List of Useful Websites

Transcription

1 List of Useful Websites GCSE Revision BBC Bitesize Revision Undoubtedly two of the best multimedia revision sites around covering all subjects Biology GcseVise Detailed summary of the knowledge requirements for Science at Key Stage 4 of the National Curriculum. Good for revision purposes but you have to pay to become a member to access further material. Gondar Design Biology Concentrated revision notes and diagrams covering Key Stage 4 Biology. Ideal for students studying the single subject at GCSE. Excellent for final examination revision. Business Studies The Times 100 Case Studies thetimes100.co.uk/welcome.htm Numerous company case studies are online, and you find a study that suits your needs via a subject search. Includes GCSE and A Level revision sections. Bank of England Latest financial news as well as sections on banknotes, the Euro, monetary policy and statistics. Ideal for GCSE students who need to keep up with national financial developments. Chemistry Chemistry Central Basic atomic information, chemical bonding and a copy of the periodic table. Useful for Key Stage 3 Science students and also revision for GCSE. 35

2 Gcsevise Detailed summary of the knowledge requirements for Science at Key Stage 4 of the National Curriculum. Good for revision purposes but you have to pay to become a member to access further material. antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/101/tutorials/index.shtml/ Whilst this is aimed at American students, this web page contains tutorials and drills on the key areas of chemistry for students facing exams. Design & Technology D & T Online Comprehensive and to the point. No fancy graphics, but clear, concise information English GCSE answers NovelGuide Has chapter summaries, character profiles, metaphor and theme analyses, and author biographies. Works include Lord of the Flies, 1984, Animal Farm, plus Shakespeare plays. GCSE Answers Award winning site offering useful advice to students in the form of tutorials, exam techniques and handy tips. SparkNotes A compilation of study guides to many common GCSE and A Level Literature texts. Novel resource and literary analysis Offers exactly what its name suggests: guidance to and literary analysis of novels, including GCSE set texts. Each novel is divided into summary, character profiles, metaphor analysis, theme analysis, top 10 quotes and a biography. The site is text heavy and uses language more appropriate for students undertaking the higher paper. More useful as a back up resource, to complement class notes. Can be slow, so patience is needed. Geography The geography exchange Offers a growing selection of web pages created by teachers, including revision notes, quizzes and jokes, and more than 700 carefully selected links to other web geography resources. 36 National Geographic Worth checking for project work.

3 Learning for a Sustainable Future: Classroom Activities History Covers air, biodiversity, habitat and infrastructure, production and consumption systems, social systems, soil and water. As well as a revision audit and examples of a revision card and mind map, this site contains questions, marksheets and interactive multiple choice quizzes for foundation level. School History Covers British and world history with work sheets, quizzes and lessons. Highly recommended. Both contain accessible and interesting guidance and activities to cover the main topics studied for GCSE, such as medicine through time. An added bonus is that both include links to other website, where appropriate, to complement or explore further. ICT GCSE ICT Covers spreadsheets, databases, word processing, DTP and Web pages. The Teacher Maths Revision notes using the WJEC syllabus. GCSE Answers Award winning site offering useful advice to students in the form of tutorials, exam techniques and handy tips. GCSE Guide Straightforward site with clear diagrams and sample exam questions which are great for revision. Gcsevise Detailed summary of the knowledge requirements for Maths at Key Stage 4. Good for revision purposes but you have to pay to become a member to access further material. 37

4 Centre for innovation in mathematics teaching Aimed more at teachers than students, but it could provide some useful links to study aspects of maths in more depth or from a different perspective. As with other sites designed by practising teachers, this is an excellent resource. In addition to interactive tutorials and tests, there are fun games to learn without really trying. Model answers Maths Access to over 300 questions from recent past papers and therefore over 300 model answers. Each question appears as it would on an exam paper, but includes notes and arrows around it to show exactly what is going on and why. Whilst the questions are free to download, there is a charge to download the answers. Modern Languages Bonjour! For students from Key Stage 3 through to A Level. Includes vocabulary, language knowledge and pronunciation. French Revision Includes exercises, past papers and advice on grammar. Really Useful French Really Useful German Physics These sites are exactly what they claim to be: really useful. Included in the French site is an area called Bol, designed for young people who don t really want to revise, as well as GCSE writing practice exercises, divided by exam boards and levels. The German site features many of the same types of activities, plus interactive vocabulary and grammar exercises. GCSE Answers Award winning site offering useful advice to students in the form of tutorials, exam techniques and handy tips. Media Studies 38

