My Exam Study Guide

MY EXAM STUDY GUIDE

NAME: ______

MID YEAR EXAM SCHEDULE

Students with a second history, science, math or language should make arrangements with teachers for their exams. Students are not expected to be on campus if they do not have an exam.

MY PERSONAL EXAM SCHEDULE

THE BASICS

SLEEP: Getting enough sleep is one of the most important things you can do to guarantee doing your best work. Start by assessing how much sleep you need to feel you very best. One way to do this is to use vacation (a time when you’re rested, hopefully) to note when your body wakes up naturally. If you’re rested and go to bed at 10 pm, will your body naturally wake up after seven hours? Eight hours? Nine? Next, assess how long you have to be awake and moving before you are thinking clearly and feeling sharp. Now, adjust your schedule to make sure you get enough sleep and are fully awake come test time.

Hours needed: ______Time it takes me to wake up: ______

EAT: Getting proper nourishment prior to your test will enable you to stay awake, think clearly, and not be distracted by your hunger or your crashing blood sugar level. You have plenty of information in your human development book to unearth the best foods to get you through a test…basically, high protein, complex carbs, and a little bit of fat. Try to avoid sugar, simple carbohydrates, and caffeine, as you blood sugar will drop before a test is over and render you sluggish in mind and body. If the teacher allows you to bring a snack into the test or provides a break, plan a snack that is also balanced and not high in sugar, such as water, fruit, meal bars (check the label!), a sandwich, etc.

BE PREPARED: We are always most stressed when we are not prepared. If you follow the preparation plan you make, you should feel confident going into the exam. Don’t wait until the last minute to seek help if you are really in trouble in a course; there are always solutions and tactics for getting you caught up.

KEEP MOVING: If you get stuck on something, move on to something else instead of laboring over the problem or trying to force the information out of your brain. Often, once you move on, the information will come to you and you can go back and complete the problem.

HAVE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE: Like everything else in life, if you maintain a positive attitude about yourself and your ability to do the work, you will do better. If you spend a lot of time thinking and talking about what a horrible test taker you are, or how bad you are at a subject, or how much the teacher dislikes you, you are not only wasting time and energy, but you are predicting your own failure. USE POSITIVE SELF-TALK!!

Remember, the ability to memorize and/or take tests

is NOT a measure of your intelligence. These are skills.

So prepare, relax, breathe, and do your best work!

ORGANIZING

Do you have what you need in order to prepare effectively? Use this checklist as a guide…

  Binders and/or notebooks for all subjects

  Class notes for all subjects

  Study Guides for all subjects

  Textbooks and novels

  Old tests and quizzes (if possible)

  Old essays/written work

  Flashcards or other study tools used during the semester

  Other ______

  Do you owe work in any class? If so, what? ______

What do you need?

______

STUDY TECHNIQUES

What works for you? Your techniques might be identical for each course, or they may differ. If you know what works for you, be sure to schedule your study time to include the use of the particular technique. If you still don’t think you know your most effective study method, keep reading this packet and/or ask someone for assistance!

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Ø Reading and/or rereading

Ø Review tests

Ø Meet with teacher

Ø Group study

Ø Meet with tutor

Ø Outline material

Ø Flashcards

Ø Memorization

Ø Practice Problems

Ø Other(s)

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STUDY STRATEGIES FOR DIFFERENT LEARNING STYLES

You are probably asked to use a variety of learning strategies each day, but do you know which ones work best for you?

AUDITORY LEARNERS

Do you prefer to listen to something aloud rather than read it?

Do you find yourself talking your way through assignments and problems?

Do you sing or hum to yourself frequently?

If this sounds like you, try some of these strategies:

·  Read assignments after discussion in class.

·  Read your notes or information you need to memorize aloud.

·  Read difficult passages out loud to unravel them.

·  Use music—set your information to a tune you know or make one up yourself!

·  Don’t have auditory distractions. IPods, TV, etc. are not effective background noise for you.

KINESTHETIC LEARNERS

Are you constantly fidgeting? (tapping your pen, jiggling your leg, etc.)

Do you excel at sports?

Do you often want to simply jump into the task at hand without planning first?

Do you learn better if you actively participate in the activity?

If this sounds like you, try some of these strategies:

·  Draw pictures to help understand math problems.

