Page 1 of 11 Valley Catholic Middle School First Semester Final Exams Tuesday, January 30 Thursday, February 1, 2018 What are finals/ final exams? Final exams are comprehensive tests that are given at the end of each semester. Most final exams last for one hour. However, the high school level classes, such as foreign language and math, may last one hour and twenty minutes. Your final will cover material from several units of study or may cover everything taught within this school year. The final will not cover new material (everything will have been addressed in class prior - through an activity, lesson, assignment, etc. However, you may not have been TESTED on the material before the final.) What will be on the final? Each of your teachers will give you a study guide at least one week prior to your scheduled exam. Pay close attention to the study guide. It will help you decide what information and to what depth you should study each topic. What format is a final exam? Each teacher s final exam will be different, so again, pay attention when the study guide and final exam information is presented in class. The study guide should give you some indication as to whether you need to have enough knowledge to find/match a topic or if you have to write a full essay (with supporting details) on a topic. Finals include: In-class presentations (Typically in music, art, computer and foreign language) Short answers (true/false, matching, fill-in the blank, etc.) Essay (well developed concept supported by BOTH the content/facts and grammatical elements/structure) Diagrams/pictures/mapping (you may need to illustrate a concept) Many tests have combinations of these areas. Again, your teacher will tell you on your study guide what type of final exam you will be taking. How can you prepare? The Basic Preparation Needed Study the material provided. You should spend a minimum of a WEEK; yes a week, studying for your final exams. Spend 20-30 minutes EACH night reviewing (not organizing material that is finished over and beyond the 20-30 minutes).
Page 2 of 11 Time Off School This is for Study Time: On final exams days, you are only at school a few hours in the morning. This is so you have time to study in the afternoon. Use the time wisely. Ask any questions that you might have as soon as you can the day the study guide is given out is the best time to ask. Check your notes and make sure you have all the materials you need. If not, get copies from a RELIABLE student not just one of my friends. Review your old quizzes and tests. Many teachers take questions directly from old tests. They may be word for word but most often appear rewritten. If you know you have to write something on your test, from a short paragraph to a full 3 page essay, practice this. Write an outline with specific details. Study the outline so you know how to structure the essay (introduction, body, and conclusion) and to make sure you have enough content (it s hard to bluff your way through an essay don t try to wing it ). If that means you are told you have one of three possible topics that will appear on the test, then prepare for all three. Day of the Test: Come prepared a. Be in your classroom 5 minutes before the scheduled test. b. Have all the supplies needed (SHARPENED pencils, pens, paper, Kleenex, note cards, homework that needs to be turned in, etc.) i. Better yet, have extra supplies in case something happens. Take care of yourself a. Eat well. Do not skip meals or eat junk food. Often when we are stressed our first instinct is to eat fun food. This will not help you in the long run. b. Drink water staying hydrated helps. c. Eat breakfast the day of the exams even if it is small. But I don t normally eat breakfast well you don t normally take 90 minute exams that count for a large part of your grade either. (Besides, you really should each something healthy each morning.) d. Get your rest If you start to study a week before the exam, you will not need to stay up late and cram. You will need to be sharp and focused while testing. e. Relax and know that all your hard studying will pay off. Your teachers want you to succeed. They want to see you pass with flying colors. They want you to do your best. No tricks.
Page 3 of 11 Getting Ready for Finals: Work to be completed the end of the first school week in January (It is highly encouraged for students to complete some of these tasks over Christmas Break): If you have time over break to work on a few organizational pieces, you will find finals to be much easier than waiting until January to begin organizing study materials. These are suggestions you are not required to complete this during break. Review your old quizzes and tests. Many teachers take questions directly from old tests. They may be word for word but most often appear rewritten just a bit. a. Organize: Go through all your tests and quizzes from September and put them in order. If you are missing any make a note to get copies from a RELIABLE student not just one of your friends. b. Review: Make sure you look at all the questions, if you missed ANY questions including if you missed part of a question fix it. Go through your notes, textbook, handouts to find the correct and complete answer. Do this for every test and quiz since September. c. Evaluate: As you review your tests, see if there is any question, essay, or even topic that is difficult for you to remember or that you never really understood. Go through your notes, textbook, handouts to see if you can find the answer and if it makes sense to you. If not, make a note to see the teacher about this question, essay, or topic. d. Plan: Make a To-Do list for your return to school. Be sure to include notes to clarify any questions you have with the teacher or to collect another copy of a test/quiz, notes from a RELIABLE student. Better yet, send an e- mail to the teacher and the RELIABLE student asking for help when you return to school. Work to be completed during the second and third school week in January If you know you have to write something for your final, from a short paragraph to a full 3 page essay, practice writing this over the next week a. Write an outline with specific details b. Study the outline so you know how to structure the essay (introduction, body, and conclusion) c. Make sure you have enough content (it s hard to bluff your way through an essay don t try to wing it ). Repeat: If that means you are told you have one of three possible topics that will appear on the test, then prepare for all three possible essays.
