State Testing is Upon Us!

Hello Darlings!  Next week is the start of our state testing: the Missouri M.A.P. Test.  Yippy!  =(  Well, all I can say is we are as ready as we are going to be.  So I thought that I would share some resources with you to help you in your state test prep.  I wish you luck and that all of your students score in the advanced range!

This year, the third grade test has brought back the writing performance event.  Our little kiddos have to read a prompt and go through all the steps of the writing process to write a five paragraph essay.  They have to
 1. Prewrite  2. Rough Draft  3. Edit/Revise 4. Final Copy all in one sitting!  Ahhhh!!!  Whoever decided this loves to torture children and teachers.  I NEVER have my kiddos write that much TWICE in one day!  Their hands and brains are done by the rough draft.

When I practice this with my kiddos, I do NOT have them practice the entire process. I simply teach them how to write the rough draft and then we edit and revise.  They do not write the final copy.  I feel practicing all of it is like practicing a road trip.  If I were going to drive from Missouri to Arizona, I would not "practice" the 2-3 day drive.  When I finally had to drive there for real, I would be dreading it because I know exactly how far and long it is.   It would probably take me even longer to get there because I would want to make a lot of rest stops.  Don't worry, my kiddos know how to copy their work into a final copy. =)

Here is the template I use to help them set up their five paragraph essay.  Please excuse my errors!!!

Here are a few prompts we practice.  Download for free!

To review for the Reading Comprehension section of the test, we read Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Book by Lauren Child.  Then kiddos answer MAPlike questions.  I always tell them to R.A.P restate, answer, prove.  

Click the pic below for this booklet in my store.

We also practice Language Art Skills using the smartboard.  I have senteo clickers so my kiddos can type in their answer choice, but this can be used on the smartboad to write on.  You can also print it out and do it as paper pencil.  If you don't have smartnotebook, go to smartnotebook interactive viewer to download a free program that will allow you to use it on your computer.

Here are some great links for skill practice.

http://www.studyzone.org/testprep/ela3.cfm#Literary%20Response

http://www.columbia.k12.mo.us/fie/jgerhart/MAP.html

I joined the Test Prep Linky over at Teaching Is a Gift!

Have a fantastic weekend!  Thanks for all of the prayers about my mom!