5th Grade Science Review

It is that time of year again! Standardized testing and end of the year tests are on the horizon. It can be a challenge to keep students engaged in what might seem like endless test preparation days. I decided this year I was not going to dread test prep days and neither were my students! Here is my game plan to review for the NGSS science test. 

Escape the Cave and Science Spiral Review Task Cards. 

Science End of the year Escape

I wanted to refresh the students' memories on all that I taught them throughout the year (hopefully!). So, I tried to think of the most engaging way to prepare for the standardized test and came up with an escape! I divided the escape into 4 sections: Space, Matter, Earth's Spheres, and Ecosystems. To make it even more fun, I put all the questions around the room - under tables, hanging from the ceiling, and on the wall. The students had a packet with the codes to help them unlock the clues. Check out the escape here. 

Escape the Cave

They worked in partnerships to not only find the clues but also answer the questions and decode the locks. Finally, when they reviewed and solved all the questions, they typed their answers in to a Google Form to determine whether the locks were all unlocked! I actually had students ask, "when are we going to do another escape; this one was so much fun!" That was incredible to hear that the effort put in to creating the questions was well worth my time! 

Escape the Cave

We spent another 2 days reviewing using station work and NGSS Spiral Review Task Cards. I divided the task cards into 8 stations and gave the students 10-15 minutes at each station. The students completed the spiral review task cards on each of the different Next Generation Science standards. I liked using these task cards in addition to the escape because the questions are more open ended and helps the students review in a different way! 

NGSS Spiral Review

What is your favorite way to review for standardized tests? I would love some more new and fresh ideas! Let me know in the comments below. 

Escape to Space Science Review

Class transformation meets NGSS space escape review. I was looking for a way to review before our space unit test and just wanted the lesson to be more engaging than a boring flashcard review. So, I created the space escape! 

Escape to Space

Let me tell you about my goal. I wanted to do a classroom transformation like the ones I have seen on Instagram and Pinterest. When I started hanging the bulletin board paper from the ceiling in order to create a black wall, I realized I was trying to be someone that I am not. I am simple. When I create a lesson, I want it to be easy to prep with a ton of engagement. 

Fast forward...

I took down the bulletin board paper and decided to make a scavenger hunt with my space escape resource! Check it out here. I taped the question on tables, on the wall, and under desks. It took 2 minutes! Next, I turned out the lights and cranked up the Star Wars theme song. I was ready!

Escape to Space

I paired the students up and gave them their decoding packet (part of the escape) to decipher the codes. I handed out 1 flashlight per pair and I was set! Students were running around the room, shining the flashlight to find the questions and were completely engaged in the lesson! This was my kind of classroom transformation: simple and fun! 

Do you have any other ideas for a transformation for me?