The Tests are Coming! The Tests are Coming! 

It just doesn’t seem fair, right? At this time of the school year, we’ve already passed the 100 days hurdle and so many of us are feeling the struggle to hang in there. There used to be a donut commercial which featured an employee who would roll out of bed early every morning and utter, “It’s time to make the donuts.” Sometimes we can feel that way at this time of the year. “It’s time to go teach.” And then just when we’re battling to stay focused and passionate about teaching, that tiny season called Testing emerges between Winter and Spring and forces us to rethink our strategies. 

Yes. The Tests are Coming. But let’s get ready NOW. 

We’re going to explore some practical strategies that you can put in place to help your students feel prepared for testing. Some of these are just common sense, but we all need simple reminders! 

1. Your Students are Special, Unique Individuals with Intrinsic Worth that is not tied to test results or even grades. REMIND THEM OFTEN. Many kids suffer from test anxiety every year and so many of them have inferred that since there is so much hype about Testing, then surely their test results must be a reflection of their worth. They need trusted adults to help them think rightly about the tests. These tests are just tools that help educators determine how teachers and curriculum are working towards our shared goals of educating. 

2. Introduce your Students to the Common Test Vocabulary. Make sure that your students regularly see and more importantly, UNDERSTAND the common test vocabulary. Deliberately define and explain words like: Choose, Define, Compare, Contrast, Summarize, Describe, Explain, Conclude/Conclusion, Infer, and even Most Likely and give them lots of practice answering questions with them. 

3. Provide lots of opportunities for Test Practice! Everyone does better with practice. Practicing different types of questions will allow your students to feel more at ease when they sit down to take their tests. (If you’re looking for an easy way to practice, check out my Test Prep Task Cards over at my TpT store!) 

4. Equip your Students with Practical Tactics for Tackling Multiple Choice Problems! These simple steps help students feel equipped to tackle each problem! 

    * Reread the question. Make sure that you know what it is asking. 

    *Try to silently answer the question on your own before you look through the choices provided. 

    * Read through ALL of the answers given and (if allowed to mark on the test), cross out the answers that you know aren’t right. 

    *(If you’re allowed to mark on the test booklet), underline the part in the text that seems to support your choice of answer. If you can't mark on the test booklet, or your students take their tests digitally, make sure to teach them how to use the highlighting tools and other functions of your testing site.

    *Watch out for similar-sounding answers! Read them through and select the one that is the best answer. 

    *Choose “All of the Above” if it’s an option and you feel that 2 or 3 answers are correct. 

I hope that these strategies have you excited to start some test prep NOW! We’re going to continue to provide more strategies for test prep and for rallying our best so that we can finish the year strong in the coming weeks! Don’t miss out! Don’t forget that St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner! You don’t need the luck of the Irish to grab my FREE St. Patrick’s Day Mystery Picture resource! While you’re there, check out my other super St. Patrick’s Day downloads! 

Take A Deep Breath! We’re in this Together! 

Let’s Chat Again Soon, 

Martha

I just can’t believe how fast this school year is flying by! Here we are and it’s somehow 2023! I’ve been trying to work in my annual Dad joke of immediately saying on January 1st that I haven’t done that or seen people since… wait for it… LAST YEAR!!! I still think it’s funny every time I say it, whether or not the other person laughs along, looks confused, or rolls their eyes! But as teachers, it can be very easy to lose track of just how long it has been since we have done something with our class.

For example, when was the last time that you surprised your class with a Readers Theater?   

It’s probably been a while. And yet research is consistently supporting the concept that repeated reading boosts fluency, comprehension, and even sight word vocabulary!  So why don’t more of us do more of Readers Theater? I’m guessing that it’s that age old Educators’ Albatross of too much to do and not enough time to do it. I totally get it, but I know that Readers Theater has great value in grades k-12, so it’s worth making time for! My niche is elementary, although I know that Speech classes use Readers Theater in middle and high schools. I love to use it in primary grades and upper elementary to practice oral reading, increase reading with expression, and if we’re honest, it’s FUN!   It’s a boredom buster for sure! Somehow kids feel like they are getting away with something everytime I bring out a script to do!   I love seeing their faces light up and the immediate engagement with the scripts.That kind of enthusiasm means that you have their full attention and they are ready to get started!   

But how DO you get started with Readers Theater? Sometimes it’s not knowing where to start or how to find good scripts. (I can save you some time and effort there if you want to check out my selection of great Readers Theater scripts over at my TpT store The Owl Spot!!) But sometimes it’s just not knowing what to do with the script once you have it.    

Stay tuned and I’ll walk you through an easy can’t miss approach to Readers Theater over the next couple weeks!   

Martha 

The Owl Spot

Novel Units from The Owl Spot

 

Our students LOVE a good story. It's what keeps them engaged in their learning. So, if you teach with novels or use them simply as a read aloud, you'll want to check out these units. Each image is a link - click and discover something new to use this year!

1. Frindle by Andrew Clements - includes printable and digital access! Newly updated.

2. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry - includes printable and digital access! Newly updated.

3. Riding Freedom by Pam Munoz Ryan - includes printable and digital access! Newly updated.

4. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis - includes printable and digital access! Newly updated.

5. The Giver by Lois Lowry - only printable unit, but will receive an update soon! Purchase now at lower price and you won't have to pay the increased price when updated.

6. Because of Winn Dixie by Kate DiCamillo - only printable unit, but will receive an update soon! Purchase now at lower price and you won't have to pay the increased price when updated.

7. The Lemonade War by Jacqueline Davies - only printable unit, but will receive an update soon! Purchase now at lower price and you won't have to pay the increased price when updated.

8. Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll - only printable unit, but will receive an update soon! Purchase now at lower price and you won't have to pay the increased price when updated.

9. Wonder by R.J. Palacio - only printable unit, but will receive an update soon! Purchase now at lower price and you won't have to pay the increased price when updated.

10. Charlotte's Web by E.B. White - only printable unit, but will receive an update soon! Purchase now at lower price and you won't have to pay the increased price when updated.

11. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl - only printable unit, but will receive an update soon! Purchase now at lower price and you won't have to pay the increased price when updated.

12. Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia McLaughlin - only printable unit, but will receive an update soon! Purchase now at lower price and you won't have to pay the increased price when updated.

13. Magic Tree House Dolphins at Daybreak by Mary Pope Osborne - This is a printable only unit. At this point, there is no plan for a digital update.