Summative & Exam Info

What are Summatives? 

In Geo, as with most courses, there are "big ticket" evaluations that are what we call "Summatives".  Our evaluation is an in-class project that "summarizes" the skills and concepts that we've worked on over the course. The project is like an exam in that it is completed only in class, happens near the end of the course, and is required for successful completion of the course.

A summative is like a year-end hockey tournament or a final piano recital. It's a chance to show off the skills and learning that you've been working hard on and practicing for months. 

Summatives:

• are designed to allow students to demonstrate their mastery of the content and skills learned over the semester

• are "time sensitive" - they happen on specific days and have specific due dates (unless there are significant extenuating circumstances)

• are worth  up to 30% of the final mark 

• are student-centered: students work independently and with minimal teacher assistance, as this is a student's opportunity to show all they've learned

The Geo Summative Project

Our summative project is an in-class exploration of how humans interact with their environment in Canada.  Students create an info package designed to promote awareness of an issue and the means by which we can take action to fix or mitigate the problems and/or adapt to new realities (this depends on the students' specific topic).  Students begin by identifying and explaining the issues and exploring what governments and NGOs are doing about the issues.  Then students use that information to create action plans themselves. 

All the projects must be completed IN CLASS as either a GoogleDoc, Google Presentation, Google Website, or OCDSB Canva/Adobe Infographic (all within their OCDSB Google accounts).  Students are very familiar with the technology and choose the delivery model that they feel the most skilled at.  Students need to SHARE their Google file with me from the outset so that I can monitor progress and provide feedback as necessary.

Students are:

• given guided note-taking sheets so they know what information to gather

• provided with teacher-tested online and book resources in the library 

• given 2.5 library research days and 2.5 "construction" and "polishing" days

What is the Exam? (NOT APPLICABLE IN 2022-23)

The Geo exam is designed to be an overview of the major course expectation.  The scope is everything from the start to the end of the course.  There are a variety of question types.  

To be successful on the exam students must:

• maintain a complete and legible notebook

• study!!  This means more than just reading notes over a few times!

• ask questions before the exam about anything they have trouble understanding

The Geo exam is a test that will take place during exam week in the last week of the semester. 

If you prepare well for the exam, you will be successful.  There are no surprises on the exam - the structure and question styles will be familiar to you from the tests written during the course.

There will be a variety of types of questions on the exam. You can expect such styles as:

• multiple choice

• matching

• short answer

• definitions

• true-false

• short explanations

• mapping

• calculations

• graphing

• primary source analysis

• reading passages

• photo/image analysis

• argument outlines

• drawing diagrams

There is no “essay” question on the exam - you demonstrated your communication skills on the Summative.  While grammar and spelling aren’t evaluated on the exam, clarity is important.

Preparing for the Exam:

1. Go through your notebook and make sure it is complete

2. Locate any notes or worksheets you are missing.  Don’t leave this to the last minute. It’s not fair to be asking your friends for missing notes when they are studying for the exam too.

3. Highlight any concepts or terms that you are unsure about. Look in your textbook to get help or see Ms. Barbour - don’t leave this until the last minute.

4. Make study notes. Study notes are essentially created by taking jot note research from your own notebook.  For study notes you should:

- be brief

- make headings and lists of important terms and concepts

- use colour or bold lines/writing to identify important things

5. Read over your notes several times.

6. ENGAGE in the material.  You need to do more than just read something to make it stick.  Find ways that you can work with the notes to understand and remember them.  For example:

- make yourself a quiz

-create a little song for key terms

- draw mind maps - brainstorming blobs

- quiz a friend