Unit of Study: Reading Test-Taking Strategies
Grade: 3, 4, and 5
*A recommended mini-unit of study to be taught during Winter or Spring Term
There is a big difference between test practice and test
preparation. Test practice occurs when we simply give students a
packet without instruction. Test preparation requires teachers to
“deconstruct” the test questions, the language included, and the
strategies used to do well on the test.
A unit of study on test-taking strategies examines the relationship
between reading well in real life and learning to do well on tests.
These skills may not be the same. We need to be explicit about
teaching the reading skills and strategies that will help our
students do well on tests by immersing them in examples of
actual practice test selections.
(Classroom Reading Assessments by Frank Serafini 2010)
The vision of these mini-lessons is to use them in conjunction with
actual test practice. For each genre a suggested practice cycle
might be:
1. Teacher demonstration/think-aloud
2. Guided practice with passage (whole group)
3. Partner practice (review answers and process whole group)
4. Independent practice (review answers and process with a
partner/whole group)
5. Independent practice (turn in for teacher review and form
intervention groups if needed)
Suggested Timeline
Day(s)
1
Essential Learning
Launch: Set purpose
for units
Through immersion
students will notice
characteristics and
features of practice
test selections.
2
Through immersion
students will notice
characters and
features of practice
test selections.
Mini - Lesson
Chart – what do you
know/remember
about taking a test?
ELL Scaffolds
Anchor chart/Process
grid
Record what kids
notice (types of
passages, types of
questions, text
features, etc.).
Think aloud and
demonstrate using
practice passages and
questions:
KWL chart
Preview the text
 Read the title,
introduction, and
directions
 Pictures and text
features
 Identify the
type/genre of
passage
 Consider what
you already know
about the subject
and type of text
3-5
Connect and use
effective strategies
before, during, and
after reading based
on a specific genre,
starting with below
grade level text (in
order to practice
strategies)
Think aloud and
demonstrate using
practice passages and
questions:
Informational Text
Fictional Text
Poetry
Refer to SRCP chart
(attached)
6
Students will learn
strategies for
choosing the best
answers
Think aloud and
demonstrate using
practice passages and
questions:
Paraphrase questions
to self
Eliminate choices
Wording of questions
Read question twice
Skim/Scan
Prove/Evidence
Start with the easy
ones
Mark challenging
questions and review
before submitting
Trust first instinct
when reviewing
Review all questions
and answers before
submitting
7-8
Students will discuss
and review the
vocabulary and
concepts tested.
Think aloud and
demonstrate using
practice passages and
questions:
Discuss words used in
the directions
Discuss text structure
of questions and
directions (bolded,
underlined,
quotations, etc.)
Discuss words used in
the passage and
questions:
Compare/contrast
Cause/effect
Fact/opinion
Theme
Author’s purpose
Main idea
Drawing conclusions
Predictions
(refer to test
specifications for your
grade level)
Chart and define
words that require
specific tasks
(Contrast, compare,
sequence, evaluate,
etc.)
9
Students will learn
strategies for
answering vocabulary
specific questions.
10 - 12
Practice and review
Reread the sentence
and generate possible
synonyms
Reread the sentence
while replacing the
word with each
possible answer
Identify familiar
words or word parts
within more complex
words
Use context clues
Types of words (parts
of speech)
Prefixes and suffixes
Replace words using
cloze activity
*Practice test on computers to familiarize with state test format.
RESOURCES:
ODE Reading Passages www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?id=443
Reading Test Specification Blue Prints www.ode.state.or.us/search/page/?id=496
Strategies for Reading Comprehension Passages
Genre:
What is it?
Characteristics:
How do you know?
Types of Questions:
What will they ask you?
(According to grade
level standards 3-5 and
test specifications /
blueprint)
Strategies:
How do you find the
answer?
(1-6 is a suggested
sequence that may
apply to all genres)
1. Hide the answer
options with a
sticky note
2. Preview the text
3. Read the question
4. Read the text and
decide upon the
most effective
strategy for that
genre
5. Answer question in
your own words
6. Uncover answer
options and choose
the best one
Informational Text
Fiction
Poetry
Captions, charts,
graphs, diagrams, text
structure, etc.
Illustrations, characters,
setting, plot, etc.
Text structure, literary
language, etc.
Main ideas, supporting
details, word
definitions, locating
information,
sequencing,
summarizing,
comparing, contrasting,
etc.



Main idea, vocabulary,
mood, emotion, tone,
identify
theme/message,
author’s purpose,
problem/solution,
sequence events,
determine meaning,
inferring, making
predictions, character
traits and motivation,
etc.

Figurative language,
structures, message,
multiple meaning
words, theme, meaning,
author’s purpose,
mood, affect of
language










Skim and scan
Use text features
Reread for specific
purpose
Look for context
clues
Locate and
highlight key words
Read with
questions in mind
Read slowly for
meaning
Look for and
highlight key
words/terms from
the questions
Look for and
highlight context
clues
Reread question
and text as needed
Read entire poem
Connect title with
passage
Use context clues
for meaning and
vocabulary
Reread with
questions in mind