How to Prepare High School Students for SOL Biology

Careful planning and ample review time will help your students prepare for their SOL biology test.

Virginia's Department of Education has established SOL, or Standards of Learning, for structuring curriculum and standardized testing. In the case of high school biology, teachers must organize classes to ensure students learn required content and are prepared for the SOL test they take at the end of the course. The Virginia Department of Education's website provides the curriculum framework and testing guidelines to help teachers get students ready for the biology exam. Students must pass the exam to earn verified credit in biology. Virginia requires a specific number of verified credits to receive standard or advanced high school diplomas.

Things You'll Need

• Biology Standards
• Biology Curriculum Framework
• Biology Enhanced Scope and Sequence
• Biology Blueprint
• (all from the Virginia Department of Education website)
• Practice and sample tests

Instructions

1. Read the Virginia Department of Education's biology standards and curriculum framework before the school year starts. The standards outline the requirements. The curriculum framework provides more detail. These documents will help you plan when and what you will teach. As you design unit and course plans, be sure to leave ample time for review before the SOL exam.

2. Prepare lesson plans according to the curriculum timeline you prepared. If you need assistance for certain lesson topics, refer to the biology "Enhanced Scope and Sequence" material on the Virginia Department of Education site.

3. Start the allocated review period by explaining test procedures from the Department of Education's "test blueprint" for biology. Go over the guidelines and rules with your class and ask if anyone has questions. Give each student a copy of one of the past tests to look over for homework.

4. Review each curriculum unit by presenting the information in a different way than you presented it earlier in the course. For example, use films or animations, virtual dissections, biology trivia games or quick lab activities to remind students about the material they've already studied.

5. Provide class time for students to take online practice tests. The Jefferson Lab offers online tests that allow students to see if their answers are correct.

6. Ask students to write down some of the questions they had problems with. If many students had difficulty with the same topic, allocate class time to go over this material. Offer extra help sessions.

7. Administer a mock or practice test to students during at least one class. Prepare an example that emulates past biology SOL exams. Keep the atmosphere formal and refrain from helping students unless it is a teachable moment that will benefit them on the actual test day.

References

• Virginia Department of Education: Testing and Standards of Learning (SOL)
• Jefferson Lab News: Website Helps Students Prepare For Range of Virginia Standards of Learning Tests

Resources

• Virginia Department of Education: The Standards and SOL-Based Resources, Science
• Jefferson Lab: Virginia State Standards of Learning, Science, Math and Technology Practice Tests