Fun Ways to Teachfor the GED® Test

Meagen Farrell

Author & Teacher Trainer

@farrellinkFarrellink.com/blog

Rules for the Road

• Stay with the group! Don’t get distracted by your mobile device or side conversations.

• Questions? Yes, please! Just raise your hand.

Today’s Cycle

1. Analyze a technology-enhanced GED® Test Item Sampler.

2. View an instructional activity from Teaching Adults: A 2014 GED® Test Resource Book.

3. After an example, create your own in pairs or threes.

4. End with final questions & discussion.

FREE Resources:http://www.gedtestingservice.com/educators/itemsampler

Activities From My Book (or Blog)Farrellink.com/blog

My Subject Abbreviations

Reasoning through Language

Arts (RLA)Science (Sci)

Social Studies (SS) Mathematical Reasoning (Math)

What areTechnology-Enhanced Test Items?

Photo Source: Flickr User Michael Surran

Why? Depth of Knowledge

Measures cognitive complexity of a task.

GED® test items:• 20% level 1• 80% levels 2 & 3

Similar to Bloom’s Taxonomy.

1• Verbatim Recall • Paraphrasing

2• Main point, patterns• Identify relationships

3• Inference & synthesis• Prediction, elaboration

4• Generating hypotheses• Complex analysis

©2013 New Readers Press. Used with permission.

Facilitating Engaging Lessons:Field Tested in Cleveland, Ohio

RLA: Drag & Drop Order of Events

Source: GED Testing Service

Activity 18: Sequence1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

Source: Cleveland Clothing Company

Now it’s YOUR turn!

Find a Partner (or Two)!Prepare for the Activity:• Decide who will record & report your results.• Select a topic (Historical Event, Story).• Choose 4-6 steps in the sequence.

Activity 18 (p 52)

CREATE A SEQUENCE1.

2.

3.

4.

Report back!

RLA: Drag & Drop Character Web

Source: GED Testing Service

Activity 29: Traits Web

Source: GED Testing Service

Abraham Lincoln

executiveeloquent

trendyconfused decisive

Activity 29: Traits Web

Source: AceShowbiz.com

Abraham Lincoln

vampireaxe-

wielding

determinedstrategic friendly

Find a Partner (or Two)!Prepare for the Activity:• Decide who will record & report your results.• Select a topic (Headline, Historical Event, Story).• Choose one main character (real or fictional).• Suggestions:– Underground Railroad; Conductor Harriet Tubman– Family Literacy; First Lady Barbara Bush– Great Wall of China; Emperor Qin Shi Huang– Trail of Tears; Choctaw Chief George W. Harkin– Romeo and Juliet; Friar Lawrence

Activity 29 (p 73)

TRAITS WEB

CHARACTER

Report back!

The Return! To Technology-Enhanced Test Items

Photo Source: Flickr User Michael Surran

SS: Click Three Graphs

Source: GED Testing Service

Activity 15: Defining Words in Context

Source: GED Testing Service

Activity: T Chart

Sustainability Irrelevant

Activity: T Chart

Sustainability Irrelevant

World Population Growth Nonimmigrant Visa Issuances

Tropical Area Deforested U.S. Representatives

Global Oil Consumption

Now it’s YOUR turn!

Work with Your Partner (or Two)!Prepare for the Activity:• Select one person to record & report your results.• Select a topic.• Suggestions:

– Structure and Design of U.S. Government; Branches of Federal Government

– Borders Between People and Nations; End of USSR– Changes of Physical State; Liquid, Solid, and Gas– Molecular Basis for Heredity; Phenotypes and

Genotypes

Activity 15: Defining Words in Context

SORT INTO T CHARTIDENTIFY 5-6 WORDS/PHRASES• Find a brief list or passage

with descriptive terms, subheadings, or related information that elaborates on the concept or theme.

• Write definitions to explain the terms to students.

Report back!

Math: Click a Graph Hot-spot

Source: GED Testing Service

Activity 44 (p 100): Graph a Text

Source: GED Testing Service

PARAGRAPH (X) ERRORS (Y)

1

2

3

4

5

6

Now it’s YOUR turn!

Work with Your Partner (or Two)!Prepare for the Activity:• Select one person to record & report your

results.• Select something to graph.• Plot it!

Activity 44 (p 100): Graphing

Source: GED Testing Service

PARAGRAPH (X) ERRORS (Y)

1

2

3

4

5

6

Report back!

Interdisciplinary Lesson

Eating Fruit

Mathematics content

Use the Formula

Sheet

Measure and

Calculate

Write a Word

Problem

Who Gets to Use the Knife?

• Use a ruler to measure the diameter of a half orange.

• Use the measurement to calculate the volume and surface area.

• Create a word problem using students’ names and measurement.

Activity

Create a Chart

Name Measurement

1. Daphne 2.5 inches

Louisa 2.25 inches

Anthony 2.75 inches

Use the Formula Sheet

“Annie buys five oranges with a diameter of 2.25 inches. How much is the total surface area of the peels?”

Create a Word Problem

Now it’s YOUR turn!

Work with Your Partner (or Two)!Prepare for the Activity:• Select one person to record & report your

results.• Select something to measure and something

to calculate from it.• Suggestions:– Feet– Hair– Coffee Cups

Create a Chart & Word ProblemUSE REAL NAMES!

Name Measurement

Report back!

Final Questions?

FREE Resources:http://www.gedtestingservice.com/educators/itemsampler

Thank You!

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