While I teach middle school Language Arts, I found this 5th grade test prep book still applicable. I've spent the last 7 years working with below proficiency readers. While they may be in grade seven, they often read at a third grade level. I found the materials in the NJ ASK 5th grade book to be a nice supplement for my struggling kids. I'm sure it would be perfectly suitable for 5th graders as well, but I don't have much experience with that grade level.

One of the things I noticed right away was the variety of material. I found poetry, short stories, nonfiction, informational texts, etc. in this book. Each passage also came with a variety of questions, depending on the story. Some stories focused more on the literary elements, while others focused on nonfiction traits or grammar. I also like that there were both diagnostic and practice tests included. When I saw this, I instantly thought "pre and post test" on a unit. That's just how my brain works.

Another perk is that each passage included a relevant writing task. For instance, if a student read a poem about two characters, they had to write a short literary analysis to compare and constrast certain traits between those two characters. Each of the prompts extended the learning in a practical and relevant way. Of course, some people may see writing prompts and think "I'm not a writing teacher" or "how do I score that"? Well, lucky for you there are extensive writing rubrics included for each prompt. The passages are based on a 4 point scale, so each rubric gives a sample paper for numbers 1-4 along with a detailed list of what should be included in the students' answers. That takes away the guess work of grading writing if you don't feel like its your strongest area.

Overall, I found the NJ ASK 5th grade Language Arts and Literacy test prep book to be another great addition to my teacher tool kit. It's not limited to just teachers in NJ (I'm in Florida, after all) because ALL students need these skill.

Don't buy Lumos NJ Ask "online" practice/test. Unless you don't care about getting an accurate score from them and only want to practice old material. Their system has bugs and does not score correctly. If you select "I want to see the answer at the end" instead of "I don't want to see the answer at the end" for each problem solving part of the test they score it as WRONG and is calculated in the percentage. You do not get a reliable score on where your child is at. Then you have to start figuring it all out in your head how many of those "I want to see the answer at the end" were check marked and correct the percentage yourself. Not worth the trouble! We stopped using it. What a waste of money! use the books instead but this companies books are not good for NJ CORE. Even though they state Common Core ALIGNED, it is not and is OUTDATED! The books our school is using to practice CORE Standards are much more advanced and the layout has changed tremendously for CORE standards. This is the first year our school has switched over to CORE. There are a LOT of changes made and is a completely different system. Look for practice books or online help that actually title as "Common Core" or "New Jersey Core Curriculum Practice" . Not just updated old layout NJ ASK books like Lumos and others.

I have bought the Lumos learning books for my son for the past 3 years. The books are a great help for reviewing material for NJ Ask. My son starts preparing for NJ Ask well in advance and these books are certainly a boost he needs to do well in the test. In the past, he has done well in the NJ Ask exams and this year he has already finished reviewing the NJ Ask Math book. I highly recommend all NJ Ask books to improve the score.

NJ ASK Practice Tests and Online Workbooks: Grade 5 Language Arts and Literacy, Second Edition: Common Core State Standards Aligned

I like that it is updated to reflect the latest Common Core State Standards.
Also, available as hard copy or online. Provides explanation of correct answers. NJ ASK Practice Tests and Online Workbooks: Grade 5 Language Arts and Literacy, Second Edition: Common Core State Standards Aligned

I am not a fan of test prep books but this book is a delight(if you want to call testt prep a delight!). It is one of the most comprehensive books that I have seen about test prep. The samples meet the new CCS and passages challenge the students. What is especially good is the sample responses for each open ended question.

A great value! This NJ ASK book is really well organized and
includes practice tests, detailed explanations and an answer key AND
it includes access to online workbooks. It is also aligned with the
new Common Core State Standards and filled with great test-taking
tips. Just an overall great resource for NJ ASK 2013!