Assessment Tips and Tricks with Stephanie from The Learning Chambers

Hi friends!  I just got done reading all of the awesome assessment tips and tricks from the other Elementary Entourage bloggers and they have some fabulous ideas to really help you get through this assessment time.  If you haven't read the other posts, you can click HERE to check them out.

I'm a second grade teacher, so my students don't take the STAAR state assessment but we did take the Stanford test in February.  I think next year we will be taking the Iowa test.  However, this year my grade level has started assessing more using common assessments that we create and we've also been having weekly quick checks.  These quick checks are normally two or three questions long and it helps us determine who needs some reteaching either small or whole group.

One thing that really helps my students before a common assessment is to have a fun review.  Today, I wanted to share with you some of the review games that we use in my classroom.  Hopefully, you'll be able to use them in your classroom as well.

I always feel like vocabulary is a real struggle with my kids, especially my English language learners.   My kids always love playing Minute To Win It and it's great because it's great to review vocabulary.  The great part is that it is super low prep.  All you need is some vocabulary cards, a timer, and your kids divided into partners.  To make it even more low prep, I project the vocabulary words before we begin onto the activboard and have the partner groups write one word on each index card.

Then, I just have the partners put all of their index cards in a stack face down and we begin the game.  Here are the directions that I give the students.  You can also project these directions onto the activboard, just in case someone forgets what to do.  We just do 5 words at a time, but you could do more depending on your grade level or rigor of vocabulary words.

Another vocabulary review game that my kids love to play is Pictionary.  You can even use the same vocabulary cards that you used when you played Minute to Win It.  Super low prep and super effective at having your students practice vocabulary before an assessment.

My absolute favorite way to review is to have the students create a collaborative poster with their table group.  I know I shared this before in a previous post, but I love it so much because it allows each group to reteach the class.

I give each table group their own poster and I ask them to create a poster that will help the class review for the assessment.  I don't give them any other directions.  I LOVE hearing their conversations!  They talk about what was most important in the unit and they work together because they feel like they are responsible for reteaching the class.

Using the different colors, really helps me see who contributed what to the group and it also helps me quickly see who needs some small group instruction.

After the kids have finished their posters, I give each group time to present their review poster to the class.  They LOVE teaching the class and it's such a great review because it comes from the students.

I really hope you enjoyed reading my Assessment Review Strategies and I would love to hear how they worked in your classroom!