Pay close attention in all your classes. It is important that you understand the subject matter, and the best way to learn it is by listening to your teacher. Take good notes as you listen. Copy everything the teacher writes on the chalkboard and incorporate additional information to your notes, if necessary. If you get confused during the lectures, raise your hand and ask questions. There is no such thing as a dumb question. It is better to ask a question and learn the answer than try to guess it later.
Take your time doing your homework and make sure you understand the concepts being covered. Read your textbooks and highlight passages that are very important or that confuse you. When the teacher returns your homework, you should review it carefully to determine what errors you made. If you do not understand what is wrong or how to fix it, talk to your teacher after class.
Ask your teacher to help you prepare for the TAKS test. He can give you a sample test and then grade your answers. This will let you know which areas are most troublesome.
Establish a time every day during which you study for the 5th grade TAKS test. Use this time to study areas in which you are weak, whether it is multiplication, reading comprehension or biology.
If you feel as though you are falling behind, then talk to your parents about hiring a 5th grade tutor. By meeting with a tutor once or twice a week for a brief period, you can have get answers to your questions and assistance with problems that are stumping you.
If you have a copy of your 4th grade TAKS test, then review it to keep up on what you learned the year before.