Engaging Students During STAR Testing

Okay, I have made it to my second post, woohoo! We are in the middle of STAR testing this week. I don't know how you feel during STAR testing, but I can get kind of stressed. I tend to put lots of pressure on myself to keep my class test scores high. This stress can easily be passed on to the kiddos. Second grade is the first year that they take this test. Some of them were overwhelmed, but luckily this year, the majority of them were stoked! Stoked to take a test? Yes, with the collaboration of my school and second grade team, they were so excited for STAR testing week. Here are a few of the things that we did to prepare our students, and to get them pumped about the test:

First, we made these very cute flap books to help the students feel prepared for the test. One of my colleagues found this on Savvy School Counselor. We did tweak it a little bit so that it is more second grade appropriate. On the inside of each flap, I had the students write quotations, such as "I will not be afraid. I will try my best," and "I will underline the details in the text to unlock the answer." As the test got closer, I had the students review their flap book so that it would "stick" in their brains. We talked about which flap they needed to work on the most, and how they were going to get there.

We also made our kids some really cute "survival kits" for test week. These have been a tradition on our second grade team for years, but last year one of my colleagues "glamified" the tag, and I added the part about the "mint" to the end. My school supplied us with pencils that said, "Ace the Test!" which were included in the survival kits. My kids have been so excited to use their pencil grips during the test, and they have been wearing their stickers to school. 

We have been reading a lesson from the book Unstoppable Me to our kids every morning this week. The lessons deal with character traits such as persistence, and leaving worry behind. We have a discussion about the lesson, and I connect the stories with the feelings that my students are having about the STAR test. This seems to help calm their fears, and I am noticing more effort from many of my students. 

This brings me to my last strategy, motivation slips. These came from Nicole Rios' Teachers Pay Teachers store, which can be found at http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Testing-Motivation-Slips. I actually used these more during the practice test phase. As students put in the effort and improved their practice scores, they received a sticker on their motivation slip. At the end of the testing period, these stickers can be turned in for class money which can buy them prizes. Students were very proud when I called out their name as someone who improved their test score. The rest of the students cheered for them. We made it a really exciting event.

  

Well, testing week is almost over, and I am about to lose my voice from all the talking this week. I hope that you find some of these strategies useful! This is only my second post, so please leave comments on things that you would like to see me blog about.