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Standardized Test Preparation

Prepare Your Students for "That Time of Year Again"

Build students' confidence as you help them master effective test-taking strategies. With these professional tips, sample questions, and lessons, you can more effectively integrate test review exercises into your regular teaching plan without feeling the pressure to cram in test prep.

These articles provide solutions to alleviate test anxiety, including relaxing routines, empowering test-taking tactics, and inventive activities that integrate test-preparation with year-round curriculum. Also, you’ll find alternative methods of assessment to help you identify subjects that require extra attention and familiarize your students with high-stakes testing.

Related Resources for Test Prep:

Articles

Teaching Tip: Preparing for High Stake Testing

These strategies and daily activities could be used all-year long to avoid pre-test cramming.

No Pain, High Gain

Make connections between successful test-taking strategies and sound general-learning practices. This article features approaches to reading comprehension and math sections, as well as tips for easing test-related stress.

Help Students Develop Standards for Evaluating Their Work

Get advice on showing students how to develop standards for what constitutes excellent work. A teacher discusses how he guided his students to create portfolios and comment on the work of their peers.

Take Out Your No.2 Pencils: Taking the Stress Out of Standardized Tests

First year teachers can relieve the stress of standardized test taking by using these suggestions to prepare therr students. Useful examples for new teachers include practicing time management and creating a positive atmosphere.

Performance Assessment for Reading

These instructions will help the first year teacher accurately measure students'reading comprehension skills. This article contains tips for new teachers on selecting a suitable text, creating writing prompts, and working with scoring rubrics.

Test-Taking Strategies for Three Subject Areas

In this lesson, students develop test-taking skills that strengthen vocabulary, improve reading comprehension, and enhance language arts mechanics.

Top 5 Ways to Prepare Students for Standardized Tests

From reading a relaxing book before each test to reviewing older curriculum daily through a competition for candy, see what works for other teachers.

Make Test Review Fun!

Help your students review for a test by engaging them in fun and exciting games.

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Nonfiction Passages for Test Prep Grades2-3: Panda Pairs and Dear Morey Letter (PDF)

Use these brief reading assignments and comprehension/critical thinking questions to give students practice with the types of text and questions they'll see on standardized tests. From the book: 24 Nonfiction Passages for Test Practice.

Nonfiction Passages for Test Prep Grades 4-5: Soccer & Word Origins (PDF)

Familiarize students with reading and analyzing informational texts such as those they'll encounter on high-stakes tests. From the book 24 Nonfiction Passages for Test Practice Grades 4-5.

Nonfiction Passages for Test Prep Grades 6-8: Bugs & Letter to the Editor (PDF)

Prepare middle schoolers for high-stakes test by providing them with sample passages and questions that let them practice reading and responding to nonfiction text. From the book 24 Nonfiction Passages for Test Practice Grades 6-8.

Unit Plans