pumping up for tests

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pumping up for tests
By Elaine

Lavada,
These may be the same (sily or baby-ish) ideas you've already thought of, but here's what we do in 4th/5th grade. We listen to classical music (when we do not ordinarily). We eat peppermint and lemon drop candies
because research supports the idea that peppermint and lemon oils help the brain make connections. We stand up (increases activity level), look up (opens the air passages), and take deep breaths (increases oxygen/blood flow to the brain). Before testing we eat complex carbohydrate snack and drink plenty of water. I tell the students why we do each thing. Finally, I give each student

a special pencil that we call our lucky test pencil that they use throughout testing. They totally buy into whole thing. Even if none of these things actually work, at the very least it's creates a pleasant atmosphere in the classroom, kids attitudes are upbeat, and everyone is ready to settle in to work on the text material when the time comes.
Good luck and have fun,
Elaine