Before Testing
Hours to try to sleep the night before
8-10 hours
True or false: If I don't understand a lot of questions, it means I'm not very good at it.
False. Tests will include information that is more advanced for your grade level to see if you can do it.
True or False: People who finish the test faster are smarter.
False. People finish tests at different times for a whole lot of reasons.
People who rush through tests can often make mistakes that they don't realize.
Activities to do the night before
Calming activities like walking, stretching, coloring, drawing, playing with toys or other friends, being outside, and avoiding screens as much as possible
If a test question is confusing to me, I can...
-Pause and take a deep breath
-Tell myself "I got this"
-Reread and look for the key words in the question
-Eliminate answers I know are incorrect
True or False: I should compare how long the test took me with my friends.
False. Everyone works at a different pace, and everyone gets a different mix of questions. It is possible someone could get questions that take longer than someone else's.
Foods to eat more of/less of the night before
Try to eat fruits, veggies, meat/protein, cheese, nuts, bread, crackers, and chocolate!
Try to avoid a lot of sugar and soda, because that can make your brain get distracted more easily and also get more tired
Try to eat extra if you are able to since this can give your brain more energy!
If I notice I'm feeling anxious or tired, I can...
Pause, take deep breaths, close my eyes and count to ten, make exhales longer than inhales, think to myself "I got this, I can do this"
After the test, I might feel...
Tired, less able to focus, accomplished, ready to relax or move around
If I am feeling stressed thinking about the test, I can...
Practice deep belly breaths, positive affirmations (I got this), talk to someone, laugh or be silly, play, come up with an action plan for how you will help yourself through the test
True or false: If I'm feeling bored, I should just guess the rest of the time.
False. Boring things can still be worth doing! Test scores really help your teachers, the school, and show the government how much you know. If you try your best, it can give you, your teacher, and your family more information on your strengths and areas of focus.
True/False: If my friend is done with the test and I am too, it's okay to make faces at them or whisper to them.
False. Even though you're both done, it might be distracting to other people taking the test.
An action plan for how to help myself during a test can include...
How I can tell if I'm feeling anxious: mind moving really fast, heart racing, clenching arms or jaw, etc.
What I can do to help myself: Pause, take deep belly breaths, give my eyes a break by closing them or looking far away, stretching (in a way that isn't distracting), making my exhales longer than my inhales, telling myself "I can do this" "Just a little bit longer" "I'm just going to try my best"
What is the 5-4-3-2-1 technique that can help you feel more focused and less stressed? If you don't know, give it your best guess.
Think of
5 things that you SEE.
4 things you can FEEL.
3 things you can HEAR.
2 things you can SMELL.
and 1 thing you can TASTE.
Activities to do after the test include...
Anything that includes movement! After sitting for the test, it's important to move around and be outside. This could include sports, playing with toys outside, walking, etc.
It's also important to give your eyes a break from looking at screens since the test is on a screen.