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Math Presentation Handout for Students/Parents

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Math Presentation Handout for Students/Parents

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Tips for Taking the PBT Tests: Student PowerPoint

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Tips for Taking the PBT Tests: Student PowerPoint

The presentation below may be used by school staff or parents/guardians to help prepare students for paper-based testing. The presentation contains much of the same policy and testing information found in the administration scripts and practice tests. This presentation provides another means to ensure students understand what to expect on testing days.

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Tips for Taking the PBT Tests - Student PowerPoint

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Tips for Taking the PBT Tests: Student PowerPoint Back Practice Materials The presentation below may be used by school staff or parents/guardians to help prepare students for paper-based testing. The presentation contains much of the same policy and testing information found in the administration scripts and practice tests.

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Directions for completing Grades 3-5 ELA Paper-Based Items

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Directions for completing Grades 3-5 ELA Paper-Based Items

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Paper-Based Practice Tests

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Paper-Based Practice Tests

The paper-based practice tests below may be used to prepare students taking paper-based versions of the FSA ELA Writing Retake, FSA ELA Reading Retake, Algebra 1 EOC Retake, Statewide Science, and NGSSS EOC assessments. Practice test scripts are not provided as practice tests are not required for paper-based assessments. For the Grade 10/Retake ELA Reading practice test, test administrators will need access to the Assessment Viewing Application (AVA) to play the audio passages for students. Once logged in, choose the test, select a form, and perform an audio check. Detailed instructions are available in the AVA User Guide. Large Print, One-Item-Per-Page, and Braille practice test materials can be ordered by the district through TIDE.

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Paper-Based Practice Tests Back Practice Materials The paper-based practice tests below may be used to prepare students taking paper-based versions of the FSA ELA Writing Retake, FSA ELA Reading Retake, Algebra 1 EOC Retake, Statewide Science, and NGSSS EOC assessments. Practice test scripts are not provided as practice tests are not required for paper-based assessments.

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PBT Practice Test Answer Keys

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PBT Practice Test Answer Keys

The paper-based practice tests and answer keys below may be used to prepare students taking paper-based versions of the ELA Writing, ELA Reading, Mathematics, and EOC assessments. Practice test scripts are not provided as practice tests are not required for paper-based assessments. For Grades 7-10/Retake ELA Reading practice tests, test administrators will need access to the Assessment Viewing Application (AVA) to play the audio passages for students. Once logged in, choose a grade level and test, select a form, and perform an audio check. Detailed instructions are available in the AVA User Guide. Large Print, One-Item-Per-Page, and Braille practice test materials can be ordered by the district through TIDE.

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PBT Practice Test Answer Keys Back Practice Materials The paper-based practice tests and answer keys below may be used to prepare students taking paper-based versions of the ELA Writing, ELA Reading, Mathematics, and EOC assessments. Practice test scripts are not provided as practice tests are not required for paper-based assessments.

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Directions for completing grade 3 Math Paper-Based Items

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Directions for completing grade 3 Math Paper-Based Items

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Directions for completing grades 4-5 Math Paper-Based Items

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Directions for completing grades 4-5 Math Paper-Based Items

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10 Classroom and School Tips to Improve Test Scores

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10 Classroom and School Tips to Improve Test Scores

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As your curriculum runs down and anxiety ramps up, you may think that there's nothing more you can do to prepare your students for test day. But, there are always ways to help students. Here are ten tips to make sure that they have every chance to succeed!
Prepare students for the test itself
Tests change even more often than standards based on such things as contractor changes, technology upgrades, and other factors. The testing services provide demos for a reason. Make them available to your students, and ensure that students know how to navigate any software that is needed. This is particularly true in math, where helpful tools like calculators may be hidden under a button or setting.
Benchmark your learners
Conduct one more benchmark assessment before testing season just to make sure that there isn't one last topic in which everyone can improve with just a bit more practice. You've done a lot of benchmarking up to now, but things change quickly during the school year.
Leverage your data
Make one more pass at wholesale data study to make certain that there isn't something missing from your students' skill sets. In fact, bring in the students so that they understand the skills they need and learn where they must progress in order to score well on the test itself.
Provide students with incentives
Students aren't known for intrinsic motivation, and a lot of practice can test their patience even further. Whenever possible, make practice a game, and offer consistent rewards to keep the students striving forward.
Practice previewing
Previewing test sections before answering questions can be a valuable skill on test day, saving time and closing gaps of understanding. Although it's great to practice previewing in the context of a larger testing item, devoting some time to previewing itself can help all students get the point.
Let parents help
Although local news reports run the occasional story about upcoming testing, parents won't know what's going on with their individual children unless you tell them. Keep them informed of the schedule, the process, and the preparations the class is taking. That sets up parents to having meaningful conversations and helping with practice at home.
Create a positive culture
Help students set some goals and then never let them act as though they won't reach those goals. Celebrate every little success during practice, and model that culture for other students as well. This can alleviate much student anxiety when test day comes.
Practice, practice, practice!
The cliché is true: practice does make perfect. Create a review plan that provides multiple chances for students to practice not only the content they will need to know but also the testing format. Make sure that your plan includes modalities beyond taking practice tests-games, writing, and speech exercises can help students retain information and gain a deeper understanding of concepts. The more exposure that students have to the material and testing environment, the more comfortable they will be when testing day arrives.

