Better Than Review Packets: Smarter End-of-Grade Science Test Prep

Discover six research-backed science test prep strategies that replace review packets with retrieval practice, interleaving, and more.

As end-of-grade (EOG) assessments approach, many teachers default to the same playbook: review packets, study guides, and a whole lot of re-reading notes. But research says there’s a better way. Effective science test prep isn’t about cramming. It’s about using strategies that strengthen real understanding, long-term retention, and student confidence. 

Here are six research-backed practices and strategies that can meaningfully improve how middle school students prepare for and perform on science assessments.  

Retrieval Practice: Your Best Science EOG Test Prep Tool 

We’ve all seen it: a student "studies" by reading their notes repeatedly. Research shows this is one of the least effective ways to learn. But retrieval practice, which actively pulls information out of memory, is one of the most effective ways to strengthen learning and improve performance.¹  

 • The Strategy: Use "Brain Dumps." Give students a blank sheet of paper and a single prompt (e.g. "Write everything you know about the Rock Cycle"). They write until the timer hits. It’s one of the simplest science test prep activities you can run, and one of the most effective.  

Then, and only then, do they check their notes to see what they missed. 

• Teacher Tip: Do this before you start a review lesson. It primes their brain to fill in the specific gaps they just identified themselves. 

 Respect the "Working Memory" Limit 

 Middle school science is heavy on vocabulary and complex systems. When we throw too much at students at once, we hit cognitive overload. Research shows working memory can only hold a limited number of chunks at a time, so organizing information into meaningful groups improves learning.²  

• The Strategy: Use chunking. Instead of teaching twenty cell parts all at once, group them into a few functional categories (e.g., energy producers, builders, cleanup crew, command center). 

• Teacher Tip: Reinforce these groupings over time and revisit them during review so students see the bigger picture, not just isolated facts.  

Use "Dual Coding" to Make Concepts Stick  

Science is inherently visual. Whether it's the structure of an atom or the layers of the atmosphere, students learn more effectively when they connect words with images. Research on dual coding shows that combining visual and verbal information strengthens understanding and recall.³

• The Strategy: Have students draw diagrams while explaining concepts out loud. Use partially completed visuals instead of fully labeled ones so they have to think through the connections. 

• Teacher Tip: Instead of giving students a finished diagram, ask them to build it themselves while talking it through with a partner. This helps lock in both the visual and the verbal. 

Mix Up Your Science Review with Interleaving 

It’s tempting to spend Monday on Life Science, Tuesday on Chemistry, and Wednesday on Earth Science. This is called blocking. Research shows that interleaving, or mixing topics, helps students better distinguish between concepts and apply the right strategy when solving problems.⁴ 

• The Strategy: Create "mixed bags" of review questions. Put a question about heat transfer right next to one about cell organelles so students have to think about which concept applies. 

• Teacher Tip: It may feel harder for students at first, but that challenge is what strengthens learning and prepares them for how questions actually appear on the test.  

Make the "Do Now" a Secret Weapon 

Those first few minutes of class while you are taking attendance are some of the most valuable minutes for test prep. Research on the testing effect shows that retrieving information through low-stakes practice improves retention more than additional studying.⁵   

• The Strategy: Use spiral review in your Do Nows. Include one question from the current unit and two from units taught earlier in the year. 

• Teacher Tip: Use retired test questions when possible. Seeing these regularly helps students get comfortable with the format and language, which builds confidence over time. 

Help Students Manage Test Anxiety 

For many middle school students, performance is not just about what they know. It is also about how they feel. Test anxiety can take up working memory space and make it harder to recall information. Research shows that simple strategies like expressive writing and repeated exposure to test conditions can improve performance.⁶ 

 • The Strategy: Before a test or practice test, give students a few minutes to write down what they are worried about. This helps clear mental space so they can focus.⁷ 

• Teacher Tip: Pair this with frequent low-stakes practice so the test format becomes familiar. The more students feel like "I’ve seen this before," the less anxious they become.⁸ 

How Stile Makes Science Test Prep Easier 

Preparing students for EOG assessments does not have to mean starting from scratch. With Stile, you can build effective science assessment preparation into what you are already doing in your classroom. 

Stile’s flexible lessons make it easy to customize content and bring in questions from past assessments or check-ins, so students get regular exposure to test-style questions in low-pressure moments like Do Nows. 

Stile X supports structured revision by reinforcing key concepts while naturally incorporating strategies like retrieval practice, dual coding, and metacognition. End-of-unit practice tests also give students a chance to apply their learning in a format that mirrors the real assessment.  

Stile’s supplementary content library provides additional lessons across a wide range of science topics, along with targeted support for Scientific and Engineering Practices. This makes it easy to revisit concepts, fill gaps, and strengthen the skills students need to succeed on EOG assessments.  

Ready to build smarter science test prep into your classroom? Explore Stile’s middle school science curriculum here. 

Did you know?

Stile is a member of the Curriculum Associates family, the team behind i-Ready®. Offering comprehensive core middle school science curriculum, Stile aims to help all students have access to world-class science curriculum that prepares them to be engaged, global citizens. Read more on Curriculum Associates' expanded blog.

References 

¹Beilock, S. L. (2010). Choke: What the Secrets of the Brain Reveal About Getting It Right When You Have To. 

²Cowan, N. (2001). The magical number 4 in short-term memory. Behavioral and Brain Sciences. 

³Mayer, R. E. (2009). Multimedia Learning (2nd ed.). 

⁴Ramirez, G., & Beilock, S. L. (2011). Writing about testing worries boosts exam performance. Science. 

⁵Roediger, H. L., & Butler, A. C. (2011). The critical role of retrieval practice. Trends in Cognitive Sciences. 

⁶Roediger, H. L., & Karpicke, J. D. (2006). Test-enhanced learning. Psychological Science. 

⁷Rohrer, D., & Taylor, K. (2007). The shuffling of mathematics problems improves learning. Instructional Science. 

⁸Sotola, L. K., & Crede, M. (2021). The effect of low-stakes testing on student performance. Educational Psychology Review. 

⁹Sweller, J., Ayres, P., & Kalyuga, S. (2011). Cognitive Load Theory.