State Testing Survival Kit (Positive Affirmation FREEBIE Included!)

We all know state testing is enough to rattle any student’s nerves, no matter how well prepared they may be. Add on a global pandemic and anxiety is through the roof! This year I put together a “survival” kit for my students to calm those nerves and help them get through it. Here’s what I included:

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Lavender oil: Sometimes when we get anxious, we forget to breathe! A drop or two of lavender oil helped remind my kids to stop, get that oxygen to their brain, and slow their heart rate. I know some like to put a drop on the inside of their wrists, but to avoid any potential skin sensitivities, I gave each student a reusable cotton round to put the drops on instead. And of course, I gave my students the option to decline, as some are sensitive to smells.

 

 

Lifesaver Pep-o-mints: On the flip side, sometimes we are moving too slowly and need to wake our brains up! If you have a large class, you can ask them to unwrap the mint(s) beforehand and dispose of trash so there is less distraction during testing.

 

 

Smarties: A classic choice, to give that little boost of energy when they feel tired or reward themselves with a treat as they go. You can also hand it out after to avoid distractions or mess during the test.

Positive Affirmations: I like to do affirmations as a class beforehand (there are plenty of good affirmation videos for kids on Youtube with music) but if they need some extra encouragement during the test, I put together some affirmations on google slides (free on TPT!), printed on cardstock, cut into cards, and hooked them together with a binder ring.    Click here

 

 

Pencil box: I gave my students a place to put all of their items so it wasn’t distracting and taking over their space while testing, and so they could keep it in one place to use over multiple days of testing. They also kept their log-in cards in the box.

 

 

Stress ball: Any will do, but my students loved these glittery ones. They are sturdy, fun to squeeze and look at, and also quiet, so they did not make any noise or cause distraction to others around them.