TWGGS YEAR 7 EXAMINATION GUIDE 2015 NAME: TUTOR GROUP: 1
THIS BOOKLET IS ALL ABOUT TAKING EXAMINATIONS It is a guide to help all Year 7 girls at TWGGS as you prepare to take your important year examinations. Why do you need to take examinations? 1. Teachers need to know how well you can do without any help from anyone else. 2. You and your parents will find out how well you are doing. 3. When you get older you will take very important GCSE, AS/A2 examinations and you need to know what is expected of you. When are the examinations? The Year 7 examinations take place from Monday 2 nd Thursday 5 th March 2015. How long will the examinations be? All examinations will last 50 minutes. Details about each examination are contained later on in this booklet. Remember Tens of thousands of people never find out where their talent is. Where else are they going to find out but at school? Terry Pratchett, Author Education can open doors and the more doors open to you the more chance you have in life. Sharon Davies, Olympic Silver medallist and television Ice Dancer My advice is to get a good education and then keep on learning acquire new interests and skills throughout your life. Bill Gates, world s richest man 2
ARE YOU READY? Here are some things that you should do before the examination Make sure you have all the notes and work up to date Make sure you know when and where each examination is taking place. Arrive in plenty of time Make sure you revise and prepare effectively Make sure you have the equipment that you need Make sure that you don t panic Remember the Three C s Cool, Calm, Collected Go to the toilet before the exam For all your examinations you will need: 2 pencils (HB) 2 pens 1 ruler 1 rubber 1 pencil sharpener NO Tipex or ink erasers For some examinations you may need: 1 set of coloured pencils (D & T) 1 protractor (Maths) 1 compass (D & T and Maths) 1 calculator (check the batteries) (Maths and Science) REMEMBER You will NOT be able to borrow or share equipment once the examination has started. All your equipment will need to be in a clear plastic bag/clear plastic pencil case. 3
WHAT HAPPENS ON THE DAY OF THE EXAMINATION? 1. Your exams will take place in normal lesson time. Follow your timetable, break and lunchtime will be as normal. 2. If you have an examination you should only take with you the equipment that you will need for that examination. Everything else should be left in your bag, which you should leave at the back of the examination room. 3. If you have a revision session, make sure you have everything you need with you. You will usually revise on your own, in silence. 4. You should line up, in register order and enter the examination room IN SILENCE. 5. You will normally sit alphabetically in your teaching groups. 6. The examination papers will then be given out when everyone is seated. 7. The teacher will give out the instructions that you should follow. You MUST NOT start until you are told to do so. 8. The teacher will write the starting and finishing times on the board at the front. 9. As the examination draws to a close you will be given a 5 minute warning. This is a good time to check your work through. 10. At the end of the examination you will be told to stop writing and to put your pens down. You may finish the sentence that you are writing. 11. Make sure your name is on all your answer papers and that your teacher s name and the subject are also clear. 12. You are not allowed to talk until the teacher has collected in ALL the papers and you are told that the examination is over. 13. After the examination is over in Period 1, you will go to break and then Period 2 is a quiet revision lesson. Period 3 you will go to your next lesson to sit another examination. You then have lunch followed by a revision session in Period 4. Period 5 is the last exam session each day. 4
OH NO! What if I need to ask a question? You should put your hand up and the teacher will come to you. You should ask your question quietly so that you do not disturb anyone else. However, the teacher is not allowed to explain a question or help you to answer it. What if I need to go to the toilet? If you really need to go, ASK the teacher, but you should try to visit the toilet before each exam. What if I drop something? If you drop something your pencil for example do not try to pick it up yourself. Put your hand up and the teacher will come and pick it up for you. What if I need a new piece of paper? Put your hand up and the teacher will bring it to you. Remember to write your name at the top of every piece of paper that you use. What if I finish early? You cannot leave the examination room. You must sit quietly without distracting others around you. Use the time to check your work carefully and add to it if you can. What if I have not finished? You should try to plan your time so that you complete the examination. If you have not finished, you cannot have any extra time. What if I make a mistake? Cross it out neatly and write the correction. You are NOT allowed to use Tipex or ink erasers. What if I feel panicky? Try to concentrate on slowing your breathing down. Close your eyes and breathe in evenly, breathing back out for the same length of time that you breathed in. Continue until you feel calm. IMAGINE YOURSELF OVERCOMING YOUR FEAR AND BEING SUCCESSFUL! YOU MUST NOT COMMUNICATE IN ANY WAY WITH ANOTHER PUPIL. REMEMBER, YOU MUST NOT TALK WHILE YOU ARE IN THE EXAMINATION ROOM. 5
