The Sparkly Notebook

Mastering the ELA Standards in Middle School

test prep

Using High-Interest Paired Passages to Teach the Standards

Using high-interest paired passages helps you connect with your current students and engage with them on topics they actually enjoy.

I remember the day I realized I was getting older.

I was providing a real-world connection to a novel we were reading, and I mentioned someone from a high-profile event that I thought my students would know.

My students simply stared at me.

They had no idea who I was talking about.

How could that be?

I brought up a picture of the person and explained it again, certain that they had misunderstood what I said.

Then I noticed the date on the picture, and I realized that the case I was referencing took place when I was in middle school. It was not even from this decade.

That’s when I understood their confusion.

At first, I felt a little sad. I was officially old… or at least that is what my inner voice was saying.

Now, years later, I look back on that same experience with a completely different perspective.

It wasn’t that old, but it was a very old reference for my students.

Staying current is important as a teacher!

Even though I may still be a spring chick, I am old to my students, and I have to be careful to use content that they actually know and understand.

Making Connections with High-Interest Paired Passages

Now, I am much more aware of what kinds of examples I use around my students rather than using examples from ‘back in the day.’ I use recent examples that they will understand.

I have begun really focusing on finding content for lessons that align with my students’ interests and topics that are very relevant to them.

Since we do a lot of reading passage work, I often find myself looking for and creating high-interest paired passages.

When I talk about topics like video games and TikTok in passages, my students are engaged and are able to make their own connections.

Ways to use Paired Passages

We can use these types of passages to discuss all sorts of things.

They can be a springboard for a Socratic Seminar, a resource for a research paper or project, or a way to compare and contrast viewpoints.

Since each of the paired passages addresses the topic from a different angle, we can use the passages in various activities that work on a variety of standards and skills.

Some additional activities you can try with these high-interest paired passages include…

  • Sentence Slips
  • Citation Work
  • Research Starters
  • A Scavenger Hunt
  • Facts First

To learn more about each of these activities, read this post which explores 5 New Ways to Use Paired Passages!

New Ways to Use Paired Passages Blog Image

Paired Passage Topics to Engage with Students

Now that I am more aware of my students’ needs and interests and what kinds of topics they like to engage with, I spend time making high-interest paired passages on a variety of topics.

Here are some of the topics my students are currently into.

TikTok

Paired Passages Resource

Social Media

Social Media Paired Passages

Sports

Video Games

Easy Middle School ELA Activities for the Weeks Surrounding Spring Break (Video Game Paired Passages)
Kids as Influencers
High-Interest Paired Passages: Kids as Influencers

Cell Phones

High-Interest Paired Passages: Cell Phones

Each of these high-interest paired passage sets are differentiated for different grade levels and reading abilities and have built-in questions to start conversations and get students to consider the topic more thoroughly.

They are a great way to make your classroom content relevant and interesting for your students and make you feel a lot more ‘hip’ too!

Enjoy!

The Sparkly Notebook signature

What Makes for a Great, Educational ELA Escape Room?

Educational ELA escape rooms are the ones that focus on content and skills as much as they do locks and keys.

Escape rooms have built up a lot of hype over the course of the last decade or so, and their educational use has exploded.

We see people designing escape rooms left and right and claiming that they are intended for educational use.

This begs the question…How are escape rooms educational?

There will, of course, always be that group of people who say that games and problem-solving opportunities of all types are educational in their own right, and that may be true. However, there is a time and place for escape rooms, and not all ELA escape rooms help students actually learn content.

So what makes for a good educational ELA escape room?

The Non-Example

Members of The Sparkly Notebook were once a part of an in-person escape room where we were given a packet of materials and a lockbox and were instructed to try to escape by getting to the information inside the box.

This escape room was fun and frustrating and required our group to work together, but in the grand scheme of the escape room, we could not actually provide any information about the content we had looked at or any of the data we shifted through as we searched for the codes.

What went wrong?

The fact of the matter is that the information itself was not tied to the codes. The code was found within the content, but it was not dependent on knowing it. Once we figured out the code, the content didn’t matter.

