Test Taking Strategies Giveaway!

I really enjoyed reading each one of your guesses for my TRUNK test taking strategies idea! I will be going through and emailing the ones who got at least 3 right! No one guessed all 5! 
It was very tricky!

Here is what TRUNK stands for!

Here is what I have included in this unit!
I have added this to my TpT and TN shops!
I am excited to teach this to my class this year. I probably should have done this a LONG time ago...like when they first got to 3rd grade. Oh well!

As I was looking for other test taking ideas, I came across this website called Rock 'N' Learn! 
I found this DVD and knew I HAD.TO.HAVE.IT! Just watching the short clip made me want it. Click the image to take you there!
I found it at my local teacher supply store and heading out today in the poring rain! Yes, I left my PJ's and bed to go get this DVD. I am NUTS! But I told you I wanted it:)

Got home, watched it, and LOVED it! This will be a HUGE help with my kids! We will be watching it more than once!

So, since I LOVE it SO much and have found it VERY helpful, I want to buy ONE for someone:) All you have to do is enter the rafflecopter below and I will select a winner on Thursday!

BUT wait...there's more:)
I am also going to give away a TRUNK unit!


AND...
Hope King from 2nd Grade Shenanigans has so kindly offered to give away her new unit to help with testing!
 You just HAVE to check this unit out! It is AH-Mazing to say the least! Thanks Hope SO much for being so willing to help out with this giveaway! 

So there you have it! 

Maybe testing season won't be as bad:)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

34 comments:

  1. Great giveaway! I love your blog. We just got done with our second grade IOWA Basics tests last week. I tell my kiddos if they can't figure out the right answer, try to figure out what the answer could not be and eliminate them. Whatever answer is left is probably the right one:)

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  2. I always tell mine to use scratch paper when trying to solve math problems on a test!

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  3. I don't think I got even one right. LOL!

    Kristin
    Teachntex

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  4. Thanks for the great giveaway! I always tell me students to go back and re-read the passage or text & underline key words.
    kwelnicke@hotmail.com

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  5. We use recycled paper for math to work out any problems we have. For reading tests, we read through all of the questions and then read the whole passage.
    Laura
    Enchanting Elementary

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  6. I've always asked my kiddos to underline key words!

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  7. Love the test tips, even though I don't think I got 3 right. I do something similar to the sweet testing sayings with my own kids each morning before they take tests. My oldest is in 8th grade and still carries his saying daily to school with him. Love getting the whole school involved. Looking forward to another great give away. Thanks again for all the great ideas
    Rebbecca
    rkzoglmann@gmail.com

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    1. Sorry I didn't leave a test taking tip.... I taught my kiddos this year to Reframe their thinking. Just by using positive self talk reduces the stress they have on these tests. I think that some kids just psych themselves out by not thinking they are smart enough.
      Rebbecca

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  8. My kids must go back, underline and number where they got the answer...or, underline what helped them get the answer.
    tania
    My Second Sense

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  9. We use a page protector, it helps to solve math problems -- the kiddos draw "counters"... I also make anchor charts! :)

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  10. Those are great tips! I'm working with my class to justify next to each answer choice. It slows down the speedy ones and makes them really think through their choices.

    Sarah
    MissKinBK

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  11. Great ideas. Thanks for sharing. I've been working hard to get my students to write great responses to open ended questions. We've been reading passages together and constructing good reponses together. It's been a long process. This DVD sounds quite interesting.

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  12. This is nice! We use Smart 7 strategies at our school which is pretty similar. My kids are really good with the because we have been working on them since the beginning of the year. However, it remains to be seen if they will actually use all the strategies on the actual FCAT. We did a practice test last week and 75% of them did.. the other 25% who didn't, their scores definitely reflected that.

    Step 1: Read and Box the Title (they also draw an arrow from the picture to the title if there is one)

    Step 2: Number the paragraphs.

    Step 3: read each question - underline key words.

    Step 4: Read each paragraph. Stop and think about what you've read. Write 1 to 3 key words in the margin for each paragraph.

