How I'm Prepping My ELA Students for the Dreaded State Tests
Ah, springtime in the hallways of school—the flowers are blooming, the birds are singing, and teachers everywhere are doing their best not to shout "WE WENT OVER THIS IN OCTOBER" during test prep season. Yes, it’s that magical time of year when pencils are sharpened, review packets are flying, and students mysteriously forget how to capitalize their own names.
End-of-year test prep is like the final boss level of teaching. You've taught, re-taught, differentiated, spiraled, and now it's time to pull out all the stops. Kahoot? Absolutely. Jeopardy-style review game? Let’s go. Bribery with candy? Not officially endorsed—but let’s just say Jolly Ranchers have entered the chat.
Middle schoolers are a special breed during test prep. Some are hyped and competitive, others are convinced the test is a government conspiracy. One or two will ask, “Is this even going to count?” (Cue dramatic teacher pause and deep breathing exercise.)
The key to surviving this stretch? Keep it fun, keep it moving, and keep your expectations...flexible.
Here are some activities to use in your ELA and reading classrooms:
RACES Practice - Writing Strategy
CER Practice -Writing Strategy
Figurative Language Review - Bundle
General Test Prep Tips Stations
Just Remember: You’ve taught them more than enough. You’ve done your job. Now it’s about reminding them of what they know—and maybe convincing them that bubbling in the answers in the shape of a duck is not the way to go.
You've got this. They've got this. And in just a few weeks, you'll all be trading scantrons for sunglasses. 🌞
