Exams

** Semester Exam Planning Guide **
 * 1) ** Know what to expect. ** If you don’t know what is on the exam and you don’t have a study guide, then ask your teacher. Classmates can also help to give information about the exam, but they can sometimes be misinformed so make sure you double-check with your teacher. Make sure you think about CONTENT (what you will have to know) as well as TASKS (how you will have to show it). Will you have to write an essay? Will you have a lot of short answer questions? Getting a picture of the exam in your mind will not only help you study but also reduce stress (see also #7)
 * 2) ** Check the blog. ** Look at your teacher’s class blog or wiki. There may be additional resources which will help you study.
 * 3) ** Organize your binder. ** Make sure you have all handouts and previous tests to help you study.
 * 4) ** Be strategic. ** Remember that there is a difference between STUDYING and LEARNING. Think about how you learn best and which activities will help you to learn. Make sure you match how you are studying to how you learn, and match your study activities with both the content and tasks you’ll need for your exams.
 * 5) ** Make a plan. ** Think about the time you have available: on the bus, after school, during flex, weekends. Make a specific plan in your agenda or on another place. Tell WHAT you will study, HOW you will do it, and for HOW LONG you will study. (Use the grid on the back to help you).
 * 6) ** Be realistic. ** Give yourself enough time to get things done when you make your plan. (Don’t schedule yourself for 5 chapters of science during your 20-minute break).
 * 7) ** Relax ** . You should take semester exams seriously, but you shouldn’t let fear or stress paralyze you. When you find yourself starting to worry or panic, get out your plan and remind yourself that if you stick to it, you’ll get everything done.
 * 8) ** Get some sleep! ** You have already learned 90% of what you need to know. You should be doing review at this point to help connect and organize what you know. 7-8 hours of sleep will help you to perform at your best.
 * 9) ** Be positive. ** If you dread exams as a cruel but legalized form of torture, and think only about how hard it will be and how you are going to fail, you aren’t helping yourself. Instead, if you think about exams as a chance to shine, to impress, to show what you know and how much you’ve learned, you’ll approach each exam with a better chance of success. Imagine yourself doing really well and how good it will feel to hand in an exam after you’ve “aced” it. Then go ahead and make that happen!