The reading section of the FCAT 2.0 is evenly split between literary and informational texts. Students are asked to read passages from books, short stories, magazine articles, historical documents, letters and more, and to answer multiple-choice questions about the text, including meaning and vocabulary usage. Teachers and parents can help students prepare for this section by assigning or encouraging them to read a variety of fiction and non-fiction texts with different themes and then to discuss the meaning of what they have read. Discussions should focus on summarizing the text, understanding the theme, breaking down the plot, or identifying purpose and audience. Asking students to write critical essays about what they read can also help prepare them for the test.
The math section of the FCAT 2.0 is divided into a multiple-choice section and a gridded-response section, in which students must come up with the answers to math problems and then fill in their numerical answer on a bubble grid. Some benchmarks for the math section for fifth grade include division of whole numbers, working with quotients, addition and subtraction of fractions and decimals, calculating the volume and area of 3D shapes, and working with units of measure. A calculator is not allowed on the test. Students can prepare for this section by practicing these types of problems as much as possible before the test. Working out practice questions can identify areas of weakness, which can help focus study sessions or prompt hiring a tutor.
The science section of the FCAT is also multiple-choice, and it includes passages and questions that ask students to interpret data in charts and graphs, analyze information, make predictions and work through the scientific process. Students are not asked to memorize scientific formulas or information from the periodic chart. Specific scientific concepts covered on the test include the solar system, geography, weather and biology. To be successful on the exam, students should review these concepts and participate in scientific experiments. Students who do not have the materials or the time to conduct scientific experiments can read through the experiments of others to understand the scientific process.
Success on a test is about more than just mastery of the material. Students must also know how to test well. The FCAT 2.0 is primarily a multiple-choice test, except for the gridded-response questions on the math section. The Department of Education says that students should take no more than one minute to answer each multiple-choice question and no more than 1.5 minutes for each gridded-response question. A point is awarded for each correct answer, and no points are deducted for wrong answers. Therefore, students should learn to skip over hard questions to answer all the easy questions that they can and then return to the hard questions. If time is short or students don't know the answer, they should guess.