HOW DO I REVISE? You will need: Some rough paper A sharp pencil or pen Your books for each subject A revision timetable (at the back of the booklet) This booklet A list of the topics that need to be revised Tips to create the right environment for revision: A room that is quiet with space (desk and good light) The television should be turned off Try to arrange that you will not be disturbed Little and often is usually seen as the best way to revise, as your concentration levels fall after half an hour Think about what you are going to do and how to do it Carry out your plans Test that you know it Give yourself a reward for doing it. A healthy snack, drink and a 10 minute break between subjects are very important For revision to be effective, it must be active. effectively by just reading through your notes. information. You will not learn You must use the Try to produce revision summaries or spider diagrams. Write questions to test yourself with later Work with a friend and test each other or get someone at home to ask you the questions 6
TOP TIPS FOR REVISION The following need to be learnt off by heart! VOCABULARY for foreign languages DIAGRAMS, DRAWINGS, MAPS for Science, Geography and History FORMULAE, TIMES TABLES for Maths DEFINITIONS for Science and Geography You can also MAKE UP WORD GAMES GET SOMEONE TO TEST YOU parents, sister, brother, friend, yourself BRIEFLY WRITE DOWN THE IMPORTANT POINTS DRAW DIAGRAMS AND FLOW CHARTS (several times) TEST YOURSELF by covering up the original and drawing it again and again READ OUT LOUD DRAW SPIDER DIAGRAMS or MIND MAPS Put up learning posters and key words on your bedroom wall, lie on the bed, shut your eyes, describe them in words, test yourself and be amazed. Good advice for remembering important facts Draw a poster of the important facts Describe all the important facts in a quiet voice to yourself Try to teach someone else or imagine teaching someone else the important facts Act out the important facts Test yourself Practise exam technique in your head imagine you Sit down and make yourself comfortable, look around Breathe deeply and relax Open the exam paper, read the questions and look at the marks for each Swiftly write down the time to spend on each question alongside Successfully answer all the questions, and pass the exam! 7
DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY TIME: 50 minutes. STRUCTURE: 2 sections. Part 1 Initial Ideas Part 2 Developing final idea, comparing to specification list KEY TOPICS You will be given a design brief, a specification list and some images for inspiration. The specification list contains statements which outline the nature of the project; suitable target audience, safety aspects, style, etc. Your first task will be to create a range of ideas to meet the design brief and specification. The second part requires you to develop / change an idea to further improve the design. In this second task we ask that you clearly explain how you have met the specification points. It is important that you label all of your ideas to provide as much information as possible. This may include the material that could be used to make the item, dimensions, reasons for a particular style etc. Please keep the presentation of your work neat but we are mainly looking for a creative response to the task. Remember to bring pencils for drawing, coloured pencils, pen, eraser and a ruler. Good Luck! GEOGRAPHY TIME: 50 minutes. STRUCTURE: 5 sections UK and World Geography, Map Skills, Settlement, Oceans, Shopping. KEY POINTS FOR REVISION: Learn your human and physical UK maps. Know your map of continents and locations of important countries Scale, map symbols, direction, 4 & 6 figure grid references may be asked for Different types of settlements and patterns for villages Threats to oceans and how we can better manage these threats Changes in retail over time OTHER ADVICE Read questions carefully Be careful with timing 8
HISTORY TIME: 50 minutes. STRUCTURE: Two 25 minute sessions: Section A Source analysis Section B Own knowledge KEY REVISION TOPICS Battle of Hastings Square Keep/Motte and Bailey Castles The Feudal System Murder of Thomas Becket King John and the Magna Carta OTHER ADVICE: Be careful about timing Read the question carefully and answer it carefully SCIENCE TIME: Two examinations 50 minutes each. STRUCTURE: Short answer questions in SATs style. Answer in answer booklet. Paper 1 will test scientific knowledge e.g. recall of facts. Paper 2 will test science skills e.g. drawing graphs, data handling and experimental design. KEY TOPICS: All work covered is examinable and some knowledge of KS2 work is assumed. REVISION/EXAMINATION ADVICE: Use a Revision Guide if you have one eg Lonsdale (coursebook) Use your class notes and KS3 Science websites e.g. Bitesize. Doc Brown quizzes Read the questions carefully and think about what to write. Check your answers Remember your calculator! 9
