Revision Where to start?

1. Revision Where to start?

2. Getting Started This is the hardest part because we all like to Procrastinate. Particularly if it is something that isn’t much fun like revising.

3. Getting Started Prepare yourself to revise by: • Creating a tidy space to revise where there are no distractions • Having all the resources you need. • Deciding WHEN you will do it.

4. Creating a tidy space to revise where there are no distractions • A place in the house or the library where people are not likely do distract you. • A quiet place away from your mobile phone or computer…reading a text or just checking facebook can waste more time than you think. • No telly. Most people revise best with no music either.

5. Having all the resources you need • In Chemistry (for example) you should have: • All of your Learning Outcomes in your jotter • Textbook (you can sign one out) • Data booklet (you should have one in your jotter) • Homework (online) • Evans2chemweb (online) • BBC bitesize (online) • Pens, pencils, calculator and paper

6. Deciding WHEN you will do it Revising isn’t HARD but it is TIME CONSUMING. The key is to make the time and plan your revision so you can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

7. How Long Should I Revise For? Most people can only focus on one thing for a maximum of 20 minutes at a time. This doesn’t mean that you can only revise for 20 minutes at a time it just means you need to CHANGE what you are doing every 20 minutes. Take a break every hour for about 10 minutes. It can help to build rewards into your study time. Eg. Revise for an hour (3x 20 min sessions of different things) then phone a friend for 10 minutes. Just make sure your 10 minute break doesn’t turn into a 2 hour break!

8. Planning your Life during revision time During revision time it is essential that you accept that for this short period of time revision has to be the most important thing. You can’t revise all the time so you need to build in the other things you need (or want) to do into your timetable. Cut right back on things like TV, socialising, internet (if not for study), video games. Keep some time for sport and socialising (and those things above if it makes you happy!). Plan this time into your timetable.

9. Planning your Revision Copy and complete this table to plan out your revision timetable.

10. Planning your Revision Once you know how long you have to revise you can structure your revision. In Chemistry you need to learn and practice questions from the following topics: Topic 1 – Chemical Reactions Topic 2 – Speed of Reactions Topic 3 – Atoms and the Periodic Table Topic 4 – How Atoms Combine Topic 5 – Fuels Topic 6 – Hydrocarbons

11. Ready to Revise First Stop – Learning Outcomes! You will have very specific learning outcomes for each topic. You need to KNOW ALL OF THIS! • Traffic light them yourself then use some of the following methods to learn the ones you don’t know. • Flash cards (question on one side answer on the other) • Mind map including just the ones you don’t know • Make a powerpoint to illustrate the things you don’t know. • Make a quiz for someone else and get them to make one for you. • Get someone at home to quiz you again and again until you know them all.

12. Something you just can’t remember? Some Tricks!

13. Make a poster (or post-its) of the thing you need to remember. Put it up in a place where you can look at it regularly – like the back of the bathroom door or in the kitchen.

14. Mneumonics Monkeys Eat Pink Bananas My Very Educated Mother Just Served Us Nothing

15. Reduction of Information Method Do you learn by writing things out? Try this…. • Get someone to quiz you on your learning outcomes and traffic light them. • On a new piece of paper write out the ones you didn’t get green. • Get quizzed and traffic lighted again. • On another new sheet write out the ones you didn’t get green. • Repeat until there are only a few. • Move onto the next topic. • Repeat then add the few you are still working on to your first topic list. • By the end you will have just one sheet for the 6 topics of work. This is just the information you need to work on. Carry it around, look at it, get people to quiz you.

16. What if there’s a problem? • If you don’t understand some of the learning outcomes you need to: • Use resources to help you. These can be textbooks or online tutorials (there are loads out there) • See your teacher and get them to explain it to you again (the day before your exam isn’t ideal – this is why starting to revise early is so important)

17. Golden Rule Revise what you DON’T KNOW If you already know something you don’t need to revise it!

18. Apply your Knowledge OK, you know all your Los now it’s time to try some questions! You have lots of places to get these from and you can do questions specific to the topic you have just studied. • Find questions: • In your textbook • evans2chemweb • Homework – try these again! • BBC bitesize • Google “Standard Grade Chemistry” and you will find lots of resources.

19. Past Paper Questions Your exam will be just like the final exam you will get at the end of 4th year. The only difference is that you will only be tested on the topics you have covered. This makes past papers IDEAL for revision. Try past paper questions once you have completed your revision of LOs and tried some other questions. Old (past) paper questions that are suitable will be posted on the school Chemistry page. The papers themselves can be downloaded for free from the SQA website.

20. And finally…. JUST TAKE THE TIME AND DO IT!