Study Skills to Help You Get Better Test Grades

1) Science and Social Studies are subjects that build so they must be studied a little at a time. Start with 30 minutes a day and work up to an hour a day. EVERYDAY!!!

2) Take a 10-15 minute break for every hour that you study. Go play a game, text a friend, etc.

3) Color code your notes. Studies have shown that the brain can relate information to colors.

4) Use flashcards - make flashcards so it is easy to study on the go when you don't have access to a computer.

5) The night before a test.... DO NOT CRAM!!! Take it easy and make sure to get a good night sleep.

6) Use highlighters to highlight important vocab words or paraphrase concepts.

7) Rewrite your notes from the day. Studies have also shown that you are more likely to remember things when you write them..... repeatedly. 

8) On test day....... DO NOT TALK TO ANYONE ABOUT THE TEST OR THE MATERIAL ON THE TEST! Stay in your own world. If you understand a concept one way and start talking to someone who understands it differently, you could get confused and start second guessing yourself.

9) On multiple-choice exams, always go with your first instinct.

10) As test anxiety seems to afflict more and more learners, the best way to combat this is to be well prepared. Studying without distraction is the best. Meaning, not TV, phone, noise, etc. to distract you.

Tame The Test Tiger - Test Taking Strategies for K-5

http://savvyschoolcounselor.com/8-tips-new-test-takers-should-know/

• Be Prepared- This flap is where the students wrote important things to do like getting a good nights rest the night before and having a good breakfast the morning of the test.  They also included having number two pencils .
• Reframe Your Thinking- Some students don’t believe they can do well on the test.  This flap includes positive self-talk such as  ”I can do it” and “I am ready for the test.”
• Stop, Look, and Listen- This flap reminds the students to be still, look at the test administrator, and listen to the directions.
• No Fear- Many third graders are nervous about the unknown.  They also fear they will not go to fourth grade if they don’t pass.  As they wrote notes on the back of this flap about not being afraid and doing their best, I told them that these tests are just a small piece of data used to determine whether or not they will go to the next grade.  I also told them it is important to work hard throughout the school year because their quarterly grades are just as important.
• Plug it In- This flap reminds students to use each of the multiple choice answers to fill in the blank.  Some won’t make sense and will help them narrow their choices down.
• Jail the Detail- This flap reminds the students to circle or underline the key words in a test question.  They can look for the key words in the reading passage or determine how to solve a math problem by using this tip.
• Stash the Trash- Many times, there are sentences included in test questions that really aren’t important.  This tip reminds students to cross out any unnecessary information.  This includes answer choices they already know don’t belong. This tip can also be called “Slash” the Trash.
• Zap the Maps- Students sometimes don’t look closely at keys and legends on standerdized tests.  They will see a chart with four triangles and say the answer is four. However, one triangle equals 3 according to a key near the chart.  This makes the answer twelve.  This tip reminds them to pay attention to the key of a chart, graph, or map.
• Pace Yourself- Our students are given PLENTY of time to take their tests.  That being said, they need to pace themselves.  This just means not rushing through the test and also watching the time and making sure they are not going too slow as well.
• Check it out- This last flap reminds students to check over their answers when they have completed the test if there is time left.  If they have a bubble sheet, it’s also good to check it for stray marks.

Recipe for Test Success

2 scoops of effort
3 scoops of determination
1 scoop of curiosity
3 scoops of focus
2 scoops of thinking
1 scoop of believing in yourself
2 scoops of doing your best
1 scoop of pride in yourself

Method: Mix everything together with a gentle hand.  Combine with a good night sleep and a healthy breakfast. Smile!

Source: http://thinkingofteaching.blogspot.com/search/label/Teaching%20Blogs