Spark Student Motivation: Testing Goodies

My Spring Break is coming to a close ...{insert sad face}.
Although I'm SUPER excited to see my students on Monday, we come back to take our brand new state test this week ...{insert teacher shaking at the knees}! In order to calm my fears and my students' fears, we will get MOTIVATED about testing!

We start out getting in the "testing mode thinking" about 15 days before testing when we start our COUNTDOWN! Each day we flip the page over to keep track of how many days we have left until the big day! (Only 3 days once we get back!!)
  

We also have a class discussion about the importance of testing. This test represents so much: how much they learned this year, their teacher, our class, our school, and their parents. I try to take a different spin and tell them it's their time to SHOW OFF! "Go ahead, brag about how much you learned and know on that test!"
As a class, we sign a pledge to al our try our very best and display it as a reminder of our commitment.


It's our chance to SHINE & SPARKLE (you know how I feel about sparkle!)
I love sparkle so much, I created an acronym for great test taking strategies for my students to remember. :) Great visual and tool for my students to reference.

I'm getting my parents involved too! I send home tips for my parents to help their child with testing along with notecards to make for their child the day of the test. Of course, they will need door hangers so their parents can't make them do chores on testing nights! LOL! They race home to put these on their bedroom door!

I work very hard all year long to build community in my classroom and during testing season is no different. I have my student write positive notes of encouragement to each other to "cheer" each on for testing days. They love reading these sweet notes from their friends.

 Another way to relax them or ease their fears is by sharing these two picture books about testing. Cute messages and perfect time to have a class discussion about fears and answer any questions about testing. I have to remember these kids are 9 and 10 and they get nervous, so I want to do as much as possible to make them feel comfortable.

I like to give my students little treats-I know it gets them excited and makes them look forward to the following testing days as well. Think about it...do we like attending a faculty meeting or training where chocolate is on the table or they feed us??!! Of course, we do! I know we have a better attitude about a long training if we get a snack or treat, same goes for kids. I got these ready this week on my spring break-ready for all four days of testing!

 All of these resources are available in my Testing Goodies Pack in my TPT store.
Click HERE to check it out.
 

I hope you had a wonderful week! Please link up any lessons, ideas, tips, tricks, incentives, ANYTHING you do get your students motivated or excited!

Don't forget to grab my button and link back to this post!

Check out all the wonderful ideas from my friends who link up and don't forget to leave some love by commenting....we LOVE comments!
***Please include the topic in the link up with your blog name.

An InLinkz Link-up

Spark Student Motivation: Test Taking Goodies

Happy Saturday Friends! My Spring Break is coming to an end even though I'm still in denial!

When we get back we will need to be super focused because we have our big state testing in 10 DAYS!

To get them excited about test day, I have created many goodies over the years. The first thing we will do is start our countdown. Each day we will flip a number over (I hole punched the cards and put them on book rings to hang in the front of our classroom). It's a great visual to remind them we need to be serious and every second we have to review is valuable!

I will have them sign a pledge after we have a discussion of the importance of showing how smart you are on the test! I love hearing their thoughts on testing (good & bad). Each student signing the pledge makes it a team effort, we're all in it together.  I made posters for attendance too-I want them to know I appreciate everyone being present and on time! I know there are several acronyms for testing, but I wanted something to match my style and my classroom, so...I created SPARKLE! Sooooo excited about this! (Do you see the sparkle paper to match??!!)
Acronyms have always been a great tool for me to remember important things!

To make testing review fun, each student will use their response cards to show their answers. Quick, easy check for me too! And, of course I like the little incentives to help distract their fears and nervousness! I send home notecards for parents to write words of encouragement for the day of the test and my students write each other words of wisdom too. Again, it's a TEAM effort! Parents getting involved helps prepare them at home (I also send home a parent test taking tips).
They will also get a door hanger to tell everyone they're going to bed early to be ready for testing-they like this because it keeps their siblings out of their room! :)

I know many of my students will still be a little nervous (I get nervous too), but at least we can make these next ten days fun and motivating! What do you do to get ready for testing?

 

Want to win this 70 page Testing Goodies Pack? I will pick two winners!

Pin to win! Pin any of the images above, copy and paste the URL address in the comments. Please your email if you don't have a blog. Happy pinning!

If you don't want to wait, it's on sale for 20% off here!

 Get those carts cleaned out!!! So many stores on sale!

I hope you had a wonderful week! Please link up any lessons, ideas, tips, tricks, incentives, ANYTHING you do get your students motivated or excited!

Don't forget to grab my button and link back to this post!

Check out all the wonderful ideas from my friends who link up and don't forget to leave some love by commenting....we LOVE comments!
***Please include the topic in the link up with your blog name.

An InLinkz Link-up

Spark Student Motivation-Student Encouragement

It's S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y!!!

We have our big writing test on Tuesday! You know that feeling...one day you think they're ready, let's just get this over with, and then the next day you think I need another month? I have that feeling every other minute!
To encourage my students, I asked my former students (big 5th graders now), to sign my bulletin board with tips or advice for my current students. They're very excited about this wall and couldn't wait to read it! As a BONUS, my former students were JUST as excited... a WIN-WIN! They felt so proud to write their advice and were quick to tell others, "ONLY Mrs. Miller's last year's class can write on here!" And, I think they also liked being called "Writing Experts"! LOL
 

I only asked my former students because they've been through it and I hoped they'd remember some of the skills and tips I taught them!