Page 4 of 11 Work to be completed once you receive Study Guides (usually the third school week in January.) This is also Dead Week where no new CONTENT is assigned. Take 1-2 subjects per night, following the steps (below) for EACH subject. Steps to follow for EACH study guide. Go through each question and identify how many parts/answers are required. Identify HOW MANY parts/answers are required for each question. You are not finding those answers. You will complete the answers at another time of your choosing as you prepare for finals. Review the teacher s study guide material (Does the hard copy contain everything or were additional directions given orally or on the board?) This is a simple yes or no question. Was there anything special that you needed to use in addition to the study guide, even if it is extra credit? If the answer is yes, list what else you will be using to study. 3. Pretend the study guide is an open book test. Write out the answers in enough detail to get an A on the pretend open book test do this for EVERY class that has a final exam. Complete sentences are not needed at this point. Set time for when you anticipate doing this. It may be tonight or it may be this weekend. 4. Write out possible answers to any potential essay questions (this means if there are three possible essays, you write out ideas for all three. An simple outline form or bullet points of specific content is fine). Identify the potential essay questions and set up a structure for writing out the ideas for each essay. You DO NOT need to complete this, but you may. Set a time for when you anticipate doing this. 5. Reduce your notes to a few index cards or sheets of paper that can be used as a quick review this may end up being notes based off the teacher provided study guide 6. Go through all old diagrams, maps, etc. that will be on the test correct them if they are not accurate better yet, use a blank one and try it from memory. 7. Without looking at your notes/corrected tests/textbook, recite key points (or use flash cards or have someone quiz you orally on this). Check your answers to see that they were not only correct but also DETAILED enough. Do your best, put in at least 30 minutes to complete the tasks above you may work on it longer than 30 minutes if you have time in your schedule but today s work is to help you start preparing to study. It should not take away from your other work time.
Page 5 of 11 First Semester Final Exam Schedule - January 2018 Drop Off: SILENT study sessions will be offered starting at 7:50 a.m. However, if you can make the arrangements, we encourage students to catch up on their sleep. Pick-Up: Please make arrangements to pick up your child no later than 10 minutes after the completion of the last scheduled final exam. Due to various testing schedules, MS students cannot wait at the middle school or high school until their elementary school or high school siblings are dismissed. Tuesday, Jan. 30th School begins at 8:45 a.m. (Doors open for a silent study hall starting at 7:25 a.m.) School dismisses at 11:00 a.m. (no study hall, sibling care, or after school activities) EXCEPT for students enrolled in French or Spanish. Time Grade Subject 8:45 9:45 6 th English 10:00 11:00 6 th Writing Assessment 8:45 9:45 7 th English 10:00 11:00 7 th Writing Assessment 8:45 9:45 8 th English 10:00 11:00 8 th Writing Assessment 11:15 12:30 8 th French and Spanish Wednesday, Jan. 31st School begins at 8:45 a.m. (Doors open for a silent study hall starting at 7:25 a.m.) School dismisses at 11:15 a.m. (no study hall, sibling care, or after school activities) Time Grade Subject 8:45 9:45 6 th Math 10:00 11:15 6 th Social Studies 8:45 9:45 7 th Math 10:00 11:15 7 th Social Studies 8:45 9:45 8 th Math 10:00 11:15 8 th Social Studies Thursday, Feb. 1 st School begins at 8:45 a.m. (Doors open for a silent study hall starting at 7:25 a.m.) School dismisses at 11:00 a.m. (no study hall, sibling care, or after school activities) Time Grade Subject 8:45 9:45 6 th Science 10:00 11:00 6 th Religion 8:45 9:45 7 th Science 10:00 11:00 7 th Religion 8:45 10:00 8 th Science 10:15 11:00 8 th Religion
Page 6 of 11 Tips for Taking Different Types of Tests Taken from: ingtips.com/test/openbook.htm Multiple Choice Test Taking Tips Tips on answering multiple choice questions: Read the question before you look at the answer. Come up with the answer in your head before looking at the possible answers, this way the choices given on the test won't throw you off or trick you. Eliminate answers you know aren't right. Read all the choices before choosing your answer. If there is no guessing penalty, always take an educated guess and select an answer. Don't keep on changing your answer, usually your first choice is the right one, unless you misread the question. In "All of the above" and "None of the above" choices, if you are certain one of the statements is true don't choose "None of the above" or one of the statements are false don't choose "All of the above". In a question with an "All of the above" choice, if you see that at least two correct statements, then "All of the above" is probably the answer. A positive choice is more likely to be true than a negative one. Usually the correct answer is the choice with the most information. True-False Test Tips-Help Usually there are more true answers than false on most tests. If there is no guessing penalty, then guess. You have a 50% chance of getting the right answer. Read through each statement carefully, and pay attention to the qualifiers and keywords. Qualifiers like "never, always, and every mean that the statement must be true all of the time. Usually these type of qualifiers lead to a false answer. Qualifiers like "usually, sometimes, and generally" mean that the statement can be considered true or false depending on the circumstances. Usually these type of qualifiers lead to an answer of true. If any part of the question is false, then the entire statement is false but just because part of a statement is true doesn't necessarily make the entire statement true. Essay tests: Read question carefully to see what you are being asked Less is more; write short paragraphs with focused content Write neatly Plan your time: o 10: think and organize o 40: minutes to write an essay o 10: revise & proofread (check content, general vocabulary, spelling, etc.)
