to do (do you have compare/contrast, sequence events, identify the theme or the main idea, etc.). Below I have posted a TAG it a 3! picture of what the chart looks like. The PDF file is in the document link posted above. Please feel free to use it and share your thoughts and suggestions for other activities that are great for teaching test-taking strategies.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)