Week #35: Bring on the SAGE!

It's that time of year when students will SAGE test and showcase what they have learned! SAGE is just one snapshot of knowledge and performance. I've emphasized this to students and feel it's so important that they give it their best shot, but to not stress out.

We've worked hard this week on strategies, tools and mental relaxation. I try my best to make testing fun: I wear goofy t-shirts everyday to get smiles, we have daily motivational "themes", they get a snack before testing, I walk them through some relaxation techniques and off they go! They have also set a goal for themselves. If they meet the goal, they get to choose a candy bar. It's just a fun way I can reward them for a job well done. All that matters to me is that they show growth:)

Some students are participating in Friday's Spanish Language Fair, I will be pulling them from a couple of elective classes to give them extra time. Likewise, any student who requires extra testing/thinking time will have the opportunity. I've worked with these kids the entire year now and I'm aware of who might need that time and I will absolutely make it happen.

The Reading testing will be first, then the Writing test...just FYI.

Please make sure students sleep well, eat breakfast and review notes each day before testing.

As always, I remain very grateful for the continued support throughout the year. It's been a wonderful year and I'm so appreciative of the outstanding students (and families) I'm lucky enough to work with: thank you! Please contact me with any question or concerns.

Link to Mrs. Robins's Argumentative Essay

Click on this to remember how to do citations with explanations, claim, counterclaim and rebuttal.

Link to a Student Explanatory Essay

Click above to remember how to do a thesis, citations with explanations, conclusion, etc.

Foldable for EXPLANATORY essay (usually on pink paper). This is just to help students remember what goes where. I'll have paper available during testing.

Foldable for ARGUMENTATIVE essay (usually on brown paper). Same thing here--to remember all the components of writing this type of essay. Students should have these memorized and be ready to make and use them next week.

These are testing strategies we call SAGE HACKS! These tips will help students navigate the test, use the tools embedded in the test and help them along the way. Each student make their own notes sheet they should review each day. Click on the specific photo to see it up close.

To help students remember foldables, we had some fun foldable relay races. Props to the winner, who held on to their record times throughout 2 rounds: Dumbledore's Army (2nd period for Argumentative essay) and Skitta-Committa (3rd period for Explanatory essay)!!! This was so much fun and really got kids thinking, moving and working together as a team!

Congrats Makayln R. for making it into the iRead 40 Club: proud of you!!