Page 7 of 11 Quantitative-Math Test Taking Tips Repetition is important in math. You learn how to solve problems by doing them so keep on practice problems but don't do it blindly. Make sure you learn how to recognize when/why you should use a specific method to solve a problem. Work on practice problems for each topic ranging in levels of difficulty. When practicing, try to solve the problem on your own first then look at the answer or seek help if you are having trouble. Mix up the order of the questions from various topics when you are reviewing so you'll learn when to use a specific method/formula. Make up a sheet with all the formulas you need to know and memorize all the formulas on the sheet. When you get your exam, write down all the key formulas on the margin of your paper so if you forget them when you're in the middle of the test you can look back at the formula. Read the directions carefully and don't forget to answer all parts of the question. Make estimates for your answers... e.g. if you are asked to answer 48 x 12 =?, you could expect a number around 500 but if you end up with an answer around 5000, you'll know you did something wrong. Show all your work (especially when partial credit is awarded) and write as legibly as possible. Even if you know the final answer is wrong, don't erase your entire work because you may get partial credit for using the correct procedure. Check over your test after you are done with it. If you have time, redo the problems on a separate piece of paper and see if you come up with the same answers the second time around. Look for careless mistakes such as making sure the decimal is in the right place, that you read the directions correctly, that you copied the numbers correctly, that you put a negative sign if it is needed, that your arithmetic is correct and so on. Short Answer Test Tips-Help Use flashcards; write the key terms, dates and concepts on the front and the definition, event, and explanations on the back. Try to anticipate questions that will be asked on the test and prepare for them. Usually what your instructor emphasizes in class will be on the test. Try not to leave an answer blank. Show your work/write down your thoughts, even if you don't get the exact answer, partial credit is usually awarded. If you don't know the answer, come back to it after you finish the rest of the test and make an educated guess. Other parts of the test may give you clues to what the answer may be. If you can think of more than one answer for a question, ask the instructor what to do. Read the question carefully and make sure that you answer everything that it asks for. Some short answer questions have multiple parts.
Page 8 of 11 Essay Test Tips-Help Read the directions carefully. Pay close attention to whether you are supposed to answer all the essays or only a specified amount (e.g. "Answer 2 out of the 3 questions). Make sure that you understand what the question is asking you. If you're not, ask your instructor. Make sure that you write down everything that is asked of you and more. The more details and facts that you write down, the higher your grade is going to be. Budget your time, don't spend the entire test time on one essay. If the question is asking for facts, don't give your personal opinion on the topic. When writing your essay, try to be as neat as possible, neater papers usually receive higher marks. Make an outline before writing your essay. This way your essay will be more organized and fluid. If you happen to run out of time, most instructors will give you partial credit for the ideas that you have outlined. Don't write long introductions and conclusions, the bulk of your time should be spent on answering the question(s) asked. Focus on one main idea per a paragraph. If you have time left at the end, proofread your work and correct any errors. Budget your time. If you have an hour to write 3 essays, spend no more than 20 minutes on each essay, then if you have time left over at the end go back and finish any incomplete essays. If you aren't sure about an exact date or number, use approximations e.g. "Approximately 5000" or "In the late 17th century." If you make a mistake, simply draw a line through it, it is much neater and quicker than erasing it. Open Book Test Taking Tips Spend an equal or greater amount of time preparing as you would for a normal test. The open book test will most likely be harder than if it were a closed book exam. Familiarize yourself with the book and relevant materials. If it's allowed, write down all the important formulas and key information on a separate sheet so you don't have to search through your book for it. Focus on learning the main ideas and get a feel for where they are located in the book, learn the details later if there's still time. Highlight important points, use post-it notes, bookmarks and make notes in your book, if it is allowed. Bring all the resources that your professor or teacher allows. Answer the easy questions that you know off the top of your head first, then go back and answer the questions where you need to reference your book. Use quotations from the book to support your view, but don't over-quote, be sure to give your own insight and commentary.
