STAAR Preparation!

Our Texas state assessment, the STAAR, is in one week! I'm freaking! I am trying really hard not to scare the kids and make them feel confident, but man, oh man, am I stressed! So, I've been scouring Pinterest and TpT like a mad woman for some 5th grade Math resources geared toward our Texas state standards (the TEKS), but I'm coming up nearly dry. They have Common Core resources GALORE. Oh, Texas! Why do you just have to be different and not use Common Core?! Anyway, my resource pickins are are a little SLIM. Long story short, I decided to make a little something of my own to help my students! Enter: "I Can" Statements for the 5th Grade TEKS! Yay!

You can go to pick it up HERE in my TpT store!

I know you might be thinking it is a little too late in the year to use these, but you would be mistaken my friend! I had my students go through their math notebooks and use this document to look up and review all the skills they will be needing to know on their STAAR. I had them fill out little worksheet where they identified the "Top 5 Skills I Need to Review" and then choose a set of task cards that corresponded with at least one of the TEKS they are struggling with. I don't know for sure yet, but I really think that's going to help push my "bubble kids" over the edge and get them to pass!!! YAY!

Tomorrow we are doing more test prep and then again on Thursday! I know the kids are tired of testing, but you do what you gotta do! Any suggestions on how to make the monotony of testing more fun? I try to add things like partner talks, coloring, and games, but its still not as exciting as I would like it to be! I want my students ENGAGED! (Wow, I'm liking the "all-caps" today!)

Anyways, I'm rambling now. I think it's time to get some grading done. Grades are due Thursday! :) Have a great rest of your day!!

--Chelsea