LESSON: Get Ready to Test Best
CONTENT AREA: Personal & Consumer Health
GRADE LEVEL: 2-3
ACTIVITY TYPE: CLASSROOM EXERCISE
About this Lesson

Description

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

Estimated Time

30 minutes
Repeated practice - 5 minutes

Standards Alignment

National Health Education Standards
  • NHES Standard 1 - Concepts
  • NHES Standard 7 - Self Management
Materials, Teacher Resources and Handouts
Materials Needed
Teacher Resources
Key Vocabulary

Help students expand their vocabulary by:

  • incorporating these key words into the classroom discussions;
  • providing context clues as you use them; and
  • encouraging students to use these words in their speaking and writing activities.

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.

Place these words and definitions on the class "word wall," on an easel or chart, or use some other visual cue.

Teaching Steps
Step 1: Review “Test Readiness Basics”

As you prepare to teach this lesson, you may find it helpful to review the Teacher Resource called “Test Readiness Basics,” which introduces health skills that help students get ready for test taking. You don't have to share this with your students – it’s just background to make teaching the lesson easier for you.

Step 2: Check out GoNoodle “Run with US!” and “Airtime” games
  • Log in to www.GoNoodle.com and view the games available there. Active HealthTeacher members automatically have a GoNoodle account. Log in with your HealthTeacher username and password. If you do not have an active HealthTeacher account, you can create a GoNoodle account for free at www.GoNoodle.com.
  • Open the “Run with US!” game. “Run with US!” employs evidence-based strategy for getting students out of their seats to engage in brief, desk-side physical activity. The game uses Olympic athletes to get kids to participate in Olympic track and field events while standing next to their desks in the classroom. Experiment with the first event to see how the game works.


  • Open the “Airtime” game. This game teaches students a simple deep-breathing strategy, while incorporating interesting facts about 100 unique locations throughout the United States. Experiment with any location to see how the game works.

Step 3: Review lesson concepts with students

Have you shown your class the Interactive Presentation yet? If not, start there. If you taught the Interactive Presentation on a different day, then remind students of these key concepts:

  • Practicing healthy habits can help you do better on standardized tests.
  • Your body needs ten to eleven hours of sleep to help you focus, concentrate and be creative.
  • Eating breakfast gives your brain the energy it needs to do well on tests.
  • A burst of exercise gets your blood flowing and powers up your brain.
  • Deep breathing is a good way to feel calm before a test.
Step 4: Introduce Deskside Exercise with the Run With US! Game from GoNoodle.com (using steps A through D)

“Run With US!” is a deskside exercise game at GoNoodle.com (another product from HealthTeacher) that helps students participate in vigorous physical exercise in any classroom with a real Olympic athlete as their coach. “Run With US!” is designed to be played as a group, around a projector or interactive whiteboard, and in less than 5 minutes. (Note: Active HealthTeacher members automatically have a GoNoodle account. Log in with your HealthTeacher username and password. If you do not have an active HealthTeacher account, you can create a GoNoodle account for free at www.GoNoodle.com.)

For best results, introduce this activity at least a week before students undertake standardized tests. Take some time each day leading up to standardized testing to use the GoNoodle: “Run with US!” game with students.

A: Review the role of exercise on learning and test performance

Ask students to recall facts about exercise and learning from the Interactive Presentation and the “Dear HealthTeacher: Am I Ready for Tests?” article.

How does exercise help a student in school?

  • Kids who exercise do better in school.
  • Exercise brings oxygen to the brain so it works better.
  • Exercise produces chemicals that help students pay attention better.
  • Kids who exercised before math and reading tests had higher scores.
  • Exercise helps kids stay on task better.
  • Aerobic exercise like walking, dancing, and jogging energizes the brain.
B: Launch “Run with US!”
  • Ask students to examine how they feel before doing “Run with US!” Brainstorm words to describe their feelings and write them on the board. Words might include: tired, bored, anxious, antsy, nervous, calm, alert.
  • Visit http://www.gonoodle.com/games/2 to access “Run With US!” (Note: Active HealthTeacher members automatically have a GoNoodle account. Log in with your HealthTeacher username and password. If you do not have an active HealthTeacher account, you can create a GoNoodle account for free at www.GoNoodle.com.)
  • Review the Quick Start directions for information about how to play. If you’d like more detail, download or print the Gameplay Instructions PDF.
  • Lead student participation in the first event.
  • Point out that this brief exercise is an example of how students can energize their brains before a test so they’re ready to start off strong.
  • When they’re done, discuss how the exercise has made them feel. Brainstorm words and add them to the list on the board.
  • Then have students complete the following sentences:
    Before I exercised I felt ________________________.
    After I exercised I felt ______________________.
  • Discuss any differences the students notice.
C: Repeat this each day leading up to the standardized test
  • Since teachers are encouraged to give students practice tests leading up to the actual test day, use this exercise prior to the practice test.
  • Ask students how they felt about their success on the practice test after they exercised.
D: On each day of the actual standardized test, use “Run with US!” to energize students' brains to get them ready to take the test
Step 5: Introduce Deep Breathing with “Airtime” from GoNoodle.com (using steps A through E)