In one particular scenario, the code was created by the first letters of the capitalized words in the document. Once we noticed the capitalized letters, we didn’t read any of the content. We noticed that the words were capitalized right away, and we quickly guessed the code by skimming through the document and highlighting just the capitalized words.

Content-Driven, Educational ELA Escape Rooms

ELA escape rooms (or any escape room for that matter) that separate the content from the code do not serve students in the same way that educational ELA escape rooms depend on the content to figure out the code.

For example, in this ELA Test Prep Escape Room, students have to be able to read a passage (very similar to the type of passage that they encounter in ELA standardized tests) and answer questions. Their answers to those questions create the code.

Educational ELA Escape Room Example: ELA Test Prep Escape Room

In this situation, the code is directly tied to the content. Students HAVE to do the task to escape the room. 

To find the answer to the second ‘lock,’ students have to make predictions about a character’s choices based on their actions within the reading and then use the symbols next to those predictions to change the symbols into letters which in turn are the key to unlock the next ‘door.’

Each of these specific task examples requires students to not only think critically, problem-solve, and possibly work with a group but also require the students to read the information closely enough to answer questions about it, analyze it, and make predictions.

When you are looking for educational escape rooms, really look through what you want students to work on, and make sure the escape room is challenging them both with content and with the ‘locks’ themselves. 

A good educational escape room is focused on classroom content, and learning that presents students with a mental challenge and focuses on the skills that your students specifically need to practice.

As you begin to “Plan Your Curriculum Like a Boss,” consider how the activities you’re adding support the learning and standards within your classroom, and find some great, educational ELA escape rooms that align with your goals.

If you’re interested and you want to see a full list of our Educational ELA Escape Rooms, click here!

The Sparkly Notebook signature

Preparing Middle School Students for Standardized Tests: Checklists

Preparing middle school students for standardized tests can seem like an overwhelming task, but when you plan and review with specific standards in mind using these checklists, you can put your mind at ease, knowing that you have not left any standard behind.

Standardized tests are used throughout the United States to check whether students are meeting core competencies and mastering standards.

Most teachers would agree that standardized tests are not the best way of showing student skills.

Unfortunately, it is part of the game that we have to play as educators.

Since it is a necessary evil, and probably will be for a while, we need to know how we can prepare middle school students for standardized tests without too much ‘teaching to the test.’  

This is something we’ve considered a lot over the last couple of years, and we here at The Sparkly Notebook have several resources that can be really helpful for middle school teachers who find themselves in these situations.

Measuring Student Mastery of Standards

When push comes to shove, standardized tests are not a mystery. 

We know what the test will measure and what students are expected to know (i.e., the standards). So, we highly suggest using that information (along with some helpful checklists) to gauge whether or not your students are ready to go.  

Standard Checklists for Documenting Proficiencies

Throughout the school year, using standard checklists to keep track of your students’ strengths and weaknesses can be very helpful.

If you’ve never used a standards checklist before, no worries! 

We have standards checklists available for each middle school grade level.

6th Grade Standards Checklist

Preparing Middle School Students for standardized tests: 6th grade standards checklist

7th Grade Standards Checklist

Preparing Middle School Students for Standardized Tests: (7th Grade Standards Checklist)

8th Grade Standards Checklist

8th Grade Standards Checklist

These checklists breakdown the key terms used for each standard, planning sheets for identifying when each standard will be taught (or how it will be taught) during each unit, comparison charts for identifying how the standard compares to previous years (or following years), and a sheet for planning how you will spiral standards throughout the school year.

To learn more about how we work toward helping our students master the standards, take a moment to look through this post!

students study to master the standards

Using checklists like these should not start at testing time. In fact, many Sparkly Notebook followers use these standard checklists to plan their entire year; however, if it is getting close to testing time and you have not been using these checklists, don’t worry. All is not lost. 

Start by printing or downloading the checklist. 

Next, review each standard, putting a ‘1’ next to the standards you feel your students do well and a ‘2’ next to the standards you know your students have practiced, but they could also be standards you know your students could use more work. Finally, put a ‘3’ next to the standards you are not sure you covered at all.

Prioritize your learning to the ‘2s’ and ‘3s’ on your list using standards-focused activities and lessons.