I also had the help of the 5th grade teachers to allow my former students to make my current students good luck cards. (SShhh...I'll give these cards to them on the day of the test as a surprise!)

I love how she said you're not done! I ALWAYS say that! You only have one hour and you better use the WHOLE time! :)



This former student was big on using sarcasm and humor in her writing (and did very well with her technique) and wanted to pass on her tip!

Favorite line: "Give it the passion it needs!"

I love how she tries to relax her and make her feel good about the test.

 

I know there are misspellings, but the message is what's important! I can tell these notes/cards were written sincerely and with heart! I love that they tried to calm their fears and give writing tips! (It also excites me with how much they remembered!) I'm so proud of my former students and can't wait to see my current students' reactions! You know how it feels to have a "big 5th grader" make something for you??!!

I know this will help motivate my students-it shows we're all in this together and they have everyone's support, even their peers!

 

I hope you had a wonderful week! Please link up any lessons, ideas, tips, tricks, incentives, ANYTHING you do get your students motivated or excited!

Don't forget to grab my button and link back to this post!

Check out all the wonderful ideas from my friends who link up and don't forget to leave some love by commenting....we LOVE comments!
***Please include the topic in the link up with your blog name.

An InLinkz Link-up

Friday Flashback and Five for Friday

It's Friday!!! Time to link up with Amanda and  Kacey for Five for Friday to share some things about my week.

1. In light of recent events, Jessica from Ideas by Jivey, Amanda & Stacia from Collaboration Cuties and I are getting together to host an uplifting linky!

This Peace, Hope, Love, and Kindness linky party will be a place for you to link up whenever you have heartwarming stories, lessons you've done with your class about peace, hope, love, or kindness, or even random acts of kindness. When the world seems to be falling apart around us, we will have a webpage to visit to get a pick-me-up! We hope this linky will not only lift our spirits and remind us that there is so much good around us, but also will be an encouragement to us to be the good we want to see in the world. As teachers, we have such a powerful role in shaping the future...let's share our ideas so we can make the world a better place TOGETHER!

So here's our idea- how awesome would it be for us to flood all the bloggy newsfeeds with uplifting posts? Let's all try to post for Peace, Hope, Love, and Kindness this Thursday! Then, you can come back anytime after that and link up as often as you'd like. Need some ideas? You know that awesome teacher friend that you wish you could show a little more appreciation...? Surprise them with Starbucks or breakfast one morning! Or maybe you have a child in your class who went out of their way to make someone else feel special...... share that heartwarming story with us! We're teachers- you know we eat it up! :o) Or perhaps you've done a lesson (or are going to do a lesson) that helps students find peace, hope, or love... or maybe a character-building activity about kindness. The options are limitless, really! We hope you'll join us this Thursday! Come back to any one of our blogs to link up!
2. Have you seen this video? It will give you goosebumps and warm your heart! The entire arena at the Boston Bruins game singing the National Anthem.

3. I got a class set of McDonald's cheeseburgers donated today! (Doesn't that sound funny? A class set??!!) I just finished teaching division and wanted to treat them with this juicy treat!
D.M.S.C.B. (Does McDonald's Sell Cheeseburgers? and Divide, Multiply, Subtract, Check, Bring down.) While they were at lunch I got into ninja mode and snuck to McDonald's and had a beautifully wrapped cheeseburger on every students' desk when they returned! They thought it was the greatest!

4. Do you know this movie? After testing each day I gave my students a little brain break. I couldn't take them outside for recess because my eye was irritated and the sun felt like it was burning a hole in it! So, I decided to show Homeward Bound-it's G (very rare these days!) and none of my kids had ever seen it! It was a huge hit! Tons of sarcasm and figurative language! Just thought I'd share!

5. Did I mention testing is OVER??!! So glad and SO PROUD of my students! I've never had an ENTIRE class go back and quadruple check their answers and actually reread the passages! I hope their scores reflect their hard work! Love them! Below is a picture of the motivational cards and treats I gave them each day. If you want a copy of the notecards, click here.

Check out what everyone else did this week!!

Hope to see you back tomorrow for my Spark Student Motivation Saturdays! Link up one idea to motivate or encourage students! (Behavior, Reading Counts, academics, organization, ANYTHING you do to get students excited!

FCAT Directions For Eating A Donut

 

If you're a Florida teacher administering the FCAT, you might want these directions! Actually, it's great for any teacher who administers a test! It's a Word document so you can import your own testing logo. I think it's a great stress reliever. Click the photo to download.

 

Happy Friday Eve!!! Don't forget to be thinking of how you motivate your students and join my linky party Saturday!

 

 

Monday Made It April-Testing Goodie

It's Monday! Linking up with Tara from Fourth Grade Frolics for Monday Made It. I have one classroom and one home made it to share:
To get my students pumped up about testing I made these "Smarty Pants" (inspired by Pinterest). We have our big test next Monday so I'll leave them on their desks so they can have a sweet surprise when they come in our classroom. I used "denim" felt and trial and error to make a pattern I liked.

Did you notice my smarty pants are boot cut??!! :O)

A friend of mine saw this quote and asked me to make her a poster of it to hang in her home. Of course, I had to have one for my house too-doesn't this quote apply to EVERYONE??!! Please say yes!

Can't wait to see what everyone else has made!