Testing season is a lot. This episode is for the days before, during, and after the test — what to actually do with your class when the schedule is weird, the kids are anxious, and your attention is divided seventeen ways at once.

I walk through my favorite low-prep strategies for each phase of testing season, talk about what works with kids who may struggle with long stretches of quiet independent work (aka standardized tests 😂), and share the thinking behind why the community stuff matters just as much as the academic stuff in these weeks.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• why testing week is harder to manage than people admit — and what actually helps
• before the test: the "I've Got This" sticky note wall, breathing practice, and  letter to future self
• during test week: STEM bins, nature journaling
• after the test: open STEM free build
• why the community stuff isn't fluff — it's the foundation

FREE DOWNLOAD — Testing Week Activity Menu: A one-page printable with every idea from this episode plus more — organized by phase, with a time estimate and materials list for each one. Free for Substack subscribers. 👉 Subscribe and download here: [your Substack URL]

LINKS MENTIONED:

📬 iExploreScience Substack — free weekly newsletter and resources for grades 3–5 teachers: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/

🎧 Teaching Science In 3D: Bringing Nature Journals Into Your 3D Teaching

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