HealthTeacher

ARTICLE DISCUSSION

2

Students will analyze key details in a text to learn how to get ready to take a test
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CLASSROOM EXERCISE

3

Use the free healthy activity games at GoNoodle.com to get ready for testing
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ASSESSMENT

4

What healthy habits did students practice to prepare for testing day?
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Lesson Objectives

Understand the benefits of exercise, sleep, breakfast and deep breathing in preparing to perform well on tests
Practice physical exercises that energize the brain
Practice deep breathing to prepare for taking tests or to overcome test anxiety
Perform self-assessment of test readiness health skills

Benefits of Teaching this Lesson

Third grade is often the year that standardized testing and other forms of regular, weekly tests begin. This is a perfect time for students to be introduced to the healthy habits that can enhance school and test performance. It’s important for young students to understand the connection between their bodies and their minds. For example, a good night’s sleep can improve memory and a short burst of exercise can energize the brain. This lesson introduces four healthy habits that research has identified can enhance standardized test performance.

National Health Education Standards

Common Core: English Language Arts (ELA) - Grade 2-3 Alignments

Reading: Key Ideas and Details

Background

Here’s a list of additional resources. You don’t have to review these before you teach a lesson. But these resources may give you additional background or give your students a chance to learn health concepts and practice health skills.

Research-Based Citations

Reading, Writing, Arithmetic and Aerobics – Evaluating the New “R” in Academic Performance, in http://www.jpeds.com/content/JPEDSRauner
A Longitudinal Study of Students’ Perceptions of Using Deep Breathing Meditation to Reduce Testing Distresses, in http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17
Mindful Breathing in the Classroom to Increase Academic Scores, in http://ir.lib.uwo.ca/tips/vol1/iss1/2/?utm_source=ir.lib.uwo.ca%2Ftips%2Fvol1%2Fiss1%2F2&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPages
School Breakfast Scorecard, in http://frac.org/reports-and-resources/publications-archives/#breakfast (Note: click on 2011-12 for access to the pdf of the latest issue)

Vocabulary

CONCENTRATE - the ability to focus on a task Seth knows that if he eats a good breakfast, he can concentrate better when taking a test.
CREATIVE - the power to think of new or better ideas Sleep helps you think of more creative answers to test questions.
FOCUS - to give your attention to something or someone After running in place, James was able to focus on the test questions.
HABIT - something you do over and over Eating a nutrient-rich breakfast every morning is a healthy habit.
STANDARDIZED TEST - a test that is the same for everyone Children all over the U.S. take standardized tests every spring.
TEST ANXIETY - when uncomfortable feelings (like being nervous) prevent you from performing well on tests Paco practiced deep breathing to help him overcome test anxiety.