Supplementing with Standard-Focused Resources

If you are getting closer to testing season, and there is a standard that your students are really struggling with, bring in a unit or lesson that specifically focuses on mastering that standard.

The Sparkly Notebook has created a whole line of resources specifically built around each standard.

And they are game changers!!

If you find yourself in a position where your students just don’t seem to be getting a concept, but you don’t have a good focused lesson to support that concept, then you can just jump into the store and grab the exact resource you need to give your students exactly the standard they need to focus on.

Click here to take a closer look at the 8th Grade Resources.

Click here to take a closer look at the 7th Grade Resources.

Preparing middle school students for standardized tests can feel like a task that won’t end, but don’t worry! We’ve got your back! It truly is just three steps.

Step 1: Start with the checklists.

Step 2: Prioritize the standards you still need to focus on.

Step 3: Grab the resources you need to support that learning.

It is simple as that!

The Sparkly Notebook signature

Preparing your Middle School Students for their Standardized Tests [ELA]

Here are our top 3 tips for preparing your middle school students for their standardized ELA tests.

Although most teachers are not fond of yearly standardized tests, we acknowledge that, as of right now, they are a part of the educational system in the United States. So we are doing our best to make sure our students are ready to rock those tests!

Preparing your middle school students for their standardized tests can seem like a daunting feat. However, really good test prep comes down to accomplishing 3 specific goals.

  • Relieving Stress: Many students will be very overwhelmed and uncertain about taking standardized tests. So…one part of preparing your middle school students for their standardized tests must be telling them what to expect.
  • Giving Tools: If you have any test-creator secrets, this is the time to share them. Any helpful hacks or tools should be a part of your pre-test planning.
  • Planning to Win: Your students can’t ‘win’ at testing time if they are not adequately prepared. Just as athletes train, practice, and learn new skills, your students must have the proper training if they are going to ‘win’ the test. That means they need explicit instructions on skills and concepts related to the standards.
Pin Image - three students working on a test together. Text states "Test Prep with Paired Passages - Middle School ELA"

Let’s go into each of these 3 goals a little deeper, shall we?

#1 | Know the Test

You need to make decisions about test prep season through the lens of the test itself. 

Spend some time getting to know the test your students will take.

  • Is it online or is it paper/pencil?
  • Can they use a note sheet?
  • Can they write on it? Highlight it?
  • Is it all multiple-choice?
  • How long are the reading passages?
  • What kinds of questions are typically asked?
  • How many questions are there?
  • Is it timed?
  • What happens to the questions that remain unanswered after the time is up?

If you know the answers to these questions, you can help your students manage some of their test stress. Preparing your middle school students for standardized tests means talking to them about each of these pieces of information. Give them all the information you have about the tests and tips on what to do during specific testing situations.

For example, If you know that every question that is unanswered after time is up is counted wrong, then encourage students to guess on the questions they aren’t sure about, and make sure every question has an answer.

If you know the test includes a lot of passages, tell your students how to appropriately manage time during those types of questions.

Helpful Hack: If your tests use a lot of passage-based reading questions, then you’ll want to spend some extra time working with and answering questions based on passages. These paired passages are a fantastic resource when preparing for these tests!!

To learn a few additional tips and tricks for using paired passages for test prep, check out this post!

Test Prep with Paired Passages Blog Image

Knowing the test is one of the best ways to support your students.

Note: Make sure you follow all testing laws and guidelines for your test. Do not give students any questions from the actual test they will take. Always check with the upper powers about what is acceptable and use practice tests and testing websites to learn information when possible.

#2 | Think Like a Test Writer

If you have any knowledge about what goes into writing or creating tests, share them with your students. Talk about your time in “Teacher School” and what they taught you about creating a test for students.

One test-creator inside tip we like to share with our students is that of the 4 questions on a multiple-choice test, usually, two are clearly wrong, one is the right answer, and one is the distractor.

If you can minimally narrow down the answers to the distractor and the answer, you now have a 50/50 shot. You also know that one of the answers was specifically designed to make you think twice, so you can review the information provided specifically about those two answers to make an educated guess if needed.