Need a practice tool? Try Study Island for FREE!
Be the students' "catering manager"
On testing day, students' minds are in their stomachs. Research has proven repeatedly that hungry students perform more poorly on tests than those who are well fed. Come to testing day with granola or energy bars, and ask parents to do their best on the home front. Some local fast-food restaurants even offer free breakfast for students during testing week, so check out participating ones and make sure that parents know about them.
Keep students moving
Just like a rumbling stomach, an aching back or neck can drag down a student's score. Spend some time showing students some proven seated stretching techniques and breathing exercises. When the test offers a break period, allow students to use it to move around, not stay seated in the same place they've spent the past hour or more.

Looking for more ways to aid in your test-prep efforts? Check out this resource on Four Steps to Design Your Own Test-Preparation Boot Camp!

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10 Classroom and School Tips to Improve Test Scores

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As your curriculum runs down and anxiety ramps up, you may think that there's nothing more you can do to prepare your students for test day. But, there are always ways to help students. Here are ten tips to make sure that they have every chance to succeed!

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6 Tips for Teachers to Help Students Manage Stress

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6 Tips for Teachers to Help Students Manage Stress

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Testing season inevitably means classroom stress will hit a new high. So, how can you keep anxiety levels in check, and help your students stay cool, calm, and collected when test day rolls around? Here are six tips for a low(er) stress testing season:
1. Acknowledge when there is a problem
Test anxiety is a real thing, and as a teacher, it's important to be educated about its existence so you can help any students who truly struggle with it. Those who do may show the signs in different ways, such as complaining of physical ailments like stomachaches, exhibiting sudden changes in mood or behavior, or having difficulty memorizing material or paying attention.

Test anxiety won't look the same in any two students, so try to be familiar with different symptoms. It's also beneficial to communicate with classroom parents and other school staff about test anxiety and the impact it can have on student performance during standardized testing. The more support you can offer students, the better.
2. Be positive
Your students are always playing "follow the leader," even when they don't realize it. As an educator, you spend a lot of time with your class, and they will naturally look to you as a model for behavior. If you let stress get the best of you during standardized testing season, there's a good chance your students will mirror that stress. Stay mindful, and try to keep exams in perspective, avoid expectations of perfection, remind your students that you believe in their abilities, and keep encouraging them to put forth their best effort.

The week of testing, keep the mood light in your classroom by asking students about things not related to the classroom. Encourage them to share their feelings about testing, especially if you can tell they are beginning to get stressed out-realizing they are not alone in their anxiety is a powerful tool to keep stress in check.

And, if you feel yourself beginning to succumb to stress or negative feelings, practice some mindfulness breathing or quiet personal meditation. Keep your favorite filling snacks within reach for when your enegery level feels low, or take a moment to look out your window and recenter yourself during the day if you notice you always seem to space out around noon. Stay hydrated! Just make sure you're taking care of yourself, and you'll be setting a positive example for the kids.
3. Teach effective study strategies
You've certainly heard it before-preparation is key to success. Preparing your students for taking tests well in advance of the actual testing dates is a great way to help minimize anxiety in your classroom. When your students feel comfortable with and capable of tackling the material they will see on the test, they'll be much more likely to go in feeling confident.

