ACT, SAT, OST- OH MY!

Test Taking Tips to Help Your Scholars!

Testing is always stressful, for both teachers and scholars. One way to alleviate that stress is to prepare the scholars, but not just before the test, there are things you can do during the test to help relieve stress. 

Before the test:

1.  Leverage your data

Look at class data and individual data to find where scholars are scoring. Bring your scholars into data conversations to make sure they are aware of where they need to progress in order to score well on the test.  Make sure to review the testing items or standards to identify where scholars are struggling and correlate them to the district map. When is the standard taught? Is it after the testing window? How many times do you review the standard? 

2. How to access the tools

Teach your scholars how to navigate the online test. Scholars will not remember how to navigate the site if they only use it once a year. Model for them the tools you would like them to use. 

3. How to answer certain questions types

Each type of question given on the test has a way to best answer the question. For example, scholars should be aware that multiple-choice questions usually contain 2 completely wrong answers. If a scholar is taught to use strikethrough, they can eliminate 2 answers they know are wrong. This will increase the probability of getting the question correct. 

4. Create a positive testing environment

Celebrate the little successes during practice sessions in order to model a positive culture to scholars. An empty stomach is very distracting so making sure scholars have eaten or give snacks before the test.  Also, sitting for a long period of time can distract scholars. Teaching students seated stretching techniques can help them when they cannot take a break during the test. These practices can relieve testing anxiety when testing days occur. 

5. Test Stamina

Make sure the scholars have the stamina to sit and take the test for over 90 minutes. Just because scholars sit and play videos games for hours without moving does not mean they will have the same stamina for school-related online tests. You must practice this for scholars to understand how long they will need to focus to complete the test.  For ready-made practice tests from Edcite CLICK HERE

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Flipgrid Class Valentine's "Cards"

1. Sign Up for a Flipgrid Account (or Log In, if you already have an account)

2. Add a Group- You may want to create a new Group just for this Valentine's Day activity

3. Create a Topic for each scholar

4. Share the Group with your class via Google Classroom

   

5. Have scholars create a thoughtful Valentine's video response for each scholar/Topic

   

6. View and approve moderated video responses

   

7. Share the Valentine's Day messages with the appropriate scholar via Google Classroom or QR code.

   

   

Some creative Pinterest-type folks might come up with a cute way to present the QR code to each scholar.

Example image is taken from Flipping with Fisher

Please share any creative ideas or variation ideas in the Comments below!

Promethean Board: Turn Off the Clicks

Promethean Board: Stop the Clicking  Sound

Some of us like hearing the click of the keyboard or phone keypad, and others cannot stand to hear one more "click". Promethean has a solution to the click.

1. From the Locker, click the Gear and then More Settings

2. Choose Audio

3. Toggle Off the button for Touch Sound

NOTE: The sound is NOT OFF just the clicking sounds when you touch the board. 

Thank you @JuliePorterEC for your amazing sketchnoting Promethean Tips. Find more tips posted on twitter @learnpromethean

 

Explore AR/VR with your Promethean Panel

All apps are free unless otherwise noted. 

Site/App	IOS app	Android app	Laptop/Chromebook
Various Subjects
Google Search: List of animals, objects, and places in Google	Link	Link	Link
Solar System/Constellations
Apollo’s Moon Shot AR	Link	Link	No
Moon Walk- Apollo 11 Mission: Follow Neil Armstrong’s path	Link	Link	No
JFK Moonshot	Link	Link	No
Night Sky X	Link	No	No
Scope VR: explore the entire Solar System	Link	Link	No
Spaceflight Simulator	Link	Link	No
Sky Guide	Link	No	No
Access Mars	No	No	Link
Human Body Systems
Virtuali-Tee: Learn about the human body through a T-Shirt; Track your heart rate using your phone camera (PAID- for shirt)	Link	No	No
Complete Anatomy: Explore the different body systems in 3D and learn more about each by selecting the different body parts (PAID)	Link	Link	No
Plants
Plantale: learn about a plant’s life and how to best care for it (PAID)	Link	No	No
Animals
Animal Safari AR: See and feed animals in AR	Link	Link	No
Math
Geogebra 3D Calculator	Link	Link	Link
Math Ninja AR	Link	No	No
Social Studies/History
Statue of Liberty	Link	No	No
Google Earth	Link	Link	Link
Google Maps	Link	Link	Link
Story Telling
Wonderscope	Link	No	No
3D Bear	Link	Link	No
For Fun
Coastiality: virtually ride theme park rides	Link	Link	No

Make sure to use the Promethean SCREEN SHARE Chrome extension to share the applications with the panel. 

 

Watch the video below from Promethean to learn more! 

Four Easy Steps to use EduProtocol Cyber Sandwich!

Collaborate and Communicate with the

EduProtocol Cyber Sandwich! 

EduProtocols were created by Jon Corippo and Marlena Heburn to make a teacher's life easier! What is better than easy protocols with ready-made templates to use immediately? The best part is that there is no fear of failure because each time your students use them they will get better and better!  

The premise of Cyber Sandwich is that students will be able to deepen their comprehension, in any subject, with structured pair sharing with accountability. The example below was used in a math class that was reading about fractions. 

Step 1: Share your Google slide template with students.

*Options: Teacher shares slide deck to all students and one student will share with group or the Teacher shares template with each group

Step 2: Students work in pairs of 2 or 3 using the same text or different texts. They have 10 minutes to read the text(s) and make notes on their assigned slide. The teacher has time to work the room with questions. (K-2 complete notes together or 3-12 work independently to complete their slides) 

Step 3: Students have 10 minutes to work with their assigned group to compare their findings and complete the slide. (K-2 skip this step.) 

Step 4: Each student will use the data from the comparison slide to create their own summary slide of their findings. (K-2 write a summary from the collaborative notes) 

One of the most important things to remember when you are doing a protocol is that you need to stick to the time frame. Even if students don't finish the first few times, they will get better each time this protocol is used. Click the image below to get the how-to slides for Cyber Sandwich.

For more ideas from Jon and Marlena go to their website by CLICKING HERE!