Test Prep Tuesday

It's that time of year here. State testing time.. dun dun dunnnn... and I really thought long and hard about HOW we were going to review for state tests that wasn't just the boring workbooks. Now, I AM using the workbooks because they do have test style questions in them, but I did not want my kids working out of a workbook all day every day. So I was on the hunt for some good ideas.

And that is when I came across the most amazing Test Prep Unit ever!! Lindsay has created the most exciting way I have ever seen to prepare students for the "big game". And when I started looking this over, I decided that I was going to go all out...

And I did. I decided to go with a baseball theme since baseball season starts soon, I used to play softball, and we are going to Atlanta to go to two Braves games again this summer. I dressed up for the part...(please do not mind this disgusting "closet" which is really an out of order bathroom in the trailer)

Today was the first "practice". We are warming up to the testing idea. {I seriously LOVE how Lindsay has everything sports themed in this packet.} We talked about what rumors are and how they get started. Then each student got an index card where they wrote down their concerns, questions, or things they have heard about TCAP. We then came together to discuss these concerns and questions and made this cute chart. (I know, it isn't as cute as it could be, but we are short on time for cutesy right now.)

We had a hard time with the "TCAP is boring one". We talked about how not everything they do can be as fun as the lessons I plan for them... but that they still have to do it and that I would do my best to make PREPARING for TCAP fun.

The last thing I did was to give my students their SMARTIE folder. I found this from Lesson Plan SOS and was originally planning to use it as a testing week treat. But I decided that with all the things we would be making for review (foldables, notes, bubble maps,etc) they needed somewhere to keep it all. So I made everyone a folder and gave them a pack of smarties inside. (They LOVED the folders. I mean- cherished them. Didn't want to put them away, wanted to know when we could put stuff in them, when can they take them home to show their parents. It was really sweet!)

I have decided to do two of Lindsay's "practices" a week with my kids because there are 10 total and 5 weeks leading up to TCAP. I really want them to feel comfortable with the test and not be so afraid of it. Tomorrow will be practice 2...where we look at old formative assessments and take note of the types of things we see on tests and the formatting of the test. 

If you want to know more about this fantastic unit, check out Lindsay's blog post here. I promise you will NOT be disappointed in this.

(Disclaimer: I was NOT given this product in exchange for a review. I just love it so much I wanted to share with you.)