Getting students ready for standardized test

[suprchq]

We are approaching that time of year when we have to get our students ready to take our state standardized tests. We are trying to think of ways to make it fun (?), like have a pep rally to get the kids motivated. I know that sounds strange but that is what we are trying to do. Does anyone do anything special, besides review, to get their kids ready for this annual event. I feel like their is so much emphasis on it all year it is difficult to get the kids excited about it. Any ideas, such as teaching study skills, how to approach the test ... Plus, do you go back and review what you have taught all year?
Thanks for the help.

Susannah

 

[Jalon]

we do similar

We do "practice tests" where we make the environment much like test day. We're also having a pep rally. Each morning, the week before, we will have "jock rock" type music piped through to those grades testing. Our lower grade "reading buddies" are going to make motivational treat bags for our kids (tootsie roll pop, a written motivational message, some small treats). We also have a post-test party...we go to the "Y" and play basketball, swim, then have a sack lunch outisde, if weather permits. I'm a first year teacher (started in January), so this is all new to me. I'll reserve my opinion on it until after the fact. :-)

 

[NorCaliTeach]

Brain Celebration

We called it the "brain celebration" last year. We turned it into a positive experience, instead of referring to it as "the big test." We made chains to hang around the classroom and would take one off as a countdown to the celebration. All along the way, we did test prep lessons (starting around March until mid-May). The Friday before testing, we had a brain celebration party....to celebrate how smart we have become and how well we were going to "beat" the test makers.

It all sounds cheesy, but it really helped relieve a lot of test anxiety and made the students view the test differently.

Hope this helps.