And they have begun.... The dreaded week for all students! Iowa Assessments. It always shocks me how much students hate this week. Our sixth grade team has designated the first hour of every day as our testing period. We are done in a week and each day our students are only testing for an hour, but it still seems to drain each and everyone of them!
I have loaded up on Lifesavors, Jolly Ranchers, and Lemon Drops and I think this may be my students' favorite part of the testing period. Our Wellness Committee also used grant money to fund healthy snacks three of the five days; apples, string cheese, and pretzels. Along with food, I try to break up the monotony of testing with brainbreaks, found on GoNoodle. Mr. CatMan is quite creepy, but so far my students find him quite entertaining! These have been the biggest hit so far, but I'm hoping to find a few more entertaining videos or activities to break up the testing periods.
As much as I dislike this week, I am excited for results to come back. I always enjoy seeing the growth my students make and identifying the areas that are in need of support. Our district does not put a lot of weight on these tests, but they are always quite interesting to evaluate and analyze.
I agree that not many students likes the week of Iowa Assessments! I think that splitting them up is a great way to divide out the week and keep teaching as normal as possible. I really like the GoNoodle website. I think my favorite is the Zumba for kids. What a great way to give their brain and bodies a break from testing.
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