If you have any other great “Test Creator” hacks, we’d love to hear about them, but your students NEED to hear them, so start giving away those industry secrets!

#3 | Standard-Focused Activities

This one may seem obvious, but it is important to say.

Make sure you are covering the standards regularly as part of your classroom instruction.

Standardized tests are not intended to surprise students or confuse them. They are simply supposed to test their understanding and application of the standards.

If you are using the standards to guide your instruction, and you have managed to cover all the standards well, then your students will be ready for the test.

The spring semester is a great time of the year to revisit all the standards. You can get in some quick assessments. Then see what you need to touch on more to have the biggest impact. 

If you find your students are lacking on a specific standard, find a resource like one of the standards-focused resources below to explicitly work on that content before testing time rolls around.

Click for the 7th-grade bundle.

Click for the 8th-grade resources.

In addition to these standards-focused resources, we also have a great ELA Test Prep Digital Escape Room that will allow students test-like practice in a fun, escape room atmosphere. This is a fun activity to cycle into your test prep work.

Preparing your middle school students for standardized tests-ELA Test Prep Escape Room

Wrapping Up

Preparing your middle school students for standardized tests is a big part of the spring semester. However, don’t let it overwhelm your class time!

Talk to your students about testing, but make sure to pump them up rather than stress them out. 

Remind them over and over that they are in fact ready for this! They have all the skills to conquer the test! Your confidence will give them confidence!

Happy Testing!

The Sparkly Notebook signature

Writing Tips for Test Prep

For test prep, cover these three writing areas to ensure your students feel confident heading into spring assessments.

I always looked forward to the second semester of the academic teaching year.

Why is that, you ask?

Well, besides the fact that I could celebrate making it through half the school year in one piece, I also enjoyed shifting from informational and argumentative writing into my creative writing curriculum.

I always taught non-fiction writing units in the fall since the students seemed more motivated early in the year and then jumped into creative writing around January/February time as motivation started to diminish in the classroom. (Typically my students enjoy creative writing WAY MORE than other types.)

It made sense to me and for the most part, it worked swell! However, as we crept closer to test time in the spring, I always felt less prepared with my students. We would spend a unit reviewing thesis and claims, as well as other non-fiction terms since it often seemed that test questions revolved around non-fiction passages more than fictional ones. Check out this post which talks about using paired passages for test prep so that your students get used to the types of articles they will see on tests.

I’ve never regretted how I planned my curriculum, but I think it is always fair to say that some writing and non-fiction review was necessary before spring.

Here are the three areas I reviewed…

1. Informational Writing Terms and Analysis

Can your students truly understand informational texts? Do they understand the structure? Are they able to pull evidence from the text to support their answers?

All of these questions are areas I reviewed prior to test time. I used fun informational texts so that students didn’t always feel the grind of the review, but rather enjoyed the topics being discussed.

Check out this informational writing product that analyzes TikTok. Students LOVE talking about TikTok and often don’t get to while learning in the classroom, so this resource is a great way to practice informational analysis without it feeling too heavy for the students!

Analyzing informational writing with TikTok for test prep.

2. Argumentative Writing Terms and Analysis

No matter how many times I covered the author’s purpose, claim, and reasoning in my classes, a good review was always necessary heading into test time.

If I am being honest, I find it odd that students struggle with these terms so much considering they argue with us teachers more than ever! Ha! 

So, sometimes, I would come up with silly arguments to analyze. I would take the stereotypical story of a student who wanted more time to redo his homework because he claims his dog ate his original homework. The students and I would talk about this hypothetical boy’s purpose, claim, and reasoning so that students could analyze this simple argument prior to analyzing more complex articles.

If you are looking for something in the middle with regards to complexity, check out this analyzing argumentative writing product which covers the benefits of dogs in the workplace. This product includes a graphic organizer activity, an evidence-based question set, and extension opportunities. Check it out here!

Analyzing argumentative writing for test prep.

3. General Writing Standards and Tips

Additionally, reviewing general writing concepts like tone, formal writing style, and citing sources is always a good idea before test day. Students need to have a general understanding of format and conventions which always seems to be a struggle for them. 

