About 10 years ago, I attended a 2-day professional development over the summer for implementing math spiral review.
The PD was high-quality, but there was one problem. I wasn’t teaching math that year and desperately needed to be planning for science.
While participating in the session, my synapses started firing. I was going to try spiral review… in science.
Each week, I made up my spiral review questions as I went along, often during my first period class.
Something magical happened. Students retained the information. They knew the vocabulary. They were science stars!
Just 5 minutes a day made all the difference.
Since then, I’ve made science spiral reviews for multiple grade levels. No more making it up as we go along AND vertical alignment!
-Ari
Top Teacher Tips with Ari + Holly
Have you noticed that your students have trouble recalling science concepts from things they learned several months (or years) ago? Want a way to bring back old topics without devoting a whole class period to review? Using a Spiral Review can help to keep science content refreshed throughout the year!
Science Penguin has grade-level Spiral Reviews for TEKS and NGSS. Each one is purposefully aligned to rotate the most important science concepts throughout the year with a quick routine. There are at least 30 weeks of review, with 4 questions each week. These questions are designed similarly to standardized testing formatting, with a variety of question types and stimuli. Let’s get into some tips to help you use this resource effectively!
Tip #1 : Discussion is Key!
The whole point of a spiral review is to ensure that students are reviewing content that they have learned previously. If you only ask them to answer the questions silently and hand in the page at the end of the week, you’ve missed a golden opportunity. We don’t recommend taking this for a grade. Instead, we recommend providing a minute or two to answer the question, then ask for feedback. Try questions like:
- What is the question asking us to do?
- What vocabulary words are helpful here?
- What do you notice about the answers?
By engaging students in a discussion, you get an opportunity to dig deeper into the content and practice some test-taking strategies at the same time!
Tip #2: Start Right Away
No need to wait until testing season is upon us. This routine can be started in August! Each set of Spiral Reviews has at least 30 weeks of content, with 4 questions each week, so these are designed to last all year. You can start by modeling your thinking to students and doing the questions together, then gradually release the responsibility. By the time spring rolls around, the students can lead this routine!
Tip #3: Explore Format Options
Different options are available to you, and it’s worth the time to decide what jams with your teaching style. If your students use organized binders, then creating a Spiral Review tab and adding a printed sheet each week might be your best bet. If you are more of a digital fan that prefers to go paperless, there is a Google Slides digital option as well!
Tip #4: Stick to the Routine
Many teachers use these as the very first thing that gets accomplished each day as a 5-minute routine. If you set that expectation, students can walk in, get out their Spiral Review page (or log on and pull it up online), and get started. There’s no need to explain what to do, after they get the hang of it for a week or two. If you can make it part of your daily routine, each class period can begin calmly, productively, and with the same expectations.
Tip #5: Utilize Think Sheets during Spiral Review
Spiral Review is the perfect opportunity to let students practice effective test-taking strategies, especially in the era of digital standardized testing. We suggest a strategy called Think Sheets, which is simply a sheet of notebook paper folded into eighths. Students can use each empty space as they answer a question to jot important vocabulary words, diagrams, mnemonics, or anything simple that will help them with the question. Check out the Science Penguin’s blog post about Think Sheets if you want to learn more!
No-Prep Science Spiral Reviews
You can make the spiral reviews on your own, OR you can use teacher-tested, year-long spiral reviews ready to print or assign in Google Classroom.
Science Penguin Spiral Reviews are available for 2nd-6th Grade TEKS, and for 3rd-5th Grade NGSS.
We’ve meticulously analyzed standards and released items to align the spiraled topics with questions that reflect what students need to know most. They are the perfect resource for ensuring that content stays fresh for your students throughout the school year!
Happy Teachers
THIS! I wish I had purchased this earlier in the school year. The questioning, the format, and the background knowledge it activates with some questions: It is awesome! It does not matter what scope & sequence you follow. I printed enough for each student in class, bound it all in a folder, and established it as a routine.
I love this resource, it is engaging and just the right level of challenge for the students. It's just what is needed for a spiral review of all the skills needed to be successful in science.
I loved this product for a review in science to start off the school year! It is very good and informative. I like the fact that the readings are not too long, but include important details along with pictures as well as a quick activity or assessment for students to complete. I would highly recommend this to compliment your 5th grade science curriculum.
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