Passing Tests with Flying Colors!

How to kick butt on standardized tests

The MCA reading test: the basics

Why take the test? All students in MN

are required to take it

Passing the test is a graduation requirement

It shows staff if you are struggling, proficient, or excelling in reading This helps guide

what staff may recommend in regards to summer school, class selection for your junior and senior year, college choices, etc.

Days/weeks before the Test

Know what to expect: practice and prepare

Exercise regularly

Eat healthy meals

Sleep for 8 hours or longer

The Morning of the Test

Take a shower, brush your teeth, and wear layers

Eat a healthy breakfast with protein

Leave your cell phone and other electronic devices at home or in your locker

Be early for the test Bring with you:

a few sharpened pencils (not mechanical) with good erasers

waterspearmint/peppermint

gum or mints

During the Test

Read the questions before you read the article, story, or poemDon’t read the answer choicesStar questions you think will be

found in the article (for now, leave inference questions alone)

Read the title, look at the pictures, study the graphs/charts

Underline main ideas and terms Take notes in the margins Cross out incorrect answers Reread the article if you need to

Take your time Don’t let the pacing of

others distract you Know that you have as

much time as you need to complete the test

Take deep breaths Put your pencil down

for a moment:Stretch your

fingersDo a head and

neck rollWiggle your toes

Do “brain gym” activities at your desk Trace a “lazy 8” (∞) on your

paper: do this with both hands Match your left-hand fingertips

together with the right and apply slight pressure

With one hand, create “Spock fingers” and then switch them to “Westside”. Repeat a few times and then switch hands.

TO

Cross hands and ankles at your desk (these are called “hook ups”)

What NOT to do

Don’t eat junk food the night(s) before the test.A study, published in March of 2001 by the University of Toronto, shows that diets high in fat significantly impair one’s ability to learn, process, and remember information.

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Don’t stay up late the night before, and don’t use electronics before you go to sleep.According to the Better Health Sleep Disorder Clinic… Not having enough

sleep can lead to an failure to focus and stay awake during an exam.

Electronic devices stimulate one’s brain and makes it harder to fall asleep and sleep soundly once one does.

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Don’t drink or eat things high in sugar (juice, soda, candy …)A mayo clinic study done in 2008 shows that a high intake of sugar (more than one serving at a time) can cause a sudden rise in blood sugar and then a abrupt drop—leading to sudden sleepiness, loss of concentration, and even dehydration.

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Don’t have an energy drink, or anything high in caffeine.According to the Mayo Clinic’s web site, a caffeine intake of over 100-200mg a day often leads to dehydration, an inability to focus, and higher levels of stress.

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Don’t be overly stressed, but also don’t blow it offPsychologically, one needs a fair amount of stress to achieve one’s peek performance (Encarta Encyclopedia).

Stress Level

Perf

orm

ance

Ab

ility

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Last of all, a video…

Now, go kick that test’s butt!