Kendra Brenner
Generic Lesson Plan Form
Subject: Academic Skills Activity: SRSD Test Taking Strategy
 PIRATES is a strategy used to improve test-taking skills. It provides students with learning disabilities a
concrete mnemonic to follow steps that can be used on a wide variety of tests across several content areas
 It is designed to expand on several instructional strategies as well as a self-regulation process from the
students perspective
Statement of Objective:
*Observable/Measurable (A,B,C,D)
*GLCE/IEP
Materials:
*Prepared and organized
*Available for all
Opening:
*Gain attention/motivate
*Activate prior knowledge
~link/relate; assess; prepare for new
learning (e.g. vocabulary)
*State goals/set purpose
~explain task: why, what, how, and when
for strategies
*Clear directions
Presentation:
Teacher:
*Variety of learning (T/S, S/S, S/T)
*Organizational framework
~construct, clarify, and link concepts in a
meaningful context
*Present visually, verbally, kinesthetically,
real world (e.g. LESH)
*Model and think aloud to make visible
~language practices/processes
~learning strategies and adaptations (how,
when and why)
~organization, relationships, and clues
*Transfer of control
~students explain, justify, clarify, etc.
*Clear directions
*Check for understanding
~appropriate feedback: praise, prompt
probe/question (in ZPD)
~assess/error drill
~monitor and adjust instruction
Students:
*Participation
~overt and active
~instructional dialogue, think aloud,
explain, justify, evaluate, etc.
Setting: Special Education # of Students: 12
Teach students how to effectively use PIRATES on any test to improve Accommodations
their test scores
 Pretest
 Posttest
 Individual PIRATES cards
 PowerPoint
 “First, we need to find out how well you take tests and what
kinds of strategies you already use when you take a test. So
you’re going to take a short test I created to see where you are
at! Did you all study?”
 Pass out Pre-test
 Remember: this is only used to help me see how you take tests,
it is not a grade, you are not expected to know this stuff
 Give about 10-15 minutes for the pre-test
 After tests are handed in, write “Strategy” on the board
 Call on 2-3 students to give definitions of strategy
a plan or method for solving a problem or completing a task
 “Today you’re going to be learning a strategy that you can use
on an actual test is any subject!”
 So… Hannah can you use this on your Spanish test?
 Autumn can you use this in your algebra class?
 Joey can you use this in Chemistry?
 YES!
Our strategy is called PIRATES and PIRATES is actually a mnemonic
which means the P stands for something, the I stands for something and
the R stands for something, etc.
Show PIRATES PowerPoint
Model the steps using the same pre-test that was administered to the
students
Have students take notes on a pre-made note-sheet while steps are being
modeled
Check for Understanding of each step with a kahoot quiz
The Test-Taking Strategy
STEP 1: Prepare to Succeed
STEP 2: Inspect the instructions
STEP 3: Read, remember, reduce
STEP 4: Answer or abandon
 STEP 5: Turn back

STEP 6: Estimate

STEP 7: Survey
Guided Practice:  Students receive individual PIRATES cards to use on a post-test
*Activity related to presentation/objectives
*Active student participation  Ask questions whenever necessary
~provide rationale for assignment  Chart progress/improvement from the pre-test to the post-test
~multi-sensory and real world  Using PIRATES helps!!!
~instructional dialogue
*Transfer of control
~students explain, justify, clarify, think
aloud
*Check for understanding
~ensure high success rate
~appropriate feedback: praise, prompt,
probe/question (in ZPD)
Individual Practice:
~assess/error drill
~monitor and adjust instruction
*Management/monitoring
~scan, circulate, assess, support, praise
Closing: Students will make a commitment to use the strategy in a variety of
*Adequate time
settings. We can use PIRATES on any test we take to make sure we’re
*Students summarize content and
accomplishments being the best test takers that we can be!
*Assess/identify new goals
*Link to future learning