Teaching students simple testing strategies, like breaking down tasks, pneumonic devices, and searching for context clues will not only help them perform better on the exams, but also give them tools to cope with testing anxiety while they work. Multiple choice strategies, like breaking down bigger words into smaller parts or using the process of elimination are just a few of the many strategies you can teach your kids to help them be more confident when it comes time to take the big test.

Proven standards practice at your fingertips-start your Study Island free classroom trial today!
4. Encourage healthy habits
Just like runners should be in tip-top shape before starting a marathon, students' bodies should be tuned up and ready to go before taking any kind of standardized test. Before the day of the exam, tell your students about the importance of getting a good night's sleep beforehand. If possible, try to assign little or no homework. Also be sure to remind students that waking up early on testing day-which give their brains time to wake up, and themselves time to eat a good breakfast-is vital to their performance.

Consider sending home a flyer for parents with healthy tips to help kids be at their best, or hosting a pre-exam breakfast to make sure students are well-fueled. If nothing else, be sure to have a box of hearty granola bars or bag of fresh fruit on hand to pass out to kids in a pinch.
5. Be extra prepared
Nearly everyone has gone through the stomach dropping terror of realizing they have forgotten something important on testing day. Some kids might be so focused on last minute studying, brushing up on their testing strategies, and staying focused on the assessment, that they leave home without their calculator. Or, they whip out their lucky pencil, only to realize the eraser is a black stub.

Scrambling to find missing materials will stress your students out, and may even negatively impact their confidence right before testing begins. Having extra testing material ready for kids who forget something will not only give you peace of mind, it will also restore confidence in a child who didn't remember something. It's an easy way to make sure the test day runs smoothly for every child in your classroom.
6. Use simple stress management tricks
Being aware of how to cope with anxiety and stress while experiencing it is just as important as taking steps to ward it off. Some students will experience anxiety during the exam no matter what they do to prepare, so it's important to teach and practice simple stress management techniques like breathing, taking stretching breaks, and doing mini-meditations. Teach your students to choose one or two strategies they can use during the test, so they don't feel like they have too much to remember on top of their test taking strategies.

During the weeks leading up to the test, spend a few minutes of class time practicing the techniques, giving everyone a chance to feel comfortable with the methods they have chosen. Before testing begins, have everyone practice their technique one last time, and remind them to be non-disruptive if they feel the need to use their method during the exam. Exams are usually timed, so teaching students quick and non-disruptive stress management techniques is key to helping students out when you can't get to them during the exam.

Standardized testing season can be intimidating, but with a little preparation and the right attitude, you can keep stress from getting the best of you and your students! Looking for more test prep tips? Check out these 4 Creative Classroom Strategies!

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[Test Preparation] 6 Tips for Teachers to Help Students Manage Stress

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Testing season inevitably means classroom stress will hit a new high. So, how can you keep anxiety levels in check, and help your students stay cool, calm, and collected when test day rolls around? Here are six tips for a low(er) stress testing season: 1.

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8 Tips for Parents to Help Prepare for High-Stakes Testing

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8 Tips for Parents to Help Prepare for High-Stakes Testing

