February 25, 2012

Studying with a Buddy Makes Test Prep Fun!


I've never been one to spend months teaching test prep strategies, but I also feel we're doing kids a disservice if we don't prepare them in some way for state testing. A teacher once told me that she considers testing to be a genre, just like fables, science fiction, or poetry. That's just how she presented it to her students, too. She shares strategies to put her students at ease so they feel confident and competent about being able to "show what they know."

When I was teaching, I felt the same way. I wanted to be sure that my students were ready to tackle any test and give it their best. So I came up with a strategy that I call Buddy Test Prep that's both fun for students as well as highly effective. I only used it for a week or two before our state tests, but it definitely produced results!

For the Buddy Test Prep activity, students follow a specific set of steps, first working alone, then with a partner, and finally with the class. They use a special color-coding system to show whether each answer is their own work or was arrived at with the help of a partner. To make the 3 steps easy to follow, I created a set of student directions (below) that you can display with a computer and a projector. I also included a half-sheet recording form for your convenience.


Download this free Buddy Test Prep activity packet from my Teaching Resources store on TeachersPayTeachers.com or by clicking one of the links in this blog post. If you are going to spend a week or more practicing test prep strategies, why not make it fun for you and your students?




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9 comments:

  1. Runde's RoomFebruary 26, 2012 at 1:36 PM

    I've used your test prep when we're studying for our provincial tests. My kids always love it! Thanks for another great idea!

    Jen
    Runde's Room

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Laura CandlerFebruary 26, 2012 at 7:14 PM

      Thanks for sharing, Jen! I hope you downloaded the newest version (above) because I made a lot of changes since last year.

      Delete
  2. Mrs. AndrewsFebruary 26, 2012 at 4:56 PM

    I'm a new follower thanks to the Pinterest contest!

    ✿ Kaleigh's Klassroom

    ReplyDelete
  3. jaylen watkinsMarch 9, 2012 at 2:10 AM

    Thanks for this interesting post. Worth visiting blog.

    Tests

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousApril 1, 2012 at 6:58 PM

    I am excited to try the the Buddy Test Prep with my class to get ready for our Provincial Exams. Thanks so much for Sharing! :)
    Lana

    ReplyDelete
  5. UnknownFebruary 9, 2013 at 1:37 PM

    Thanks for linking up your awesome Test Prep Buddy to the Test Prep Linky party. I have always enjoyed this resource.

    ReplyDelete
  6. 21'st Century Teaching ChallengesMarch 9, 2013 at 5:14 PM

    Thank you! I was looking for something more fun and at the same time, meaningful for the students. I think they will love this. Again, thank you for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  7. UnknownApril 2, 2016 at 4:17 PM

    Hello! Thank you you for sharing this free resource! I was not able to find it on Teachers Pay Teachers. I found a link to it on your Teaching Resources website. However, it linked me to Teachers Pay teachers. Is there a different place I can look to find this resource?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Laura CandlerApril 2, 2016 at 5:52 PM

      Sorry for the confusion! I corrected the links in the post and on my website. Go to the Seasonal page on Teaching Resources and the link there goes to the PDF document.

      Delete

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