The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau

The Testing
By Joelle Charbonneau
Lexile 830 L (Appropriate for: Middle School, High School)
ISBN: 978-0547959108
Review by Elizabeth Blye:


There is something special about The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau. This book was published in 2013, and should be read by anyone who loved The Hunger Games series. Both series fit into the dystopian genre of books and are centered around a female protagonist who question the idea of winning at any cost. While they have many similarities, The Testing series proved itself to be a  standout from The Hunger Games and other dystopian texts. At the beginning of the first book, Cia Vale, who lives in post-war United States, is chosen to become a Testing candidate. She seeks to show her classmates, her father, and herself that she is worthy of this title and can become a future leader of the United Commonwealth. Her father tells her to be careful who she trusts. She questions the truth of his warning, but it something she keeps with her as she faces the testing.  Cia is a strong female character that young adults can easily relate to. Violence and other sensitive issues are a part of Cia’s story as she learns to face her fears and realizes how much is at stake during The Testing. This book deserves 5 stars!


Learning Activity (Middle/High School STEM):

• There are many stem activities that could be done in correlation with this book related to Botany, Engineering, First Aid, Green Technology, Orienteering, and Psychology (Test Anxiety). 
• There are some great ideas on : http://www.stemread.com/thetesting/
• It might be interesting to use this toward the spring of the school year when students are preparing for standardized testing. Logic puzzles or even other breakout games could be used to challenge students and help them discuss the way that they felt related to this 

Learning standard:

1. AASL: 
1. Standard 2: Draw conclusions, make informed decisions, apply knowledge to new situations and create new knowledge.
2. EMPIRE STATE INFORMATION FLUENCY CONTINUUM:
1. STANDARD 1: USING INQUIRY TO BUILD UNDERSTANDING AND CREATE NEW KNOWLEDGE: “I am a thinker.”
1.  Actively participates in an experience that introduces a topic, problem or question and captures observations, questions and reflections by writing, speaking with others or drawing. 
2. Uses sources to acquire background information and brainstorms ideas for further inquiry.
3. ISTE: 
1. Innovative Designer: Students use a variety of technologies within a design process to identify and solve problems by creating new, useful or imaginative solutions.
1. 4a: Students know and use a deliberate design process for generating ideas, testing theories, creating innovative artifacts or solving authentic problems.
2. Creative Communicator: Students communicate clearly and express themselves creatively for a variety of purposes using the platforms, tools, styles, formats and digital media appropriate to their goals.
1. 6a: Students choose the appropriate platforms and tools for meeting the desired objectives of their creation or communication.

Objective:

• (Affective) Students will consider Cia´s feelings during the testing and journal two strategies for testing or high stress situations that they would employ that show critical thinking about high stress situations.
• (Affective) Students will express increased confidence for handling anxiety provoking situations through journal writ
• (Affective) Students will express the understanding that failure is a jumping point for success in their journal response
• (Cognitive) Students will use background knowledge and an understanding of the engineering design process to solve a series of logic puzzles
• (Psychomotor) By the end of the period, students will successfully complete a series of logic puzzles by using critical thinking skills

Outcome:
Students will develop coping strategies for anxiety provoking situations.
Students will understand engineering design method and how it applies to problem solving