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Test Taking Strategies Meet Annotating - A Product Review

When I saw this, I was like, "Of course. Why didn't we have one of these?"

How to Annotate Test Questions Anchor Chart

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Ok, so it seems to me more of a "one-sheeter" than an Anchor Chart, but that could just be me. According to the description from Learning Through Literacy, the chart is set to be printed on a single 8 1/2" x 11" standard printer page -  and that is great! I have no problem with giving each student a copy to put into their journals or agendas! 

These are some basic, quick, and simple strategies, that if our students did them all of the time, would result in shocking growth in your assessment data. As either a chart on the wall, or a one-sheeter they can refer to, this gives a fast reminder of how to highlight or underline to draw attention, circling and DEFINING unknown vocabulary, and quick-boxing signal words. Each is a sound strategy on it's own, but when combined they give students an edge over their own memory, to assist them in attaining those higher scores. So why does THIS one excite me, when we all already try to instill these skills in our kids? I'll tell you why...it's the WHY.

Learning Through
Literacy
on TpT
The point where so many Anchor Charts and one-sheeters fall short is in the WHY. We are great at demonstrating the WHAT - what does it mean, what does it look like, how do you find it - but we so often leave out the WHY - why are we highlighting or underlining? Is it to keep place, or to quickly spot important details? Why do we circle some words, but box others? And why do we use these strategies in the first place? 

By the way, I love Amber's answer to this one...but you will have to download it yourself to learn what it is!

So maybe it isn't the same as my idea of an Anchor Chart (you know, 2 feet by 3 feet of wall space taken up by a chart that probably needs to be changed out), but I stand by my statement that it is a great resource for our students as they become scholars. Oh, yes, and the price is right. It's FREE, people. Go get one. Now. And leave feedback for Learning Through Literacy at her store tomorrow.
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