“Airtime” is a deep breathing game at GoNoodle.com (another product from HealthTeacher) that helps students practice deep abdominal breathing in a fun, relaxing context. “Airtime” is designed to be played as a group, around a projector or interactive whiteboard, and in less than 5 minutes. (Note: Active HealthTeacher members automatically have a GoNoodle account. Log in with your HealthTeacher username and password. If you do not have an active HealthTeacher account, you can create a GoNoodle account for free at www.GoNoodle.com.)

For students to obtain good results, introduce this activity at least a week before they undertake standardized tests. Take some time each day leading up to standardized testing to use “Airtime.” (Note: The more students practice deep breathing, the better they will get at calming themselves.)

A: Review what they’ve already learned about test anxiety and deep breathing

Ask students to recall facts about deep breathing and test anxiety from the Interactive Presentation and/or the “Dear HealthTeacher: Am I Ready for Tests?” article.

What are some symptoms of test anxiety?

  • Feelings of panic
  • Upset stomach
  • Headache
  • Sweating
  • Hot or cold hands
  • Dizziness
  • Shortness of breath
  • Inability to think (brain freezes, mind races)

How can people use deep breathing in a testing situation?

  • People with test anxiety can use deep breathing to get ready to take a test.
  • If someone feels test anxiety during a test, deep breathing can help get panicked feelings under control.

How do you perform deep breathing?

  • Slowly breathe in (through the nose).
  • Slowly breathe out (through the mouth).
B: Introduce “Airtime”
  • Explain that “Airtime” is an interactive program that trains students to perform deep breathing exercises. It also takes students to 100 interesting locations around the U.S. while practicing deep breathing.
  • Using “Airtime” is a good way to practice deep breathing. By practicing deep breathing daily, students will become effective at calming themselves. This will help them get ready to take a test. Deep breathing will also help if they need to calm themselves during a test.
C: Launch “Airtime”
  • Ask students to examine how they feel before doing “Airtime.” Brainstorm words to describe their feelings and write them on the board. Words might include: tired, bored, anxious, antsy, nervous, calm, alert, etc.
  • Visit http://www.gonoodle.com/games/1 to access “Airtime” (Note: Active HealthTeacher members automatically have a GoNoodle account. Log in with your HealthTeacher username and password. If you do not have an active HealthTeacher account, you can create a GoNoodle account for free at www.GoNoodle.com.)
  • Review the Quick Start directions for information about how to play. If you’d like more detail, download or print the Gameplay Instructions PDF.
  • Lead students in the deep breathing exercises presented in the game.
  • When they’re done, discuss how deep breathing has made them feel. Brainstorm words and add them to the list on the board.
  • Then have students complete the following sentences:
    Before I practiced deep breathing I felt ________________________.
    After practicing deep breathing I felt ______________________.
  • Discuss any differences the students notice.
D: Repeat this each day leading up to the standardized test
  • Have students complete the “How I Felt” sentences before and after they use “Airtimeʺ each day.
  • Since teachers are encouraged to give students practice tests leading up to the actual test day, use this exercise prior to the practice test.
  • Ask students how they felt about their success on the practice test after they used deep breathing.
E: On each day of the actual standardized test, use “Airtime” to get students ready for the test
  • On each day of standardized testing, use “Airtime” to help students overcome any anxiety they might be feeling at the start.
  • Remind them to use deep breathing if they begin to feel any test anxiety during the test.
  • Use the “How I Feel” worksheet to record how they feel before and after “Airtime.”