us history staar test 2023

us history staar test 2023

Effective Strategies for Preparing for the US History STAAR Test 2023

1. Introduction to the US History STAAR Test

Effective strategies for you to use as you prepare for the US History STAAR will be included in the notes and Teach NYC PowerPoint slides for each TEACH NYC Test Prep session during the 2022-2023 school year. The TEACH NYC Test Prep will assist students in building on their previous years’ test-taking skills, while also addressing the increased rigor of the test. Note: The 3rd 9 weeks preparation period, from January-March 2023, will be especially important.

While many of these suggestions are already familiar to you, some of the ideas may be new to you, and you may choose to implement these strategies during preparation periods in advance of testing in May 2023. While the 6th and 7th grade STAAR tests you have already taken are still fresh in your mind, you will want to use those same strategies as you prepare for your US History test in May 2023.

Review these strategies as the 2022-2023 academic school year unfolds.

Effective strategies for preparing for the US History STAAR test

2. Key Content Areas and Concepts Covered in the Test

The exam provides written, including limited primary and secondary source documents. The content of the test is organized into statements and specifications, and these together provide a guide for test construction and assessment. The items relating to each objective are written to be free of significant racial, sexual, cultural, or regional bias. The STAAR U.S. History Assessment applies no specific high school history syllabus. Although estimates vary, a nation’s inaugural history assessment should expect most students to be exposed to no more than three years of US History. As a result, the test is based, in part, on the realities of school attendance and may, like the special institutional environments in which it is taken, apply a variety of possible interpretations to what history education should mean to a state-sponsored institution in relation to common or informed acquisitions in matters of basic historical knowledge, understanding, interest, and informed judgment.

The US History test covers a broad sampling of significant knowledge and understanding relevant to the history of the continent. Therefore, the test is integrative by nature and requires general preparation in the broad field of social studies. The exam covers political institutions, the development of instrumental technologies, the social movements that changed American society, and the pursuit of cultural change in matters such as mass entertainment and corporate practices and priorities. It is an applied test and requires an understanding of concepts, interrelationships, and generalizations that derive from the materials of history. Key concepts from the following thematic strands will be assessed: Economic and Social Life, Politics and Citizenship, Culture, Social Races and Ethnicity, and Geographical and Historical Issues.

Key Content Areas and Concepts Covered in the Test

3. Proven Study Techniques and Resources

We strongly suggest participating in shared content area discussions with partner schools, using webinars and teleconferencing to enhance concept and athlete development. Team-to-team challenges and historical event review activities also provide a wide range of other benefits, namely historical events debate and historical study review and analysis. Empirical research suggests that when asked to come up with questions that they think will be on a test, students grapple with course content and engage in metacognitive reflection that will serve them well when exam time comes. Interactive assessment and remediation, which utilizes peer-to-peer review and input, topically incorporates reinforcing commentary on each peer’s submitted questions.

As demonstrated in successive years of US History SAAR test data, it is fundamental to prioritize assigned current and historical events reading and discussion as the basis for long-term content recall. An inherent love of current events reading and lingering intellectual discussion on historical events deepens students’ understanding of the test format and information base. Go beyond the fourth wall by exploring bottom-up and lateral knowledge reinforcement with alternate media formats. Provide in-time question-directed additional resources with an emphasis on retest opportunities for political milestones, presidential and labor legislation tested TEKS. In higher grade levels, election result feedback and input incorporation in various study techniques provide an exciting set of concept reinforcement.

Truly effective study of age-old resources and techniques continues to enhance students’ understanding and long-term retention of newly learned test content, regardless of the age or level of the learner. By separating study strategies by complexity and dedicating study resources to each technique, the following strategies will certainly lead to the intellectual success of our US History students now and in the future. Utilizing techniques specifically geared towards the SAAR US History curriculum should yield particularly conclusive results for the May 2023 test.

4. Practice Test Tips and Timing Strategies

When you finish a practice test, take note of the time and measure your improvement. This will help you determine how to adjust your pacing for the actual test. Pace yourself when doing the most difficult section first to establish your timing schedule and ensure that you budget your time for the easier questions. Periodically monitor your pacing as you go through each test to make sure you stay on track. Evaluate your progress and see whether you are picking up speed in the sections of the test where you tend to slow down. Then, practice as much as possible to speed up your pace. Finally, pay attention to time when answering the essay questions and do not spend too much of your allocated time perfecting your response. Be concise with your answer.

As you review for the test, determine a comfortable time limit for each section. Time management strategies can make the morning of the test and the time and pacing itself less stressful. It helps to complete a number of practice tests under test-like conditions. These are some general timing strategies for you to remember while taking practice tests.

No matter how well you understand US history, the day of the test can still be stressful. You may feel anxious because you are not sure how to pace yourself effectively during the test. Timing yourself on practice tests and measuring your improvement will boost your confidence, and you will perform better.

5. Final Tips for Test Day Success

Since the US History STAAR test doesn’t require your writing skills, this is not a test you need to write much about. Use the ideas, strategies, and resources that are beneficial to other student members in your group. Some students may not need much review, but they would probably still benefit from taking the practice questions as a refresher. Organizing a practice test with the help of your social studies teacher would be very beneficial. Also, don’t forget about Quizlet or any other flashcard app! Good luck and have a great year!

The key to success on the test is planning and practice. To make the most of your time and do their very best, students need to practice test-specific strategies as well as review content. Practice testing with the STAAR reading review materials is an essential activity that helps students improve and strengthen the skills they’ve been working on all year. Peer expert study groups on Zoom or other platforms can be very beneficial for many students. Stay confident and focused, and do your very best!