CMAS Survival
Before choosing an answer, you should do this to all the choices.
What is read them all?
If you finish early, you should do this before turning in your test.
What is check your work?
The thing we really want students to remember about CMAS is this.
What is do your best?
Ms. Dragon says, “Please read all the directions,” and Tim answers after reading only half. Tim forgot to use this skill.
What is reading carefully?
Oops! A student gets to a long reading passage and acts like it is a dragon to defeat. The best strategy is this.
What is take it one part at a time?
If two answers are clearly ridiculous, you should use this strategy.
What is elimination?
This healthy habit helps your brain before testing: breakfast, eating 47 marshmallows, or wearing sunglasses indoors.
What is breakfast?
What is your teacher actually thinking about for those 90 minutes during testing?
a. Counting ceiling tiles
b. Planning their summer vacation
c. Wondering if someone will do a coffee run
d. All of the above
What is all of the above.
A student zooms through the test in two minutes and then says, “Done!” The missing strategy is this.
What is checking work?
A student uses scratch paper, checks work, and reads carefully. Teachers call this rare creature this.
What is a dragon?
If your brain gets scrambled, this can help: close your eyes, breathe, and do this next.
What is reset and try again or take a calm breath and refocus?
This is a good thing to say to yourself: “I can do hard things” or “I will turn into a potato”?
What is I can do hard things?
A teacher’s heart grows three sizes when a student does this after finishing.
What is check their work?
A student sees a hard problem and whispers, “I’m doomed.” A better thought would be this.
What is I can try my strategies or I can come back to it?
A student gets stuck, stays calm, and tries again. That is the opposite of shenanigans. It is called this.
What is smart thinking or perseverance?
This tool can help you solve problems and organize thinking during the test.
What is scratch paper?
This should you do if your computer freezes or something goes wrong.
What is raise your hand and tell the teacher?
A student remembers to reread, eliminate bad answers, and stay calm. This student is using this.
What is good strategy?
A teacher’s favorite kind of test-taking magic is not guessing wildly. It is this.
What is showing your thinking or using strategies?
A student stares at the screen so hard they seem to think the answer might become frightened and reveal itself. This strategy is called this.
What is not a strategy?
True or false: A complete constructed response is usually more than one sentence.
What is true?
One sentence? Not today!!
This is better than rushing: going fast and making mistakes, or going carefully and checking work?
What is going carefully and checking work?
Teachers secretly love when students do this during a test: read carefully, guess wildly, or hum a concert to themselves.
What is read carefully?
When the whole class stays focused and tries hard, the teacher may feel this emotion.
What is proud?
A student whispers, “I can’t do this.” The better brain message is this.
What is I can do hard things?