MATHEMATICS TIME: Two examinations: 50 minutes each. STRUCTURE: 1 calculator paper, 1 non calculator paper. KEY TOPICS: The examination will be based on the first 11 chapters of the text book. REVISION GUIDANCE: Practise using the questions from Collins Year 7 text book Use your family and friends to help you. Try explaining your ideas to them Read your notes and make sure they make sense Why not practise with the minitest questions again, or even the summary homeworks Check with your friends to make sure that you have all the topics in your neat book Work through the questions on the revision sheet provided by your mathematics teacher REMEMBER YOUR CALCULATOR REMEMBER YOUR COMPASSES REMEMBER YOUR PROTRACTOR GERMAN TIME: 50 minutes and listening before the examination period. Speaking before or after the examination period. STRUCTURE: Reading and Writing. You will have a paragraph to write about yourself, your family and school, and some grammar exercises (involving verbs). KEY TOPICS and POINTS FOR REVISION: Information about yourself and your family Colours Numbers School, subjects, timetable, time, food and clothes Where you live Items in your school bag and pencil case General questions and answers Everything covered since September is examinable OTHER GUIDANCE Go over the Lernzieltest sections at the end of Chapters 1 2 and first 4 units in Chapter 3 of your textbook to test yourself Revise all the vocabulary including the spelling (maybe on Vocab Express) Write vocabulary out several times and get someone at home to test you Practise talking in German (perhaps by using a tape recorder) Make up some German word games Prepare vocabulary cards and posters to revise 10
FRENCH TIME: 50 minutes + listening after or before the examination period. Speaking after or before the examination period.. STRUCTURE: Reading and writing. You will have 5 sentences, a letter and a grammar exercise to do (involving verbs). KEY TOPICS AND POINTS FOR REVISION: Descriptions Pets er verbs Colours Likes Avoir Where you live Dislikes Everything covered since Family September is examinable OTHER GUIDANCE Look at the end of each chapter in your textbook and exercise book to test yourself Revise all vocabulary including spelling learn by heart Practice talking in French (perhaps by using a tape recorder) Make up some French word games RELIGIOUS STUDIES TIME: 50 minutes. STRUCTURE: There will be 4 questions, in two sections (two questions per section). Section one will contain two questions on the Jesus module. Section two will contain two questions on the Hinduism module. Girls must answer one question from each section i.e. two questions in all. Each question will be worth 24 marks. Each question is divided into five parts. Parts (a) to (d) test your factual understanding of the topic and are worth 12 marks (i.e. 50% of the available marks). Part (e) covers your personal evaluation of the topic and is also worth 50% of the marks. KEY TOPICS: Understanding Jesus Hinduism OTHER GUIDANCE: Divide your time equally between the questions Be as detailed as possible Answer all parts of the question and be guided by the marks available Remember that evaluation demands that you look at two different opinions concerning the question, as well as your own. In the Hinduism questions, one of those opinions should be from what you imagine might be a Hindu viewpoint, given what you know about Hinduism 11
ENGLISH TIME: 50 minutes. STRUCTURE: 30 minute reading comprehension, followed by a 20 minute writing exercise. KEY POINTS: Reading: Take time to read the passage carefully. Think before writing your answer Look carefully at the wording of the questions Writing: Plan your ideas; they should be ordered and paragraphed. You will need to use interesting and appropriate vocabulary Proof read very carefully for inaccuracies as spelling, punctuation and grammar will be assessed GOOD LUCK! 12
REVISION GRID This page should be used to help you create a revision timetable. During the week before your exams you should continue to follow your Homework Timetable and use the time for revising each subject. Over the weekend you should concentrate on those subjects which will be examined first. Fill in your subject exams and in different colours fill in the subject that you will revise in each revision session. Then fill in which subjects to revise in the evenings. REGISTRATION LESSON1 MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY BREAK LESSON 2 LESSON 3 LUNCH LESSON 4 LESSON 5 EVENING REVISION 13
14