--- title: "Prepping for Testing Season with Expedition: Learn!\u00a0" url: "https:\/\/britannicaeducation.com\/blog\/prepping-for-testing-season-with-expedition-learn\/" published: "2025-03-31T16:39:00+00:00" modified: "2026-04-30T18:42:03+00:00" author: "Britannica Education" description: "Testing season has begun, and now is the perfect time to review standards and topics likely to be covered in standardized assessments." --- # Prepping for Testing Season with Expedition: Learn!  Testing season has begun, and now is the perfect time to review standards and topics likely to be covered in standardized assessments. ![Thistle background graphic](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/themes/britannica-education/assets/img/backgrounds/thistle.svg) - [ Home ](https://britannicaeducation.com/) - [ Blog ](https://britannicaeducation.com/blog/) - Prepping for… Prepping for Testing Season with Expedition: Learn!  ![Student taking a test using a scantron and pencil](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/be-blog-prepping-for-testing-season-1024x320.jpg) [Content Spotlight](https://britannicaeducation.com/blog/category/expedition-learn/content-spotlight/) # Prepping for Testing Season with Expedition: Learn!  ![](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/BE_Thistle-Variation-1.svg) March 31, 2025 ![](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/BE_Thistle-Variation-3.svg) Download this Expedition: Learn! Lesson Guide ## **Discover how to analyze assessment questions using Expedition: Learn!** Testing season has begun, and now is the perfect time to review standards and topics likely to be covered in standardized assessments. From US history to civics and government, Britannica [Expedition: Learn!’s ](https://britannicaeducation.com/expedition-learn/)standards-aligned library of more than 300+ lessons has got you covered! Whether students need a refresher (or they slept through the lesson the first time) or need some practice with assessment items, Expedition: Learn! has everything students need to master the content and equip them with strategies and tools that they need to succeed during testing season. ![](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/be-blog-testing-season-content-spotlight.jpg) Check out how our experts use the *[Women of the American Revolutionary Era](https://expedition.eb.com/lesson/Women-of-the-American-Revolutionary-Era/645063)* lesson to review content and practice how to analyze high-complexity standardized-style assessment questions. [Download the Content Spotlight](#spotlight) ## **Help Students Understand Why It Matters** On April 19, 1775, the first shots of the American Revolution were fired. The fight for independence inspired many men and women alike. Women, constrained by societal norms and legal regulations, found avenues to express the injustices of British rule, both on and off the battlefield. Phyllis Wheatley, kidnapped and enslaved as a child, stands out as an incredible story of resilience. She used poetry to draw parallels between enslaved people’s fight for freedom and colonists' fight for liberty. Black people had been enslaved in the colonies for more than 150 years before the Revolution began. Yet they were essential to the cause of independence, fighting on and off the battlefield. Wheatley’s words challenged colonial America to live up to its ideals by recognizing all individuals' humanity and morality. In today’s polarizing political climate, we can draw inspiration from individuals who took risks to unite our people for a cause bigger than oneself. Wheatley’s legacy is a reminder of the enduring power of political speech and the importance of holding nations accountable to their founding principles. ![Testing Season Assessments Annotations Key](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/be-blog-testing-season-annotations-key-1.jpg) ![](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/be-blog-testing-assessment-annotation-key-2.jpg) [Download the Assessment Annotations Key](https://teachbritannica.com/wp-content/uploads/is-assessment-item-analysis.pdf) ## **Annotating High-Complexity Assessment Items** Every Expedition: Learn! lesson has high-cognitive level assessment items designed by experts to reflect what students will see on standardized tests. One strategy that can help students succeed during testing season is annotating assessment items.  Teaching learners to annotate assessment items helps them actively engage with the text and strategically focus on key points. This strategy can help students: 🌟 Remove unnecessary or irrelevant details that distract from the core question. 🌟 Identify clues that lead them to the right answer regardless of their background knowledge. 🌟 Reduce the chance of making careless mistakes. 🌟 Resist the urge to rush by intentionally breaking down the item. 🌟 Identify directive words in the question stem to avoid misinterpretation. 🌟 Organize complex information into manageable parts to support visual thinking. We’ve designed a handy Expedition: Learn!  [**Assessment Annotations Key**](https://teachbritannica.com/wp-content/uploads/is-assessment-item-analysis.pdf) that you can print and cut so that every student can have a copy to use during testing season and test prep. See how our experts use the* *key** **to break down a question from the featured lesson! [Expedition: Learn!](https://britannicaeducation.com/solutions/prek-12/britannica-expedition-learn/) is grounded in decades of research and evidence-based practice, and lessons can be used for whole-class instruction, small group reteaching, or independent practice. Expedition: Learn! is perfect for test prep because each standards-aligned lesson is designed to build disciplinary literacy skills while fostering content mastery, critical-thinking skills, and real-world application. Help your students prep for testing season! **[Book a demo of Expedition: Learn!](https://britannicaeducation.com/solutions/prek-12/britannica-expedition-learn/)** ![](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/be-blog-testing-season-content-spotlight.jpg) ### **Expedition: Learn! in the Classroom** Check out other ways to use *Women in the American Revolutionary Era* with a lesson guide that features engaging activities, thoughtful discussion questions, graphic organizers, and more! ![](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/be-word-cloud-background-1024x585.png) ## Recent Blog *Posts* ![](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/be-blog-hbd-america.jpg) [Content Spotlight](https://britannicaeducation.com/blog/category/expedition-learn/content-spotlight/) #### Happy Birthday, America! April 27, 2026 [Read More: Happy Birthday, America!](https://britannicaeducation.com/blog/happy-birthday-america/) ![](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/be-blog-summer-reading-2026.png) [Summer Reading](https://britannicaeducation.com/blog/category/summer-reading/) #### Summer Reading Ideas for Kids: Free Activities & Book List April 14, 2026 [Read More: Summer Reading Ideas for Kids: Free Activities & Book List](https://britannicaeducation.com/blog/summer-reading-2026/) ![](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/be-blog-april-fools.jpg) [Interactive Quiz](https://britannicaeducation.com/blog/category/quiz/) #### Practical Jokes or Practical Adaptations: Can You Find These Critters? March 27, 2026 [Read More: Practical Jokes or Practical Adaptations: Can You Find These Critters?](https://britannicaeducation.com/blog/april-fools-animals/) ![Earth Day with Expedition: Learn!](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/be-blog-earth-day-expedition-learn.jpg) [Content Spotlight](https://britannicaeducation.com/blog/category/expedition-learn/content-spotlight/) #### Earth Day in Action March 26, 2026 [Read More: Earth Day in Action](https://britannicaeducation.com/blog/earth-day-in-action/) ![two hands holding Earth](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/be-blog-earth-day-quiz-hero.jpg) [Interactive Quiz](https://britannicaeducation.com/blog/category/quiz/) #### How Deep Are Your Roots? An Earth Day Curiosity Quiz March 13, 2026 [Read More: How Deep Are Your Roots? An Earth Day Curiosity Quiz](https://britannicaeducation.com/blog/earth-day-quiz/) ![](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/be-trust-checklist-featured-image.jpg) [AI in Education](https://britannicaeducation.com/blog/category/ai-in-education/) #### If We Can’t Trust What We Read, What Does That Mean for AI in Schools? March 3, 2026 [Read More: If We Can’t Trust What We Read, What Does That Mean for AI in Schools?](https://britannicaeducation.com/blog/trust-checklist/) ![Student taking a test using a scantron and pencil](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/be-blog-prepping-for-testing-season.jpg) [Content Spotlight](https://britannicaeducation.com/blog/category/expedition-learn/content-spotlight/) #### Teaching Women of the American Revolution During Testing Season March 1, 2026 [Read More: Teaching Women of the American Revolution During Testing Season](https://britannicaeducation.com/blog/teaching-women-of-the-american-revolution/) ![Women's History Quiz Collage Image](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/be-blog-whm-quiz-featured-image.jpg) [Interactive Quiz](https://britannicaeducation.com/blog/category/quiz/) #### Women’s History Quiz: Do You Know These Famous Ladies? February 24, 2026 [Read More: Women’s History Quiz: Do You Know These Famous Ladies?](https://britannicaeducation.com/blog/womens-history-quiz/) ![](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/be-trust-whitepaper-studio-blog-hero-image.jpg) [AI in Education](https://britannicaeducation.com/blog/category/ai-in-education/) #### Trust Comes First: What Teachers Really Want from AI ✨ February 17, 2026 [Read More: Trust Comes First: What Teachers Really Want from AI ✨](https://britannicaeducation.com/blog/teachers-trust-ai/) ![](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/be-blog-olympics-quiz-header.jpg) [Interactive Quiz](https://britannicaeducation.com/blog/category/quiz/) #### Olympic History Quiz: Go for Gold 🥇 January 26, 2026 [Read More: Olympic History Quiz: Go for Gold 🥇](https://britannicaeducation.com/blog/olympic-history-quiz/) ![Thistle background graphic](https://britannicaeducation.com/wp-content/themes/britannica-education/assets/img/backgrounds/thistle.svg) ## Join Our *Newsletter* From tips and tricks to engaging activities, find attention-grabbing content for tomorrow’s lesson. [ Sign Up Now ](https://pages.britannicaeducation.com/newsletter-subscription)