5 Gcsevise Detailed summary of the knowledge requirements for Science at Key Stage 4. Good for revision purposes but you have to pay to become a member to access further material. Physics Factory Glossary Alphabetic definitions of all the GCSE Physics terms students are ever likely to need. Useful for homework or revision. This is aimed at GCSE students. It has a regularly updated feature with an article and accompanying test. There are also sample questions and answers. A unique selling point is the GCSE equations screensaver, which flashes the equations you need to know for the exam every 20 seconds in the hope that eventually they will sink in. RE The religious education exchange service An old favourite, this wonderful portal is packed full of information, and very easy to navigate. There is a link to the GCSE RE revision site. Alongside comprehensive coverage of world religions, with information and tests, users can gain revision tips from none other than Snoopy. General A super website from J Ewart, a teacher in Wales. This contains a range of excellent resources, including a short questionnaire to try to work out what learning style you have. Revision exercises are interactive and there is also a picture gallery. Because the site is used in class, it is constantly updated and improved in response to the reactions of students. Compiled by Amanda Grimwood. For Guardian Education s archive of on the web resources on a whole range of topics, see See resources very Tuesday for more revision tips. PE Good Luck! 39

6 A Place to Study Your study room should be quiet, not too hot or cold. Your eyes will get tired. Make sure there is plenty of light. A table lamp is great. Make sure you have all the equipment you need around you before you start. Pens, pencils, highlighter, rubber, paper etc. Do not study with the TV on. You will be continually distracted! Some people prefer to have quiet music on in the background to help them to focus. Remember too much noise will distract you! Some study can be done almost anywhere why not take flash cards onto the bus with you? Have a set place to study, you will quickly get into the right habits. 5

7 Stress Management Learn to relax Take mini breaks throughout the day. Work on relaxation techniques such as taking slow deep breaths. Get Organised Have a realistic daily schedule including revision, sleep, eating, relationships and recreation. Exercise Physical activity provides relief from stress. 30 mins of sport or a short work out will do the trick. Time Recognise that you can only do so much in a given time. Try to pace, not race. Stress Management Be Positive Talk positively to yourself. Don t pay attention to that internal voice saying you can t do it; tell yourself you can do it and you will do it.. Talk Talking and meeting with friends and occationally sharing deep feelings and thoughts can be helpful in reducing stress. Make a List Make a list of things that are worrying you and the possible things that could happen then your brain will stop bringing them forward all the time. Sleep Don t become overtired by forcing yourself to work late. Your ideal sleep time is about 8 hours a night. Stay Calm Make sure you are in a calm, positive mood before you start studying. Be Healthy Watch your eating habits. Make sure you eat sensibly and have a balanced diet. Drink plenty of water. 7

8 Brain Food Just as an athlete needs to follow a regime to reach their peak fitness, your brain also needs a regime to reach its full potential. Plenty of sleep Your brain needs time to sort out the information it has come across during the day. Drink lots of water The brain is made mostly of water and dehydration will lead to headaches and tiredness. Eat a balanced diet The brain needs a balanced diet, so eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, brain food. Exercise your body The brain uses 20% of oxygen in the blood so you need to think about your posture and exercise to make sure your body gets enough. Exercise your mind Just as muscles need to be stretched and worked so does your mind use brain gyms or puzzles. Avoid too much chocolate, cola, caffeine and foods with lots of additives. These substances interfere with the way your brain functions. 8

9 Revision is Boring! You ve spent 11 years of your life at school and a few months of well planned revision is a small price to pay for future success. An odd hour here and there is not enough. You need to keep to both your long term and weekly revision timetables. Top Ten Revision Tips 1 Short bursts of revision (30-40 minutes) are most effective. Your concentration lapses after about an hour and you need to take a short break (5-10 minutes). 2 Find a quiet place to revise your bedroom, school, the library and refuse to be interrupted or distracted. 3 Make sure you don t just revise the subjects and topics you like. Work on your weaker ones as well. 4 Make your own revision notes because you will remember what you have written down more easily. Stick key notes to cupboard or doors so you see them everyday. 5 Rewrite the key points of your revision notes, read them out loud to yourself. We remember more than twice as much of what we say aloud than of what we merely read. 6 Use different techniques. Make your own learning maps. Use post-it notes to write key words on, create flash cards. Record your notes on tape and listen to them back on your Walkman. Ask friends and family to test you. Use highlighter pens to mark important points. Chant or make up a rap song. 7 Practise on past exam papers or revision tests available on the web (see pages 32-36) Initially do one section at a time and progress to doing an entire paper against the clock. 8 You will need help at some stage; ask parents, older brothers and sisters, teachers or friends. If there is a teacher with whom you get on well at school ask for their address so you can clarify points you are unsure of whilst on study leave. 9 Don t get stressed out! Eat properly and get lots of sleep! 10 Believe in yourself and be positive. If you think you can succeed you will; if you convince yourself that you will fail, that s what will probably happen. 17