Schedule
for
Testing
Test
Taking
Tips
Maryland School Assessment (MSA)
March 12 & 13, 2012
Grade 3 & 4 Reading
March 14 & 15, 2012
March 16 & 19, 2012
Grade 3 & 4 Math
March 20 & 21, 2012
MCPS
Grade 5 Math
April 30 & May 1, 2012
Grade 5 Science
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14323 Stonebrige View Drive
North Potomac, MD 20878
TerraNova (TN2)
Comprehensive Test of Basic Skills
Phone: 301-279-4975
Fax: 301-279-4979
Created by J. Budman 2004
Grade 2
April 16—18, 2012
H
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2011-2012
M I L L
S T O N E
S C H O O L
E L E M E N T A R Y
Grade 5 Reading
Pre-test
Tips

Find out the date the test/s will be given
and avoid scheduling other appointments
during these times.

Discuss with your child their emotional reactions such as worry, stress, fear or panic
and be armed with techniques to get
those feelings under control.

Talk with other students/peers to share
test-taking strategies that work and don’t
work.

Get a good night’s sleep the night before
the test.

On the day of the test, give yourself time
to get ready. Don’t be rushed.

Standardized Tests
Standardized tests have been
used to measure student achievement and ability for many years.
Over the past few years these tests
have become more important. Many
states have defined specifically
what students should know and be
able to do, grade by grade. They
use standardized tests to measure
how well students achieve these
goals. Some educators say these
tests have raised standards for all
students. Others worry that schools
may spend too much time preparing
for the tests. Standardized tests are
created to see how students from
one school or class compare to other
students under the same conditions.
Some tests measure aptitude or their
ability to learn. Other tests measure
achievement or how much the student has learned.
During the Test

Read all directions carefully and
critically.

Budget your time. Go through the
test at least twice: a first pass at
what you know easily, a second
pass to work through the tough
questions.

Read all items carefully. Think
about what the answer should be.
Read all answers. Choose the one
that makes sense.

Erase stray or misleading marks on
your answer sheet.

Double check for careless mistakes,
skipped questions, and/or misinterpretation of directions.

Use relaxation techniques such as
taking five deep breaths or counting down to 10 if you find yourself
becoming tense or freezing.

Guess. Credit is never given for a
blank.
Eat a good breakfast the morning of the
test.

Dress in layers and take off clothes or
add during the testing to be comfortable.