We practice writing conventions and formatting every year, and yet, students need the practice more than ever. We are battling a world of technological platforms where students don’t need to write in full sentences or even spell correctly. Think texting and social media posts…

I always told my students that they needed to understand the time and place to write well and when those times came, they would need to be able to “switch on” proper grammar and spelling easily. Thus, we practiced “flipping the switch” often with bell ringer paragraphs and other mini-writing lessons.

However, to ensure your students have mastered the writing standards for their grade level, check out these writing standard products which specifically cover each writing standard. 

They are great for reinforcements and can provide you the confidence that you as the teacher covered each writing standard as well as possible in your own classroom. 

Writing standards for test prep

For more test prep tips, check out this post which covers the three ways you can prep your students for the test itself. It covers ideas like teaching your students to scan material as well as teaching a code system. Check it out here!

Good luck!

No matter what, your students are moving forward. They may not catch every lesson you are hoping to teach, but they are learning day in and day out because of wonderful teachers like you! Keep it up!

The Sparkly Notebook signature
I would love to have you join our mailing list to stay up to date on all of our ideas and products from The Sparkly Notebook. Join it here and good luck with the rest of the year.

Quick review with these 3 digital sort activities

These three digital sort activities will help your students practice key terms, sentences, and concepts that need extra repetition before test time.

When it comes to prepping for a test, repetition is key. 

A lot of tests require students to know terms and vocabulary, which is often one of the hardest areas to prep students for! It takes LOTS of repetition and often gets thrown on the back burner in the classroom or sent home as study materials that eventually get thrown in the trash, or lost in a digital folder somewhere.

A lot of students need a bit more hands-on with repetition. Thus, digital sort activities are perfect for quick reviews.

A digital sort activity is a modernized way of sorting terms, sentences, or concepts into groups. No longer do you need the stacks of flashcards in your classroom. Instead, students are using simple technology to interact with their study terms, not just memorize them.

Want to try one out?

Check out these THREE digital sort activities…

Figurative Language Digital Sort Activity Set

This figurative language digital sort activity covers alliteration, hyperbole, idioms, similes, metaphors, onomatopoeia, and personification. It includes a sorting activity, a Google Docs assignment, and a Google Forms quiz…perfect for a  mini-lesson.

Nonfiction Text Structure Sort

A text structure word sort activity that is Google classroom ready.

Students will complete a graphic organizer, 5 matching activities where they read a short passage and determine which text structure, and complete a Google Forms quiz on text structures to show mastery of the standard. 

Types of Sentence Sort Activity

A digital sort activity that covers the four types of sentences.

Reviewing the different sentence types should be a mini-lesson that’s easy and not time-consuming. It covers the four sentence types: declarative, imperative, interrogative, and exclamatory.

Once you get a taste of these digital sort activities, you…

Are going to want to make more. They truly are so valuable because they are interactive and can be used over and over again!

For more ideas like these, jump on my email list and get five freebies! I am always sending out updates on my new products. My latest product is this ELA Test Prep DIGITAL Escape Room. I am excited about this one and think it is going to help lots of students! Check it out here!

The Sparkly Notebook signature
Join The Sparkly Notebook email list.

Test Prep with Paired Passages

Use The SPARKLY Notebook’s paired passages to help prep middle school students for tests. These are great resources for all ELA teachers.

Many of us teachers have different opinions about tests.

I think we can all agree that assessment is important; we want to be able to help students recognize where they are AND show them the potential of where they can go. 

However, we also don’t want to focus TOO MUCH on assessment because there is so much more to education than tests, am I right? We would rather focus on ALL of the skills we know they are going to need for the future, not just assessments left and right. 

Use The SPARKLY Notebook's paired passages to help prep middle school students for tests. These are great resources for ELA teachers.

It often seems like it is one or the other, but maybe it doesn’t have to be.

When it comes to teaching ELA, I have found the use of paired passages to be extremely engaging for my students. I am able to use a variety of reading material about a variety of interesting topics. Through these passages, I am able to release a waterfall of discussion and insight from my students that isn’t always flowing in our novel units.

