| | |

Texas STAAR Reading Test: Sports Champions RLA Test Prep Camp


Over the years, over a thousand classrooms have used Camp Reading Ready to prepare for the Texas STAAR Reading test.I get so much great feedback about this resource, and I realized: maybe you don’t want to go camping every year? How about a new theme!

The last few days before THE TEST are a great time to review the major concepts you’ve been practicing, but in a new and fun way. Enter: STAAR Champions Sports Camp!

STAAR Champions Reading Sports Camp

STAAR Champions Camp consists of twelve TEKS-aligned stations. I wrote them with the TEKS in mind, but guess what? They work for Common Core standards too, because they cover basic skills that most state tests expect kids to master!

What skills should kids review before their reading test?

Here’s a list of skills that STAAR Champions Sports Reading Camp will help your kids review:

      • Understanding figurative language
      • Writing a short constructed response
      • Sequencing events in fiction
      • Making inferences in poetry
      • Analyzing character traits
      • Using context clues to infer word meanings
      • Matching vocabulary words with definitions and pictures
      • Identifying main idea
      • Synthesizing, using text features, and understanding text structure in expository text
      • Making inferences in drama
      • Identifying nonfiction text features and their definitions
      • Identifying genre with related author’s purposes, vocabulary & test questions

Motivating kids during reading test review camp

To start with, the camp includes some motivational tools that will help kids stay focused while working through the stations. Choose from punch bracelets, punch cards, or collecting camp badges!

Test review sports camp activity: Identifying genre

In this activity, students read short texts and identify the genre of the text. Then they sort the author’s purpose, vocabulary and sample questions into the different genres.

Test review sports camp activity #2: Identifying main idea

I think this might be my favorite station! (Probably because of the puzzle pieces)
Kids read the paragraphs and match them with the main idea piece. Then they flip them over to check and see if they got a match! If they do, the image forms a football player trading card! It’s a fun way to self-check!

Test Review Camp Idea #3: Nonfiction Text Features

I found the best set of nonfiction text feature images and I’m so glad I did, because they made some awesome cards! To play, kids follow the rules of Memory to match nonfiction features with examples!
They make pairs of the feature and the name/definition of the feature! (Scroll down to the bottom to get a similar activity for free!)

Test Review Activity #4: Vocabulary Match

Kids match vocabulary that’s relevant to the test with pictures and definitions. They can play free-for-all style, or Memory! The fun football equipment theme makes this a great sports camp review activity! I used a table runner from Dollar Tree to add a little football flair!

STAAR Test Review Activity #5: Practice Context Clues with these fun task cards

This one’s a no brainer. Kids HAVE to be able to use context clues, right? In this activity, they draw a task card and figure out the meaning of the underlined word. Sound familiar? It’s test prep in a fun sports theme (soccer), so we can sneak in the test-taking skills!

STAAR Test Review Activity #6: Analyzing Characters with this fun activity

We know that the kids who play in the game are the ones who have the best character traits – those who work hard, show up reliably, and don’t give up. Build the roster for the hockey team by identifying character traits in each player!

STAAR Test Review Activity #7: Making Inferences in Poetry

I had a BLAST writing these poems! Each poem is written from the point of view of a soccer term – equipment, players, and more. Kids have to read closely for clues to infer what object or person is the speaker in the poem!

STAAR Test Review Activity #8: Sequencing Events in Fiction

This station is all about making sense by constructing a story out of paragraphs. Kids read the paragraphs on strips and then sequence them to tell a fictional story about… you guessed it: sports! Kids will read about baseball and learning to bat.

Students have to use sequence of events and clues they gather from transitions to put the paragraphs in logical order to tell a story!

STAAR Test Review Activity #9: Hands-on Building of Informational Text

Okay, maybe THIS is my favorite station. I love having kids use text features, understand text structure, and synthesize all in one! First, kids sort out the text features and begin figuring out the topic and structure of the text. They match captions and photos, titles, maps, and more. Then they take out the paragraphs and really get busy! It’s one of my favorite things to do with kids because it is so engaging and requires lots of thinking. Plus, it’s all about the history of football!

STAAR Test Review Activity #10: Understanding figurative language

Kids read examples of figurative language, decide the type, and identify what they’re describing in this fun game! Draw cards and fill up the track to win.

STAAR Test Review Activity #11 Making Inferences in a drama

Reading a drama requires our kids to infer a lot. There isn’t much description, so they have to use the clues in the text! In this activity, third, fourth, and fifth graders will read a drama about basketball. Then they’ll match evidence to the inference they can make about the characters.

STAAR Test Review Activity #12 Practicing Short Constructed Responses

Writing a short constructed response isn’t impossible, but kids need enough practice to understand the structure. In this activity, students will read a short fiction piece and an informational piece about tennis. They’ll respond to three different SCR prompts!

These stations are an engaging and purposeful way to review for the STAAR reading test, and they’re in my store, ready to go. Just click to head over and grab it. I really believe your kids will enjoy it and it will take away some of your test prep stress. And check out my Writing Camp Resource here!

Are you a Texas teacher? Enter your email address below to get the Nonfiction Matching activity from this resource!

Pin It

Share:

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *