LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Read opposing viewpoints and take a side; evaluate potential reasons for and against schools dropping standardized tests.

HEALTH ED STANDARDS

NHES 2: Analyze the influence of family, peers, culture, media, technology, and other factors on health behaviors.

CASEL COMPETENCY: Social awareness

KEY VOCAB

nuanced

objective

curriculum

Lesson Plan: Should Schools Ditch Standardized Tests?

Some schools have made standardized testing optional or eliminated it altogether. Should all schools drop these tests?

PREPARING TO READ

Before you read the debate “Should Schools Ditch Standardized Tests?” ask your students the following pre-reading question:

What are the pros and cons of schools ditching standardized testing?

READING AND DISCUSSION

  • Have your students read the debate “Should Schools Ditch Standardized Tests?” independently; read the debate out loud to them; or have one student read one side of the debate and another student read the other side.
  • After they’ve read the debate, revisit the pre-reading question. Have their answers changed?

BUILDING COMPREHENSION AND VOCAB

Check students’ comprehension of and engagement with the story with the following assessment tools:

  • Comprehension Quiz
  • Vocab Builder

EXPANDING SEL OPPORTUNITIES

Continue the learning journey with the following writing prompt:

In A LETTER TO THE BOARD, have students imagine that the school board in their district will hold a vote to decide whether or not to continue requiring students to take standardized tests. Students should write a half- to one-page letter to share their opinion about the upcoming decision. After a brief introduction, they should write the body of the letter using the questions in the student-facing prompt for guidance. Remind them to include their own original ideas where possible and to thank their readers before closing.

Print the Lesson Plan

Text-to-Speech