First Day to Test Day

A Road Map to Accelerate Student Learning & Prepare for Standardized Tests

SECRET SITE

THINK BEYOND THE TEXT

Juggle reader voices

Apply reader voices to all text types.

Demonstrate the concept of
eyes on the text using peepers.

Record the Thinking Voice.

Introduce the purpose of annotation.

STEP 4: Purpose of Annotation

Return to annotations
after reading.

Make inferences about implied ideas

Model how to make inferences about text.

Tie every comprehension lesson to the Inference Silhouette.

FigJam with sticky notes

Identify relevant text  details

Define what makes a detail relevant.

Analyze the question/prompt to determine
the type of details to scan the text for.

Support students as they learn to make inferences.

Prompt readers when their inferences are off track.

Root inferences in evidence

Prepare students to provide 2-part answers.

Remain neutral when asking How do you know? Have questions ready to encourage students to refer back to the text.

Explain that all details are not evidence.

Goldilocks Evidence Sort

Target “best” and “most likely” answers.

Smoky Row Elementary teacher Barb Mahnesmith guides her fifth graders to analyze multiple-choice questions and answers.

Guide students to eliminate wrong answers in multiple-choice questions.

Teacher Katie Powell at Southmont Jr. HS (Crawfordsville, IN,) created the bullseye with floor tape. She gave groups “answer” index cards to place face down within the target. Then, they had a “big reveal.”

Create your own technology-enhanced questions.

Utilize Quizizz for frequent formative assessment