·  Use maps, globes, and internet models to understand history

·  Teach someone else the material—even the family pet works!

·  Try throwing a Nerf ball against the wall as you’re memorizing.

·  Take frequent breaks.

VISUAL LEARNERS

Do you often picture ideas in your head?

Do you like when teachers use Powerpoint or diagram ideas on the board?

Do you remember things well if you write them down or draw a picture of them?

Are you skillful at designing charts?

If this sounds like you, try some of these strategies:

·  Highlight or underline as you read.

·  Outline, web, or map major ideas—Inspiration is a great tool for this!

·  Make timelines for major concepts/sequences of information.

·  Use a compute/dry erase board when studying so you can draw out what you’re thinking.

·  IPods are okay while studying, but TV is not—you’ll want to watch it!

Start with a clean study area. You tend to get distracted by untidiness.

MEMORY STRATEGIES FOR ALL LEARNERS TO CONSIDER…

MNEMONICS:

·  To memorize a list in order—My Very Eager Mother Just Served Us Nine Pizzas (The planets in order—when there were still nine of them!)

·  To Rhyme is Divine—Remember this one? “In fourteen-hundred-ninety-two, Columbus sailed the ocean blue.”

·  Acronyms—Got a group of words to remember together? Try collapsing them. For example, SOHCAHTOA for right triangles (sine=opposite/hypotenuse, cosine=adjacent/hypotenuse, etc.)

HAVE A MANTRA:

·  Monitor Your Comprehension. Ask yourself, “Do I understand this?” Keep checking the logic behind ideas and concepts. If it makes sense to you, you will remember it.

CREATE YOUR OWN EXAMPLES

·  Don’t rely on the teacher’s or other classmates’ ideas. Find examples that relate to you and your life. You often learn better when the ideas are your own.

THINK PICTURES, COLORS, SHAPES

·  Highlight, box, circle, create Venn diagrams, make Inspiration Charts, and color code—all of these techniques create visual memories to help you recall information or ideas later on.

REPEAT, REPEAT, REPEAT

·  Each time you say it, write it, act it out, or hear it, you have a better chance of remembering it. Try to repeat it a little differently each time so you give your brain a chance to connect with the information in different ways. If you are an athlete or tend to get fidgety, don’t hesitate to dribble a basketball or toss a Nerf ball against the wall while studying. This can be very helpful for kinesthetic learners.

MAKE IT SMELLY!

·  Some research suggests that if you study with a particular scent, you will remember the information when you smell the scent again. So, if you want to be a bit creative in your studying, try some scent in the air while you study, then bring something with that scent to school on the day of the test. (You might want to check with your teacher first!)