    Step 5: Read the question and read each answer choice and put an X or ? beside each choice

    Step 6: Prove your answer by underlining where in the text it states it or underline the clues that helped you to answer it

    Step 7: Mark your answer

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  13. In Alberta Canada, all Gr. 3 students take Provincial Achievement tests in May and June. I try to keep the whole testing scenario light and carefree so that they don't stress. Having them prepared for what they will have to do though (do the whole thing on their own, without asking questions and within the allotted time) is my goal. Thanks for creating things that I am sure will keep their anxiety down!

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  14. I LOVE the TRUNK acronym. I teach an AIS session after school for test prep. This would be so helpful!!! Hoping I win! Great giveaway!!!

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  15. At the beginning of the year we write a "How to take a test" paragraph. For the first quarter, before every test we take, they read that paragraph. We start our "State Testing Procedures" from the very first test, too. That way, we have all year to practice it.

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  16. I love the Trunk acronym and I only got one of them correct! Our testing in Ontario is coming up at the end of May and early June. For a reading passage, I tell my kids that I am going to tell them how to "cheat." Of course not really, but they think its great and they remember what to do! I have them read the passage first and underline important info. Then they flip to the questions, read the first one, find the answer and write their response! They focus on 1 question at a time and do not get overwhelmed. For multiple choice sections, cross out the answers you know are wrong, pick one and move on! Thanks for sharing your great units! kyuill@gmail.com

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  17. I absolutely loved that video. I teach 5th but I can see how it can definitely help my students that need some additional assistance. I teach comprehension skills from day one. We read the title and look at text features to make a prediction about the text. Then we preview the questions to circle key words in the questions. We read the text first just to read and then we read again for meaning. When we go the questions, we read them, mark out obvious wrong answers, and then underline our text evidence. This is practiced all year long.

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  18. Always looking for great motivators for test time. You can't beat sweets and acronyms! :)

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  19. I love the TRUNK acronym. What an adorable unit! We always say take out the trash! Get rid of those wrong answers.
    Colleen

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  20. The TRUNK acronym is a great idea! I can see my third graders being able to really use this unit.

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  21. I would like to try the TRUNK acronym!

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  22. We try to get ready for the test by preparing with many of the same ideas you present in the TRUNK idea. We don't call them that however. I think that would really help my class remember the different points.

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  23. I always create a "study guide" for all of the kiddos' tests and assessments (I am strictly a Language Arts teacher). We have also gone over (in great detail) HOW to study for a test - they don't really know how to go about doing it. :(
    Julene Hoffman
    jhoffman143@yahoo.com

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  24. I have found a great "checklist" for testing. It tells kids step by step instructions on how to take a test...read the question carefully, slash trash, circle key words, and the like. It stays taped to the kids' desks.

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  25. We always read our questions first and circle important words, highlight/underline our proof in the passage, and check over our tests carefully. We always talk about test-taking strategies and it kills me when the kids just don't use them!

    Love your unit!
    Jenn

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  26. I have the students work the problems on scratch paper and see the answer choices. Or I have them do the process of elimination, what they know could not be the answer first.

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  27. We read our questions first and highlight evidence in the text. LOVE this new set!
    Tracey
    Third Grade All Stars

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  28. Hello lovely lady!! What an AMAZING giveaway.. definitely crossing my fingers for this!! My kiddos looove using the colored highlighters with key words for ELA... something else that we do is use task cards for math and they quiz each other and write on dry erase boards. Fun test prep :)

    Laura
    Laura Love to Teach

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  29. We do the MAP test on the computers, so they can't really "write" on the test! We really work on reading the questions BEFORE the passage, so they know what to look for when they're reading the passage.

    Angela :)
    Hippo Hooray for Second Grade!

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  30. We mainly teach our kiddos to underline and we do practice questions throughout the quarter (which I hate doing but oh well).
    Liz
    Teaching in the Valley

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  31. For reading tests, I always remind and tell my kiddos to read each possible multiple choice answer, and then cross out the ones they know are wrong. When they remember it helps.

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  32. We teach our students to "slash the trash" for the answers that they know are incorrect.

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  33. In math, I tell them to show their thinking for each question by showing their work. In reading, I have them go back into the text and underline and number where they found the answer to the question.

    --jen

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