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No matter what your personal feelings on high-stakes testing are, there is no escaping the reality that these assessments will be an important part of your child's academic experience. And, everyone wants to see their student experience success in the classroom. So, what's the best way to help your child prepare for high-stakes tests-and keep a healthy mindset while doing so? Here's eight simple tips for parents to help your student perform his or her best on testing days.
1. Prioritize attendance and homework
Tests are ultimately intended to be a measure of how well students have learned the material being taught in class. With that in mind, what is the best (and most straightforward) piece of test-prep advice for caregivers is to do what you can to ensure that your child is fully engaged with his or her classwork throughout the year. Set aside dedicated homework time each night to make sure that your child is completing their assignments consistently throughout the year. It's also a good idea to periodically reflect on your family routine, and make sure you and your student are keeping a schedule that gets them to class on time every day. If your student is absent for a day, or has to miss a class period, check in with them to make sure they can make up what they missed.
2. Communicate with teachers
Regular communication with your child's instructor can help you gain insight into his or her progress. Make a point of meeting or talking with your child's teacher on an ongoing basis to understand what your child is working on, what he or she will be tested on, and the areas that he or she is exceling and struggling in. Your child's teacher is also a great resource for test-preparation practice or strategies you can use with your child at home. Plus, they can keep you up to date on group study sessions or other opportunities for additional review that your child may benefit from.
3. Talk to your child about test taking
The purpose and goals of testing are not always obvious, even to the students who take them. Especially with new test-takers, it's easy to be intimidated by testing or simply not feel motivated to put forth a lot of effort. Have open, ongoing conversations with your child to explain the benefits of testing, focusing on how it helps them, their teacher, their school, and other educators understand their strengths and weaknesses and figure out the most effective ways to teach. You can also use this opportunity to ask your students how they feel about testing, and offer reassurance or perspective if they have any anxiety around exams.
4. Offer positive reinforcement
A little encouragement can go a long way in helping students walk into testing days feeling confident-which, in turn, can have a huge effect on their performance. Praise your child for the work that he or she does to prepare for testing, and share in his or her excitement when he or she has success with a new concept or skill. Similarly, when he or she is struggling with a topic, point out the progress that he or she has made and encourage him or her to continue working. Having already experienced success with the material that he or she will be tested on will help your child avoid test anxiety and perform to the best of his or her ability on testing day.
5. Support healthy habits
Sleep and nutrition can have a huge impact on your child's ability to focus and retain information. One of the most helpful things that you can do as a parent is focus on supporting these basic needs. Well-rounded meals and a regular sleep schedule will help your child succeed in the classroom on a day-to-day basis. On testing days, it's especially important to make sure that your child gets a good night's sleep, starts the day with a filling breakfast, and goes to school with a water bottle to help stay hydrated.
6. Give your child a study space
A comfortable, dedicated space for homework and studying can work wonders for your child's productivity. Make sure that your child's space is quiet, well lit, and stocked with the right materials, like a writing surface, pens, pencils, highlighters, scratch paper, a calculator, and any other tools that he or she might need.
7. Keep testing in perspective
No single test is that important. Avoid putting too much emphasis on your child's test scores-doing so can make your child feel pressure that will ultimately only affect his or her performance negatively. It's also important to not be upset by a single test score. Low test scores can occur for any number of reasons; it may have just been an off day for your child.
8. Debrief after the test
After testing day has come and gone, talk with your child about his or her results and how he or she felt about the test. By discussing his or her answers, thought processes, and feelings, you can gain further insight into what he or she is struggling with and excelling at and then help him or her better prepare next time. Talking about testing can also help your child process the experience and overcome any anxiety that he or she might have had.

Looking for additional resources to help your child prepare for a successful testing day? Check out our parent, family, and caregiver resource hub, where you can get easy access to product information, teaching at home best practices, and printable resources.
This post was originally published February 2018 by Sarah Cornelius and has been updated.

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8 Tips to Help Your Child Prepare for High-Stakes Tests

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No matter what your personal feelings on high-stakes testing are, there is no escaping the reality that these assessments will be an important part of your child's academic experience. And, everyone wants to see their student experience success in the classroom.

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3 Test-Taking Strategies for Elementary Students

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3 Test-Taking Strategies for Elementary Students

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Here are three basic test-taking strategies that elementary students should review prior to testing. Plus, download 10 free printable test-taking strategies resources that can be shared with students or hung in the elementary classroom.

Strategy 1: Review the Different Question Formats

To be successful on exams students must be familiar with the different question formats and feel comfortable moving between a scantron and their test packet.

A week or so before a high-stakes test, use specific test preparation strategies and handouts to review the different questions students will see on the exam.

It's always a good idea to review and practice multiple-choice (selected-response) strategies before an assessment. On multiple-choice tests, the vocabulary and layout of the answers can confuse students.

These are my six tips to help students feel like they Multiple-Choice Champions before a big test:

1. Reread the question. Make sure you understand what is being asked.

2. Come up with an answer to the question before looking at the list of choices.

3. Read ALL of the answers and cross out the choices that don't make sense.

4. Underline the section in the text or question that supports your reasoning.

5. Look carefully at similar-sounding answers. Find the more precise answer.

6. Select "All of the above" if two or three answers seem correct.

Download the Be A Multiple-Choice Champion Tip Sheet and hang it up in your classroom on the day of an exam. I guarantee your students will look at the poster sometime during the testing period to boost their confidence and recall strategies for answering multiple-choice questions.

