STAAR READING Relax Plan 2016
DIRECTIONS: HIGHLIGHT/UNDERLINE 3-5 of the most important ideas in each paragraph.
Respond to the questions at the bottom of this page. Email me the flattened version of this document at
[email protected]. If you have a paper copy, turn this in to me when you are finished. If you want to
look back upon this for reference before testing, you have it saved on Adobe, and it is linked on my web
page.
1.
Go to bed 1 hour earlier Monday and Tuesday nights (and no later than 10:00 p.m.) in order to be WELL
RESTED for Tuesday’s (Math 8 and Writing 7) and Wednesday’s (Reading 8) STAAR TESTING. Since the
Reading STAAR test is Wednesday, the day after your Math STAAR test, you will most likely be tired Tuesday
afternoon. It is important for you to get a good night’s sleep Tuesday night so that your mind is rested and
working properly the following day. You will also feel less cranky, have a positive outlook, and be ready to face
the challenge of reading longer passages.
2.
Eat a nutritious breakfast the morning of the test. This means to pick food items low in sugar and high in
protein.
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Sugar and caffeine cause a “crashing” effect that will hit about mid-morning.
Protein-fortified breakfasts supply energy that keeps you full and mentally-focused for a long period of time. Coaches
require their athletes to eat foods high in protein and complex carbohydrates so that they are physically and mentally fit
the day of the game: eggs, cheese, milk, meat, nuts, peanut butter, yogurt, beans, (whole wheat) toast/bread, low-fat/low-sugar cereals
(such as Cheerios, Wheaties, Raisin Bran, Granola, Oatmeal, etc.), and fruits and vegetables.
3.
Wear layers: short sleeved shirt, jacket/sweatshirt. The temperature in the testing room will fluctuate back and
forth between hot and cold, and a slightly increased level of stress may affect your body temperature.
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4.
Set out your clothing the night before so that you aren’t rushing to decide your wardrobe in the morning.
Some teachers may allow you to remove your shoes. Wear clean socks with no holes to keep your feet comfy and odor free. 
Approach the day with confidence. If you BELIEVE that you will do well, your chances of success INCREASE
GREATLY. Positive thinking is POWERFUL.
o You have practiced A LOT. You’ve developed greatly as a CLOSE AND CAREFUL READER and you’ve effectively applied
your careful (BRUTAL) Close Active Reading Strategies to work through multiple choice comprehension and higher-order
thinking questions. I BELIEVE IN YOU 100 PERCENT!
5.
Continue to READ and THINK carefully to understand meanings of the QUESTIONS AND THE TEXT. MOST
QUESTIONS WILL REQUIRE THAT YOU USE THE TEXT AND YOUR OWN KNOWLEDGE AND
EXPERIENCE TO MAKE AN INFERENCE OR DRAW A CONCLUSION to answer correctly:
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MAIN IDEA (MOST DETAILS ARE ABOUT…)
CONTEXT CLUES (Use words surrounding
underlined, unknown words to determine a word’s
meaning in the passage.)
SUMMARY (2-3 sentences that SUM UP THE MOST
IMPORTANT IDEAS OF THE ENTIRE PASSAGE;
BME)
AUTHOR’S PURPOSE (inform, entertain, persuade,
reflect/express)
POINT OF VIEW (1st Person—Narrator is character; 3rd
Limited—Narrator is NOT Character/Focus is on one
character’s thoughts; 3rd Omniscient—Narrator is NOT
character/Focus is on several characters’ thoughts)
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FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE (Creative Comparison-METAPHOR, SIMILE, PERSONIFICATION—“raining
cats & dogs”; “snail’s pace”; “wind whispers…”)
AUTHOR’S PERSPECTIVE (What the author thinks or
believes about the subject)
TONE (Author’s Attitude---EXAMINE WORDS)
MOOD (Reader’s Emotions—EXAMINE WORDS)
THEME (Author’s REAL LIFE message, warning, advice,
or life lesson)
INFER/CONCLUDE (EDUCATED Guess, based upon
proof from the text and your experience)
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ASSERTION or COMMONPLACE ASSERTION or
COMMON ASSERTION (AN OPINION stated in the
text or held in common by many that may or may not be
able to be proven. Examples: The most important position
in football is the quarterback; Teaching is a difficult job.)
