You can use multiple strategies to study for quizzes and tests. Don't worry! We will discuss and practice these :)
You have to think about which ways work best for you and make sure you study the right amount of time. This may even depend on the subject.
How much time should I spend studying?
Here are some things to decide how much or how long you should study:
Consider the grades you have been making on minor grades, worksheets, or exit tickets. What scores have you earned?
Consider how you are feeling about the material. Is is coming easy to you? Do you need more practice and review?
Consider how you feel about your study guide problems/material. Do you know it?
How can you study to prepare for tests/quizzes?
Rewrite notes
You can rewrite your notes by taking your notebooks and worksheets home to help you remember them. As you are writing notes again, make sure that you are paying attention to what you are writing down. You can stop and ask yourself questions to see if you understand what you are writing. Sometimes some repetition is what our brains need to remember things. You can rewrite notes in the notebooks or on separate lined sheets of paper.
Stoplight study guide
When you look at a study guide, sometimes all of that information can be overwhelming. We definitely want to work smarter, not harder to learn our information. One great strategy is to color code your study guide and spend more time studying things you do not already know. You will need three different colors to label the material on a scale of 1 (really need to work on), 2 (mostly understand but need more practice) and 3 (I have got this down pat). That way, you can spend more time studying the things you colored as 1 and leave the things colored as a 3 to review just before the assessment. You can use any colors you want, but here is a key to try to help you understand this strategy.
Red= 1
Yellow=2
Green=3
Make flashcards—-- and use them!!
You can use index cards to make flashcards OR you can just cut up a piece of paper into smaller pieces. When you make flashcards, you write a bolded term on one side of the card, and what it means on the other side. (you can also make them online on Quizlet and study them on your chromebook)
Ex: Vibration on one side and vibration is what moves sound in waves to make noise on the other side.
Ex: Write the date 1765 on one side and the start of the revolution on the other side of the card.
***Once your flashcards are created, you can study them in a variety of ways
Quick Quiz Put all of the cards in a pile with the word facing up. Have the student say the definition of the word then check for accuracy. Put all of the cards the student got correct in one pile and the incorrect ones in another pile. Review the incorrect ones until they are all answered correctly.
Speed Write: One person holds the cards and shows a card to the student. The student then writes the answer or definition on a white board or chalkboard. The helper checks for accuracy, and the goal is to answer as many as you can correctly (in a certain time frame).
Reverse it: Put all of the cards in a pile with the definition facing up. Have the students determine the word then check for accuracy. Put all of the cards the student got correct in one pile and the incorrect ones in another pile. Review the incorrect ones until they are all answered correctly.
Game show: One person reads the definition of the word, and the student writes the correct word on a Post-it note then places the Post-it on the wall. Once the student has gone through all words one time correctly, there should be a collage of words on the wall! As extra review, the helper reads the definitions again, and the student simply points to the correct word.
Make a concept poster
A concept poster is just that--a poster all about a certain topic.
Start again by gathering all of the papers and handouts on the topic. Write the main concept in the middle of the poster, and then add information about it all around, much like a brainstorm web but more organized and specific.Once the poster is complete, use Post-it notes to cover areas with details. Then test your knowledge on a topic by trying to remember the information that is covered. It's a great way to practice and learn!
Make a comic strip
Some kids learn best by drawing, so this method is a great one for our drawers! Have the student review class notes and handouts. Then, using Post-it notes, allow the student to draw out concepts one per note.
Re-teach
Students can talk through and discuss concepts with an older individual who can hold a conversation with them. They can discuss the materials, demonstrate and walk through math problems, or act like they are doing a video on a particular concept. Teaching others how to do something is a great way to ensure that a deeper level of understanding has been learned.
Ex: teach someone how to walk through a division problem
Ex: explain how sound travels to someone and draw it out
Ex: discuss what happened when settlers from Europe came and took land from Native Americans
Practice Quiz
Someone can quiz you on information that is on your study guide OR your spelling words by giving you a quiz check. A friend or adult can ask you what the definition of something is, how to spell a word or to explain a concept. Then, they check if your answer is correct by looking at our study guides, spelling lists, or a multiplication table, etc. [remember that you can always quiz yourself with your flashcards too]
Play Online Games
You can play review games to help study materials. List of sites to come.
Ask for help
If you are not understanding something that you are studying, a great way to learn information is to ASK for help. You are not alone and I promise someone else is also confused. If you can ask a parent, grandparent, sibling, friend from class, babysitter etc. for help at home, that is great. If not, ask ME!!! I can pull you into more small groups, one on one time, and check in often before the test comes to make sure you know the material.
Ask for additional practice
If you are not happy with quiz grades or you believe your study strategies are not going well, etc. ask for extra help. I will always send you home with paper copies of worksheets, IXLs to complete, or some format of extra practice to support you. Your part in using this study tool is to ASK and communicate about how your studying is going for you so far!
Overall resources to check out:
Math minute
Discovery education videos (great for science and social studies topics)
Brainpop videos on Youtube
K5 learning worksheets that are free
Kahn Academy Videos
IXL practice
Math Specific: Dice battles & Card wars
Spelling Specific: Repetition, write in a sentence, break the words apart into sections, play on spelling city, make a quizlet and play the review games, quiz yourself, rainbow draw, write in shaving cream, only study words you do not know, say your words out loud, etc.