Preparing for AIMS and Preventing Spring Break Brain Freeze |
Joy Weiss and Jasmine Muniz of Balsz School shared these tips on the Channel 12 School Solutions Segment. AIMS Prep Segment - Jasmine Arizona's Assessments
Click here to view the Channel 12 Video
All Arizona public schools, including district schools and charter schools, are required to properly administer state mandated assessments. Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards - AIMS to students in grades 3-8 and 10-12 - Tests based on the Arizona Academic Content Standards in Writing, Reading, Math and Science - teachers teach the standards everyday to students and the curriculum in each district is based on the standards. What can parents do to help prepare their children to be successful on AIMS?
1. Visit the Arizona Department of Education Website to see the standards that were taught and help children take sample AIMS tests - http://www.ade.state.az.us/standards/AIMS/SampleTests/Default.asp http://www.ade.state.az.us/standards/contentstandards.asp 2. Parent can make sure that their children: a. encourage students to read between 15-20 minutes a day, before they watch TV b. get enough sleep, c. discuss school at mealtimes, parents could ask open ended questions that do not require yes/no answers such as: Tell me about what you are learning? What book are you reading? Who are the main characters? How do you think will the book end? d. review homework so you know what your children are learning e. eat healthy meals f. avoid getting sick - wash hands, cover your mouth g. be at school for all of the AIMS testing h. stay calm and confident and encourage children to do their best - give their self-esteem a boost before they leave for school on test days (and every day)
Spring Break Segment - Joy
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With Spring Break coming up - and AIMS around the corner,
this doesn't have to be a break from learning- here are some things parents and
children can do to avoid brain freeze!
1.
Visit the public library - check out books, movies and games
to keep your child learning. You can
even download books for free to play in MP3 players.
a.
http://www.phoenixpubliclibrary.org/default.jsp
b.
http://phoenix.lib.overdrive.com/E78633F5-F168-498D-9951-C4713D61A9D7/10/262/en/Default.htm
2.
Attend free concerts with your child - talk about the
instruments, have your child help pack a healthy picnic lunch and enjoy family
time together - Scottsdale Center for the Arts Sunday Affair
a.
Dates are March 7 and 28 and April 4 and 11 - http://www.scottsdaleperformingarts.org/special_events_sunday_afair.php
3.
Have your child keep a journal of their activities during
Spring break - what they liked best, where they went, what they wish they could
do - writing will help them keep their brain engaged.
a.
http://home.howstuffworks.com/writing-activities-for-kids.htm
- Check out the website - How stuff works for fabulous activities.
4.
March and April are Census months - for the 2010 Census. The website has super activities for kids of
all ages and kids can remind their parents how important the census is for
their neighborhoods and communities.
a.
Census for kids - http://www.census.gov/schools/census_for_kids/
b.
Census activities for teens - http://www.census.gov/schools/census_for_teens/
5.
Limit television time - instead - play games as a family,
invite friends over, cook together and measure ingredients and read recipes,
talk about current events.
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