13 State Test Prep Ideas from Pinterest

A collection of ideas from Pinterest for state testing in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade - to motivate and excite students

Preparing your 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade students for state testing can sometimes feel boring, contrived, and frustrating. Teachers, however, are experts at turning boring things into engaging activities. Below are some of my favorite ideas from Pinterest to help you prepare and motivate your students for their state test.

Or, check out these other activities and ideas to help students stay motivated and engaged during state testing.

Sometimes I recommend products using affiliate links. If you click through and buy, I may be compensated at no cost to you.

Motivational Notes in Chalk

What a great way to welcome students on testing days! All you need is chalk and a little time to write encouraging messages at the school entrance. Everybody in the school could get involved - principals, janitors, paraprofessionals, upper elementary students, etc.

Motivational Note on Desks

Another great way to welcome upper elementary students on testing days. Make each student feel special with a personalized note on their desk. All you need is a dry erase marker and a little time. And this is a great way to create a culture of kindness in your classroom.

Standardized Testing Review Games and Activities

Reviewing for the test can be fun. These review games and activity ideas from a variety of teachers can be adapted for any subject and are a great way to keep students motivated about the upcoming test!

Motivational Sayings with Candy

Although it's often overused, candy is always a big hit for students. When used sparingly, it can motivate! And what better day for students to indulge in a tasty treat than on state testing day?

Bubble Wrap Stress Release

Save up all that bubble wrap you get in your Amazon Prime boxes and give students a fun stress release on testing days!

Destress Corner

Let students color their stress away! This is a fun and easy way to let students destress during testing season. You can find giant coloring posters like this on Amazon.

Test Prep and Motivation

This is a collection of ideas from a huge variety of teachers. Teachers learn best from each other, so learn from those who have gone through many years of state testing. Make sure your students are motivated and prepared for your state test with these ideas.

Positive Notes on a Pencil

Unless your students take all of their tests online, they will be in need of a sharpened pencil. Add a note for each student to make the pencil special.

Ease Anxiety with a Read Aloud

If your 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade students have any anxiety about the upcoming test, then a read aloud that addresses that nervousness can help! The Anti-Test Anxiety Society and Testing Miss Malarkey are both great read alouds to get students into the right mindset before testing.

Red Carpet

Get the whole school involved and roll out the red carpet for your students. You don't even need the decorations - just letting all of your testing students parade through the hallway while the rest of the school cheers on will be enough to get students excited about testing.

State Testing is Not What's Most Important

Just a good reminder that you didn't became a teacher to help students pass a test.

Rosie the Riveter Pictures

This would make a great bulletin board for the weeks leading up to state testing. Take pictures of each upper student in a "Rosie the Riveter" pose and post them up in your classroom.

After Standardized Testing

The time after testing but before the end of the school year is a great time to do things you didn't have time for earlier in the school year. Check out these ways to keep students engaged after testing and before the end of the school year!

If you liked some of these ideas, then you'll probably also like some of my other Pinterest boards and pins. You can follow me below.