Additionally, these paired passages are also where we can prep our students for those future tests. With these passages, students are:

  • Utilizing higher-level thinking
  • Reading an assortment of writing from a variety of authors
  • Deconstructing questions and choosing best answers
  • Learning about modern issues and topics
  • Analyzing information for a specific purpose

And those are only a few of the benefits!

Oftentimes, my students enjoy the discussion that follows these passages because simply put, they are fun passages to read. I incorporate multiple-choice questions or short-answer questions in the mix as either pre-discussion topics or mini-assessment opportunities. 

One of my favorite paired-passage is my Is Grafitti Art or Vandalism? paired passage. This Differentiated GOOGLE CLASSROOM READY Paired Text Set is on a high-interest topic and thus, had my students interested from the start! It is Common-Core aligned AND my students LOVE it! So check it out for yourself!

Paired texts are definitely a win-win!

Not sure how to utilize them in your own classroom? Or not sure if you have the time to come up with your own paired passages?

I GOT YOU!

Check out my paired-passages products here!

Why create your own passages when I have already done the work for you?

If you want more information about test prep tips in general, check out this blog post! I talk about the use of paired passages as well as two other tips that have helped my students prepare both mentally and academically for future tests! Click here.

Enjoy!

The Sparkly Notebook signature

Test Prep Tips

Test.

The one word that creates so much anxiety for so many of our students.

Although testing has been around for, well…a LONG time, we still haven’t come across the best ways to eliminate this test anxiety in our students. However, with preparation, we may be able to ease this anxiety to some extent. The more that our students are familiar with the PROCESS of testing, the less anxious they will be on test day!

So, how should we prepare our students for testing?

Three Ways to Prep Your Students for a Test

Step One: Students need to be familiar with the way test questions are phrased.

We like to simplify questions in the classroom. We are trained to phrase questions in a way that students will understand, but for some reason, tests do not take this same consideration. The questions sound complex and overwhelming for students, so the more students hear these types of questions, the more they will be able to break down specifically what the question is asking.

DO: Use one bellringer a week to ask a test-like question and offer the opportunity to break down the question as a class. Try one of my “Paired-Passages” resources online which focuses on question breakdown and test prep.

A paired passage activity to help you prep for tests in the ELA classroom.

Step Two: Teach your students to scan.

In a world full of information, we can’t read everything, can we? Rather, we scan an article or website searching for the exact information we need. Teaching our students to scan will help them answer test questions faster because they aren’t getting stuck reading every single word on the test. 

DO: Discuss keywords with your students. Practice scanning texts for keywords related to simple questions and work your way up to more complex questions. The more practice they have at scanning, the better they will be when a test rolls around.

Step Three: Teach test-taking skills.

In my experience, teaching students a code system can be very helpful. It works like this.

More often than not, a student is not going to answer each question right off the bat during a test. A typical student might be able to answer number 1 right away, but be unsure of number 2, and have NO IDEA on number 3. So, how should the student handle this situation?

Students should…

  • Answer the questions they ABSOLUTELY know and put smiley faces next to them.
  • Make the best guess on the answers they THINK they know and put stars next to them.
  • Answer the questions they DON’T know AT ALL and put a question mark next to them.

The idea here is that students will be able to answer each question the first go-around (to make sure the test is done on time), but then, if there is time left over, they are able to go back through and answer questions with stars next to them. If they make it through all of the starred questions, they can finally go back through and re-read some of the questions coded with a question mark. This strategy ensures that students are answering the questions they are more likely to get right first.

DO: Teach a coding system to your students. This type of skill can be so helpful in so many areas of life, not just test-taking.

Cool! Now what?

With these three steps, your students will be more prepared to take a test on any given day. These steps will not ease all anxiety that comes with testing, but they could definitely help! Better yet, these three steps at most take around 10 minutes a week to teach. If you could try something for 10 minutes each with a high possibility that it will help your students come test day, wouldn’t you want to try it?

The Sparkly Notebook signature

Just remember, providing support for test prep is only half the battle. The other half is teaching your students to BELIEVE that they CAN do well on tests! Check out this post about the student’s mindset. Enjoy!

↑ Top of Page