Most schools have an acronym they use school-wide to help their students with open-ended responses. If your school has not adopted an acronym that is used throughout the school, I highly recommend you do. It promotes consistency as the students move from grade level to grade level. The acronym we use at my school is ACE:

Answer the question:

Turn the question into your answer and answer it

Cite an example:

Give a specific example from the text to support your answer

Extend your thinking

Give another example OR state another thought about the text that supports your answer

Help students remember how to answer open-ended responses with the ACE Open-Ended Responses Tip Sheet.

Finally, I review simple strategies that students can use to attack any question.

For older students, I have a list of suggestions for answering the various types of questions from multiple-choice to essay prompts.

For younger grades, I use a fabulous handout that delves into some of the strategies I discuss when reviewing multiple-choice questions and gives students concrete examples to look over.

This resource will show students the following strategies to puzzle out questions they may find confusing. It highlights the following strategies:

1. Substitute each answer in the blank

2. Justify answers my underlining information from the passage

3. Cross out answers that don't make sense

Strategy 2: Strengthen Student Vocabulary

Unfamiliar vocabulary in a literary text or a standardized test can confuse and/or discourage students.

Make sure your students are armed with the vocabulary strategies they need to come out victorious rather than feeling defeated after taking a test. Below are word strategy resources to ensure students come out on top!

Here are 10 terms students should know heading into a standardized test (words may vary depending on your state test). Download the 10 ELA Test Terms To Know Reference Sheet and review the words with students until you're confident they understand their meaning.

A similar download you may find useful is the 10 High-Stakes Test Terms to Know Poster. Teachers should incorporate these terms into classroom activities and should clarify how best to answer each question stem while the stakes are low.

For example, a teacher could ask an introductory question such as

"Infer from the reading on page 3 how Jimmy felt about his friends."

"Compare the reading we did for homework with the passage on the board."

"Analyze how Martha came to make the decision she did."

The last strategy/handout teaches students how to break down individual words and puzzle out their meanings. Here's an example using the word submersible:

STEP 1: BREAK THE WORD INTO SMALLER PARTS. LOOK FOR THE PARTS OF THE WORD YOU KNOW.

Submersible → sub mersible

What does the word sub make you think of?

You can investigate even further by asking, "Do subways and submarines have anything in common?"

Both are used for transportation and traveling from one point to another

Both are underground

STEP 2: LOOK FOR THE CONTEXT CLUES. WHAT DO THEY TELL YOU?

" Explorer, the submersible watercraft, sank deeper into the ocean."

From the passage clues, we know that:

Submersible is describing a feature of the watercraft.

The watercraft can travel deep into the ocean.

STEP 3: USE YOUR BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE.

I know a sub or submarine travels underwater.

The passage says, "...sank deeper into the ocean."
You can conclude that submersible means a vessel or vehicle that is capable of traveling and operating underwater.
This example is a great resource to share with students as a handout or you can hang up the poster on the classroom wall. Once students have reviewed this strategy, assign them words to break down using these three steps.

Strategy 3: Use Practice Prompts

As a literacy specialist, there are a few "key literary elements" that I make sure to emphasize in my teaching because I know they will help my students perform well.

Fortunately, these "key literary elements" support strong reading comprehension and should be focused on even if there were no standardized tests to be taken.

Available for download are reading practice prompts for fiction, nonfiction, and poetry texts. Download Sample Reading Prompts for Standardized Test Preparation for grades 3-5 now.

In Conclusion

Standardized tests can be stressful for students and teachers. Hopefully, these test-taking strategies for elementary students and accompanying resources will relieve some of the anxiety.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Vocab Gal's Favorite
Test Prep Resources

Strategies for Answering
Math Questions

Test-Taking Strategies Poster

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3 Test-Taking Strategies for Elementary Students (Includes 10+ Printables)

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Here are three basic test-taking strategies that elementary students should review prior to testing. Plus, download 10 free printable test-taking strategies resources that can be shared with students or hung in the elementary classroom. To be successful on exams students must be familiar with the different question formats and feel comfortable moving between a scantron and their test packet.

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Grade 3 ELA iReady Practice Test Teacher Guide

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Grade 3 Math iReady Practice Test Teachers Guide

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Grade 4 ELA iReady Practice Test Teachers Guide

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Grade 4 Math iReady Practice Test Teachers Guide

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Grade 5 ELA iReady Practice Test Teachers Guide

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Grade 5 Math iReady Practice Teachers Guide