Everything you need to know about teaching your class the magic 200 words! M100W Magic 200 Words comes with 20 Pink Words, 20 Purple Words, 20 Aqua Words, 20 Lime Words, and 20 Lemon Words. * Magic Words: Sorting Activities, Words in Words, Opposites, Dictionary, Compound Words, and a plethora of other activities* Pink/Purple/Aqua/Lime/Lemon Words: A set of labels for your desk or notebook page that can be used instead of pen names or code names for examples's sake The magic 200 words is a term used by teachers to describe the minimal amount of information needed on a standardized test. The standard number used to describe this minimum requirement is 200 words. In 1995, the U.S. Department of Education released a list of "essential elements" in educational testing. These essential elements included the following requirements: a definition of the theory being tested; a description of the purpose of the test; the level of difficulty of the items on the test; an explanation of how the score will be determined; and adequate procedural safeguards to ensure that an individual's rights are protected during the administration of the test. These requirements were later reduced to just three elements: definition of the theory being tested; a description of the purpose of the test; and an explanation of how the score will be determined. Teachers use the magic word approach when writing tests where time is limited.