Page 9 of 11 Oral Test Tips-Help Confirm the time and place of the test with your teacher. Find out what topics you'll be tested on and if you are allowed to bring any props, visual aids, and how you should dress. Be sure to prepare for the oral exam as you would any other exam. Anticipate questions that may be on the exam. Prepare answers for the questions and then ask/answer questions that you think might be asked with another person, preferably with someone in your class who knows the material. Practice talking in front of a mirror so that you can evaluate your body language and/or record your answers on audio tape and play it back to see how you sound or on a video tape to see how you sound and your composure. If you are using a computer or other equipment for your exam, test it out several times and make sure everything is the way you want it to be. Show up at least a few minutes early so that you can gather your thoughts and not feel rushed. Being late may also have an adverse effect on your grade. Turn off your cell phone before taking the exam. Dress accordingly. Maintain good eye contact and posture. Don't slouch if you're sitting or lean if you're standing. Pay close attention to the questions asked. If you don't understand the question ask for clarification or ask your instructor to repeat the question. Speak in complete sentences. Try not to give one or two word answers, whenever possible. Be sure to thank the instructor for his/her time when you are finished with the test. How To Use a Study Guide Study Guides are provided by teachers for larger tests and final exams. Simple quizzes do not have study guides since these type of assessments are used to check for understanding on a smaller amount of content. Study guides are tools that the teacher provides the students to help the students organize information into a cohesive tool that may be used to help studying In middle school, teachers look for more than just a simple answer such as listing memorizing facts and definitions. You are expected to provide in-depth answers that are supported with details and may also ask for comparisons to other content areas. The study guide helps you identify the areas where deeper answers and comparisons will be expected. In other words, you have to argue why your answer is correct and include the proof that your argument is correct with information from your notes or textbook. It no longer works, for most short answer and essay questions, to simply write the correct answer. This will likely only give you partial credit (as it is only a partial answer.)
Page 10 of 11 What should you do before starting the study guide? Review the teacher s instructions for the upcoming test. Is everything listed on the study guide or are there additional materials not found on the guide such as a map, diagram or essay component? In other words, if you ONLY study the material on the study guide, will you be missing part of the material that will be on the test? Read the study guide completely through before starting to study. 3. 4. Before starting to work on the study guide, go through any quizzes that cover the same material. Correct (write in, not just review) the answers that were either not complete/fully answered or were incorrect. 5. Look at each and every question. Literally mark the number of parts each question contains: Who is the author and how old was she when she wrote the book? a. This question has two parts: Who is the author How old was she when she wrote the book Identify Darry, Soda, and Ponyboy. a. This question has three parts: Identify Darry Identify Soda 3. Identify Ponyboy 3. Compare and Contrast the Greasers and Socs a. This question has three parts (tricky) Find examples of how the Greasers and Socs are the same. Find examples of how the Greasers are different form the Socs. 3. Find examples of how the Socs are different form the Greasers. 6. Divide the study guide into parts, with different parts being completed over different nights, based on the amount of time you have to study for the test and the length of the study guide.
Page 11 of 11 Final Exam Prep - Assessment for Binder Organization Subject What content will be on the final? What do you need to do ON YOUR OWN with the study guide? Will there be Short answers (true/false, matching, fill-in the blank, etc.)? Will there be vocabulary words? If so, how many? Will there be an essay on the exam? How long? Topic/s? Will you be graded on grammatical elements/structure? Will you need to illustrate/dr aw/label/ex plain a concept, diagrams, pictures, or a map? Is there an verbal or in- Class presentation portion to the final (like for world language)? In looking at study materials, are they in a binder with another subject/s? English Health/PE Math Religion Science Social Studies