Tips to prepare for MCA
| MCA (Minnesota Comprehensive Assessment) Third grade is the first year for students to show what they know on this state standardized test. Here are some helpful ideas to make sure third graders are prepared to the best of their abilities. 1. Get a good night's rest each night. Go to bed early. 2. Eat a good breakfast with protein. For example, eggs with whole wheat toast. Students may bring mints (pepper mints, certs, lifesaver mints) and a water bottle. Test-Taking Strategies: 1. Read the questions. 2. Read the passage. 3. Answer the questions. 4. Double-check that all questions are answered and that answers make sense. Reading Hints: 1. Read fiction, non-fiction and poems. Ask questions and discuss what is read. 2. Go back in the text to prove answers. 3. Re-read questions and passages to check for understanding. Math Hints: Go to www.studyisland.com. Students have a user name and password to take tests, do worksheets or play games online. 1. Review math vocabulary See glossary that was sent home earlier in the year. Vocabulary cards are also available by unit on this link: http://www.eduplace.com/math/hmm/vocab/g3/. (Copy and paste into your web browser). 2. Practice addition with regrouping (carrying). 3. Practice subtraction with ungrouping (borrowing or trading). 4. Practice multiplication and repeated groups. 5. Practice division. 6. Show and identify fractions, like three fourths of a circle or circle five out of eight stars. 7. Identify 2-D shapes (triangle, rectangle, square, pentagon, hexagon, octagon). 8. Identify 3-D shapes (sphere, cylinder, cone, pyramid, prism). 9. Measure to the nearest 1/4 inch and centimeter. 10. Solve word problems. |