15 Last-Minute Test Review Ideas That Work

We’re nearing crunch time. Some states only have a few weeks before students start filing into testing rooms and proctors start droning on about bubble sheets and mouse clicking. It may seem as though you cannot cram any more information into your students’ heads, but that’s not true. Keep them sharp right up to testing day with these simple and fun review ideas and games to make sure that you can squeeze as much knowledge into the last few weeks as possible.

1. Study Island’s new game-based Group Sessions were created to help frazzled teachers conduct frenzied review sessions. It works best in 1:1 environments or at least with one device per small group.
2. For a low-tech alternative, students can use personal whiteboards to give answers.
3. Have small groups create a study guide for a specific topic, and then have each group share its work with the rest of the classmates.
4. Have a board race! Split students into teams. Each team sends a member to the board, where they race against each other to write the correct answer to questions you provide.
5. Use sticky notes or notecards to post questions everywhere that student eyes may land during the day, including by the clock, in the garbage can, or anywhere else that students would not suspect.
6. If space is an issue, use QR codes instead. Here’s a great QR Code Generator.
7. In good weather, have students answer questions using sidewalk chalk. This is especially helpful for older students for whom sidewalk art is a forgotten novelty.
8. Create a bingo game where the cards are made up of answers. Make sure to randomize some cards to keep the results varied.
9. Use Online Puzzle Maker to make your own crossword game. It’s much easier than it seems.
10. Have students illustrate review topics, and then send the class on a gallery walk.
11. Break up your classroom into topic centers, and then have students rotate to each center in order to keep the learning fresh.
12. Give students raffle tickets for correct review answers, and then raffle off small prizes or privileges.
13. Ask students review questions at the least likely times, like in the middle of attendance, as they are walking to lunch, or even when you see them around campus outside of your class.
14. When the reviewing gets to be too much, spend time guiding students in some mindful practice, meditation, or structured breathing.
15. Share some ideas for chair-based stretching that can be used during the test to relax.

Educators, testing season is almost over. Keep pushing through—you’ve got this!