FINALS PREPARATION – “TO DO” LIST

COURSE: ______DATE: ______TIME: ______ROOM: ____

TEACHER: ______FREE PERIODS: ______

FINAL MATERIAL: ______

EFFECT STUDY TIME: ______PLACE: ______

STUDY TECHNIQUE SPECIFICS TIME NEEDED

___ READING ______

___ REVIEW TESTS ______

___ MEET W/ TEACHER ______

___ GROUP STUDY ______

___ MEET W/ TUTOR ______

___ OUTLINE MATERIAL ______

___ FLASH CARDS ______

___ MEMORIZATION ______

___ PRACTICE PROBLEMS ______

___ OTHER(S) ______

______

______

TOTAL TIME NEEDED: ______

FINALS PREPARATION – “TO DO” LIST

COURSE: ______DATE: ______TIME: ______ROOM: ____

TEACHER: ______FREE PERIODS: ______

FINAL MATERIAL: ______

EFFECT STUDY TIME: ______PLACE: ______

STUDY TECHNIQUE SPECIFICS TIME NEEDED

___ READING ______

___ REVIEW TESTS ______

___ MEET W/ TEACHER ______

___ GROUP STUDY ______

___ MEET W/ TUTOR ______

___ OUTLINE MATERIAL ______

___ FLASH CARDS ______

___ MEMORIZATION ______

___ PRACTICE PROBLEMS ______

___ OTHER(S) ______

______

______

TOTAL TIME NEEDED: ______

FINALS PREPARATION – “TO DO” LIST

COURSE: ______DATE: ______TIME: ______ROOM: ____

TEACHER: ______FREE PERIODS: ______

FINAL MATERIAL: ______

EFFECT STUDY TIME: ______PLACE: ______

STUDY TECHNIQUE SPECIFICS TIME NEEDED

___ READING ______

___ REVIEW TESTS ______

___ MEET W/ TEACHER ______

___ GROUP STUDY ______

___ MEET W/ TUTOR ______

___ OUTLINE MATERIAL ______

___ FLASH CARDS ______

___ MEMORIZATION ______

___ PRACTICE PROBLEMS ______

___ OTHER(S) ______

______

______

TOTAL TIME NEEDED: ______

FINALS PREPARATION – “TO DO” LIST

COURSE: ______DATE: ______TIME: ______ROOM: ____

TEACHER: ______FREE PERIODS: ______

FINAL MATERIAL: ______

EFFECT STUDY TIME: ______PLACE: ______

STUDY TECHNIQUE SPECIFICS TIME NEEDED

___ READING ______

___ REVIEW TESTS ______

___ MEET W/ TEACHER ______

___ GROUP STUDY ______

___ MEET W/ TUTOR ______

___ OUTLINE MATERIAL ______

___ FLASH CARDS ______

___ MEMORIZATION ______

___ PRACTICE PROBLEMS ______

___ OTHER(S) ______

______

______

TOTAL TIME NEEDED: ______

FINALS PREPARATION – “TO DO” LIST

COURSE: ______DATE: ______TIME: ______ROOM: ____

TEACHER: ______FREE PERIODS: ______

FINAL MATERIAL: ______

EFFECT STUDY TIME: ______PLACE: ______

STUDY TECHNIQUE SPECIFICS TIME NEEDED

___ READING ______

___ REVIEW TESTS ______

___ MEET W/ TEACHER ______

___ GROUP STUDY ______

___ MEET W/ TUTOR ______

___ OUTLINE MATERIAL ______

___ FLASH CARDS ______

___ MEMORIZATION ______

___ PRACTICE PROBLEMS ______

___ OTHER(S) ______

______

______

TOTAL TIME NEEDED: ______

FINALS PREPARATION – “TO DO” LIST

COURSE: ______DATE: ______TIME: ______ROOM: ____

TEACHER: ______FREE PERIODS: ______

FINAL MATERIAL: ______

EFFECT STUDY TIME: ______PLACE: ______

STUDY TECHNIQUE SPECIFICS TIME NEEDED

___ READING ______

___ REVIEW TESTS ______

___ MEET W/ TEACHER ______

___ GROUP STUDY ______

___ MEET W/ TUTOR ______

___ OUTLINE MATERIAL ______

___ FLASH CARDS ______

___ MEMORIZATION ______

___ PRACTICE PROBLEMS ______

___ OTHER(S) ______

______

______

TOTAL TIME NEEDED: ______

Filling out your Exam Study Schedule

NOTE: There are multiple copies of two formats attached. Use the format you think works better for you.

1.  For the hour-by-hour format, start with the first day you plan to begin finals preparation and include every day through the end of finals. Fill in the dates in the spaces adjacent to “TIME”. For the morning-noon-evening format, fill in the dates in the spaces adjacent to “DAYS”.

2.  For the hour-by-hour format, begin by entering all classes, finals, and sleep times. Keep in mind the time it takes you to wake up and be ready to go. For the morning-noon-evening format, enter all classes and finals.

3.  Next, enter any other obligations: doctor’s appointments, job, lessons, etc. It is important to keep outlets like physical exercise and family time in your schedule, but you must also make wise decisions about your time so that you can be prepared. That may mean cancelling music lessons, club sports, etc. for the week of exams.

4.  Now you should have a clear picture of the time available to you to study and prepare. Hopefully you can see that you have much more time than you might have anticipated. Think about the best way to begin scheduling in your test preparation—how long can you stay focused? What kind of breaks will you need? How long will it take you to get ready for your exam. Use the time you filled out in your “Subject by Subject To-Do List” as a guide.

5.  Commit yourself to the schedule you set, but don’t beat yourself up if you get off-track. Assess yourself as you go and make wise decisions that will allow you to do your best. If you get behind, simply adjust your schedule accordingly. But realize that you have deadlines here. You have to find the balance that will make you successful.

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