[NMScience] Preparing for state tests

[Ellen Loehman]

On another listserve to which I belong, there was a discussion about how to
help students prepare for the upcoming tests. Someone mentioned Larry Bell's
12 powerful words. The thesis is this: tests have sophisticated words that
have exact meanings. If a student doesn't understand the exact meaning of
the word, he can't answer the question correctly, regardless of what he
knows.

Here are the twelve words:
    Analyze
    Evaluate
    Describe
    Infer
    Support
    Explain
    Summarize
    Compare
    Contrast
    Predict
    Trace
    Formulate

Accordingly, I've been using these words as bellringers for students and am
amazed how many students just plain don't answer the question that is asked.
Students (even 8th graders, who already know everything) have been
responsive and actually interested in improving their answers. They think it
sucks that they would miss a question where they actually knew the answer.

You might try it. It takes 5-10 minutes per question. I have the fortune of
having a student teacher and we have been able to discuss how poor answers
could be improved with every student.

Here are some links if you want more information.
http://www.rcps.org/RCPS/misc/LarryBell07Part2.pdf
http://iss.schoolwires.com/15311071210652677/lib/15311071210652677/12_Powerf
ul_Words_That_All_Students.pdf
http://www.btown.k12.ky.us/Curriculum/Larry's%20Poems%20Quotes%20and%20Songs
%20(3).pdf **
http://www.cobbk12.org/~Floyd/12_powerful_words.htm
http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/columnists/bell/index.shtml

**This one has an intriguing Tic-Tac-Toe on Martin Luther King that asks the
same question using 9 different power words

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Ellen Loehman
loehman at aps.edu