Test-Taking Strategies Do your best on the KPREP Test! LT: I can use strategies to help me answer KPREP questions.

Why Do I Need To Take This Test? The KPREP test is based on the Kentucky Core Academic Standards that you are already learning in your classes. Test scores are used to evaluate your progress and become a permanent part of your record. Test scores determine your placement in various programs such as Gifted/Talented, Honors, AP. Middle School counselors look at your test scores to decide which classes you are going to take. The results of your test are used to calculate our school scores.

Be Prepared Eat a healthy breakfast! (No JUNK Food) Get a good night’s sleep (7-9 hours) Be on time Have backpack and clothes ready the night before and arrive at school a few minutes early Stick with your usual routine Take care of issues before the test Solve any issues with friends before you go to sleep Talk with an adult if you have concerns about the test HAVE A GREAT ATTITUDE!

Reframe Your Thinking Remind yourself that : “I can do it!” and “I am ready!” Only have POSITIVE Self Talk THINK POSITIVE

Stop, Look & Listen Stop to take a deep breath Look closely at the directions, passages, questions, and the clock to keep track of time Listen to the teacher’s instructions with your FULL ATTENTION

NO FEAR Don’t be nervous! Show what you know! Remember positive self-talk Be confident Show what you know! You have worked hard for years!

Plug It In Use multiple choice options to fill in the unknown. When you have multiple choice questions the answer is already there. Some of the choices will not make sense and will help you narrow down the options. The _____________ is usually the first sentence in a paragraph and tells you what the paragraph will be about. Summary Thesis Topic Sentence Conclusion

“Jail” the Detail! Mr. Detail Circle and underline key words in the questions and “lock up the clues”. This helps you focus on exactly what the question is asking you to do. Pay close attention to signal words like “explain” or “compare”. Mr. Detail

Stash the Trash! Get rid of THE TRASH (what you know doesn’t make sense) Read ALL of the answer choices! Eliminate any choice(s) that you know: are not the correct answer are only partially correct might be correct, but they don’t answer the question.

Educated guessing means using everything you know to attempt to answer the question If you don’t know which answers are trash or if you have NO IDEA of the answer, make an educated guess! A random guess gives you a 25% chance of getting the right answer. Educated Guess

Choose an answer for every question! Your Goal

Example Which of the following is true for people who live in California? A. Everyone in California lives on the San Andreas Fault. B. Because California’s most powerful earthquake was in 1906, the next powerful earthquake will be centuries away. C. Only people who live in California experience earthquakes. D. People living in California experience earthquakes more frequently than in any other place in the country. Does not make sense

Zap for Maps Use keys, legends, graphs and other diagrams when given. Find the key things on maps and charts: Titles, Keys, Legends, Compass Rose Use all information provided.

Questions with graphs, charts, and tables, 1.Read all the titles, labels, and other given information Check the units of measurement Look for a pattern, trend, or comparison in the graph or table Questions with graphs, charts, and tables,

Questions with maps Read the title of the map Check the map key( legend) Look at the map scale (if you need to find a distance) 4. Re-read the question again Questions with maps

Pace Yourself YOU HAVE ENOUGH TIME!!! don’t Rush! Take Time to get it right! It is important to answer every question even if you are not sure of the answer. Use all your time! There are no extra points for finishing early. ALL of your time should be devoted to the test! You only have 1 chance to show what you know! Don’t spend too much time on any one question. Save time at the end to review your test and make sure you haven't left out any answers. Answer the easiest questions first, but be sure to go back to those questions you skipped.

When you are done … CHECK IT OUT Check your answers and bubbling… make it clear! Make sure your answer choice matches the question number. Check your answers for correctness. Make sure bubbles are fully filled in. Be sure CRs are written neatly. Erase stray marks. Check to make sure you have answered all questions.

Bubbling Beware! If the answer is not bubbled in exactly right… YIKES! It will be wrong! Make sure your question # and bubble # match.

How do you prevent misbubbling? Answer every question. If you aren’t sure of an answer, put a LIGHT ? next to the question number. If you have time at the end of the test, go back to the questions with ? next to them and see if you can try to answer it.

Write neatly! If your constructed response answer is not readable, you will get a 0 ! Use your best handwriting.

ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS! Don’t leave a question unanswered. You will not have ANY chance of getting it right.

Be Slick and Predict! Predict what the answer is BEFORE you read the choices. “I think the answer is …”

LOOK FOR CLUES Clue words in test questions: Who? Person What? Thing Where? Place When? Time Why? Reason Which? Choice How? A way something is done How many ? Number LOOK FOR CLUES

Reading a story Answers about where and when the story takes place are found at the beginning Answers about a problem of the story are usually found in the middle Answers about how the problem was resolved are usually found at the end

Tip: Look for the BIG IDEA in the first two paragraphs of the story ! Finding the BIG IDEA Events and characters that make up the story The purpose of the story The point the author is trying to make What’s the Big Idea? Tip: Look for the BIG IDEA in the first two paragraphs of the story !

Estimate In Math, ESTIMATING is an approximate answer obtained by rounding the numbers BEFORE you add, subtract, multiply, or divide. Always ask yourself: “Is the answer reasonable?” For example: What is 325+917+ 796? A. 56 B. 2038 C. 1038 D. 10,564 Estimate

Eliminate obviously wrong answers first and then Examples What value of N makes the equation true? N-19=33 Eliminate obviously wrong answers first and then estimate! 245 42 14 52

RACE Strategy in your answer… READING: Restate the question Answer all parts of the question Cite evidence from the text Explain or elaborate on your evidence MATH: Answer all parts Computation Explain WHY

Sticking with it even when your body and brain get tired!!! Have STAMINA Sticking with it even when your body and brain get tired!!!

RELAX to reduce your anxiety! R – Read carefully and Re-read E – Examine all possible answers before you choose L – Label answers in the passage or problem A – Always check your work and make it neat X – eXtra effort will pay off