Testing Tips
What should you do the night before the STAAR?
Get plenty of sleep
How to determine the meanings of unfamiliar words in paragraphs
Context clues or use a dictionary to look-up the meaning
Paragraph 3 is mainly about...
Main idea
What does RACE stand for?
Restate, Answer, Cite evidence, Explain
What does the word "convey" mean?
Example: Paragraphs 6-8 help the author convey that...
to show, express, communicate a message.
How much time do you have to take the test?
4 hours- All day
A valuable test-taking strategy is to ___________ while you are reading.
Highlight and/or annotate
The reader can conclude that...
What can the reader infer based on something
What body paragraphs in your essay can you write with RACE?
Body 1 & Body 2
What does the word "emphasize" mean?
Example: What theme is emphasized in paragraphs 10-12?
to give special importance to something, to highlight it
What should you do the morning of the STAAR test?
Eat a healthy breakfast
Explain how process of elimination works
Read the question, cross out 2 answer choices that didn't happen in the story or answer the question at all, then use text evidence to confirm which answer is correct.
What is the author's message?
What is the theme the author was trying to show
What type of prompt is this?
Explain how the Camel Mobile Library has affected the people of Garissa?
Explanatory/ Informational
What does the word "illustrate" mean?
Example: How does the author illustrate the feeling of sorrow in stanza 5?
to show or make clear, through drawings, examples, etc
Why is the STAAR test important?
It demonstrates your mastery of skills in the 6th grade and is needed for PROMOTION to the next grade level
How can you tell the difference between an SCR (RACE) question and an ECR (Essay) question?
An SCR question is shorter and the text box is shorter. An ECR question is longer, has bullet points and the text box is much larger
The dialogue in lines 15-20 help the reader understand...
What people are saying in lines 15-20 make it clear to the reader that something was important or happened.
What type of prompt is this AND restate the prompt as your Introduction.
Is social media safe for young teenagers? Argue whether social media is or isn't safe for young teenagers.
Argumentative-
Social media is safe for young teenagers.
Social media is not safe for young teenagers.
What does the word "significant/ significance" mean?
Example: What is the significance of the stage directions in lines 20-23?
important or importance
What should you leave at home or be prepared to give to a teacher or test proctor before the test?
Cell phones or electronic devices
Explain what steps you would take to answer this question.
Paragraphs 7-10 were mainly about...
1. Go back and re-read or look at annotations for paragraph 7-10.
2. Eliminate 2 wrong answers by process of elimination.
3. Confrim the right answer with text evidence.
How does the protagonist's actions in paragraph 5 develop the plot?
How does the main character's actions in paragraph 5 move the story along
How does the story advance based on what the character does in paragraph 5
Explain all the components you need in a well written essay.
Hook, Intro, Thesis (or claim), 2 key reasons, 1 body paragraph for each reason, at least 2 pieces of evidence, explain your evidence thoroughly, and a conclusion.
What does the word "contribute" mean?
Example: How do lines 10-15 contribute to the mood of the poem?
To give or help with something.