FACT (a statement that CAN BE PROVEN by observation,
research, documentation—Lightning can cause forest fires.)
OPINION (a statement THAT CANNOT BE PROVEN
because it is someone’s personal belief—Lightening is
frightening)
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TEXT ORGANIZATION (Cause and Effect, Problem and
Solution, Definition and Example, etc.)
BEST ARGUMENT (to support the Central Argument--will be a FACT)
MAPS/GRAPHS/CHARTS
FLASHBACK (Character remembers something from the
past that is important to understanding the story)
FORESHADOWING (Clues that something important
will happen later)
6. Continue to apply CLOSE ACTIVE READING STRATEGIES (BRUTAL).
 Bracket the selection into smaller chunks, paragraphs, or sections.
 Read each section, one at a time, and REREAD to make sure you UNDERSTAND BIG IDEAS.
 Underline, highlight the 3-5 MOST IMPORTANT DETAILS in each section that you need to think about.
 Translate/paraphrase/summarize THE BIG IDEAS in the MARGINS—TAKE SHORT MAIN IDEA NOTES!
 Answer each question AFTER YOU CIRCLE KEY WORDS in EACH QUESTION. Be sure you understand the
goal of EACH question!
 Look back in the text FOR PROOF TO ANSWER EACH QUESTION and WRITE PROOF NOTES next to
answer choices.
 THIS IS A READING TEST, NOT A GUESSING TEST OR A MEMORY TEST. A GUESS IS NEVER A RELIABLE
RESPONSE. ALWAYS GO BACK TO THE TEXT TO PROVE ANSWER CHOICES BEFORE MAKING A FINAL
DECISION. MOST QUESTIONS WILL REQUIRE THE READER TO USE TEXT + EXPERIENCE…SELECT
ANSWER CHOICES that can BE PROVEN BY MOST TEXT DETAILS AND REAL LIFE KNOWLEDGE.
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7.
TAKE YOUR TIME—This is a TEST, NOT A RACE. You have 4 HOURS and ONE OPPORTUNITY to prove to
yourself and to the state of Texas that you are an effective reader of grade level material and that you are prepared for the
upcoming reading challenges of NEXT GRADE LEVEL. Remember: you are worth the extra time and effort. How you
approach this sends a message about your capabilities as a reader in the real world.
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8.
Use a dictionary to TRANSLATE UNKNOWN WORDS in the question choices or in the passage.
PLACE A STAR next to any items you feel unsure about. BEFORE TURNING IN YOUR TEST, GO
BACK AND REREAD, REWORK, AND PROVE THE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS.
Remember to correct the BUBBLED ANSWER CHOICE on your ANSWER DOCUMENT.
No one should be finished before2 hours time. It is taking you about 30-45 minutes to effectively address reading
passages in class; therefore, for about 5 passages or 50 questions, it should take about 3-4 hours to complete the test
if you are carefully reading and proving your answer choices.
If you are finished before 2 hours time is up, GO BACK AND REREAD PASSAGES AND REWORK QUESTIONS.
You have plenty of time.
 8TH GRADE Students who demonstrate mastery WILL be exempt from the 2nd and 3rd administrations.
 8th GRADE Students who do not demonstrate mastery will be required to RETAKE the 2nd Reading
administration on May 10.
DO NOT BE INFLUENCED by others in the room who hurry or finish early. WORK AT YOUR OWN PACE AND
TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR SUCCESS.
Bring ONLY a pencil and your book to your TESTING ROOM at 8:14 tomorrow AND Wednesday mornings.
o ALL CELL PHONES AND ANY ELECTRONIC ITEMS MUST BE TURNED IN TO THE TESTING ROOM
TEACHER DURING THE TEST. LEAVE THESE ITEMS AT HOME IF YOU DON’T WANT TO TEMPORARILY
TURN THEM IN.
o Remember to ASK YOUR TESTING ROOM TEACHER if you want a private spot next to the
wall or if you need a privacy screen.
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9.
You’ve worked really hard this year to improve as readers of challenging material, and I
Student Signature: ____________________________________________________________________________
am proud of you!