Preparing for an APES Test

1. Preparing for an APES Test Mrs. Peake APES 2010-2011

2. While reading… • Read the chapter thoroughly to include the case studies and the small articles. • While Reading: • Pay close attention to all of the boldface terms • Be able to explain any processes or cycles, such as the Carbon Cycle.. • Be able to identify any parts and the function of those parts from the diagrams in your book. Example, Nuclear Power Plants, Sanitary Landfills, .. • Be able to explain the diagram. For example_ How does a Nuclear Power Plant generate electricity, How is a sanitary landfill built. How does it work. • Be able to explain any graph. • Be able to perform any calculations.

3. Notes and Outlines Review your notes and outline of the chapter. Pay close attention to the topics that we spent a lot of time on. Also, study twice the material I gave you notes on Study each night for 20-30 minutes. If you try to study for hours the night before a test you will not be rested and are more likely to get the facts mixed up. Your brain retains more if you study chunks of information at a time

4. Vocab, Labs, & Online Resources • Review your chapter vocabulary – make flashcards and/or study using the flashcards option on the textbook resource page • If given a chapter review worksheet – study it and use your textbook to insure your answers are correct. The worksheet has sample questions similar in format and difficulty level to those that will be on your test. I often take questions directly from the worksheet and put them on your test. • Use your online features  www.brookscole.com/ Take the practice quiz, use the flashcards, read the articles. Use your Textbook CD, Go through the activities.

5. The AP Test FRQ (and for my tests too) FIRST, you must be prepared by thoroughly reading the chapter, and paying close attention to the to the theories, concepts, and especially the diagrams, guest essays, and case studies. These topics appear frequently on the A. P. Exam. Example: a) When reading about a nuclear power plant, make sure you understand its operation and can identify its parts. b) When studying food chains and food webs, Be able to draw, label, and fill in a food chain or web. Furthermore, you may be ask to create a food web of a certain biome like a rainforest or the tundra. Be prepared. c) Be prepared to perform any calculations, graph data on a grid system, or design an experiment. Population calculations and energy use and consumption, (BTU), problems are common.

6. The AP Test FRQ (continued) SECOND, When you get your essay, READ the entire Question before you start. The main reason for this is that many students put answers for one section of the Question in places the information does not belong and then do not receive any credit. NEXT, Take 2-3 minutes and brainstorm the topic in each section. Write everything you can remember in outline format, (one word), on your scrap paper. You can re-expand these into full sentences later, plus this way you will not forget something important and leave it out of your answer.

7. The AP Test FRQ (continued) FORMAT: It is very important to use the correct format. Not following these rules can result in your answers classified as UNSCORABLE. Remember, each FRQ is 10% of the A.P. Test. Also, you will be given four FRQ’s with 90 minutes to complete your answers. That is about 22.5 minutes per question. • You cannot make a list. Example: Name three things that……Use complete sentences • You may NOT use any abbrev. Except for the chemical symbols/ equations you learned in class. • Write large enough that it can easily be read. • Do not try to hide your answer nor at any time to you want it to seem as if you are not sure of your own response. Do not use phrases like – I think it is, I believe that the answer…..

8. The AP Test FRQ (continued) Other Do’s and Dont’s: 1. Show all work in a calculation problem. Always use scientific notation. No credit is given for just an answer. You do not need to use words, Just solve the problem- a) 3.0 x 10 2 x 1.0 x 10 2 = 3.0 X 10 4 lbs of coal. Include the correct units in your answer. Remember, one of your FRQ is a calculation problem. 2. Do Not Skip a Part of or the entire question. Do Not rewrite or restate any part of the question. – No Credit is given for this. 3. ALWAYS put your strongest answer first. Only the first response is graded. 4. Use the terms you learned throughout this course in your answers. However, if you use a term, you must define it in your answer. Example:……..Through the process of biomagnification. Biomagnification is the process of …………… 5. Do NOT use Vague statements. Complete your thoughts. Example : Burning coal causes air pollution. This statement is WRONG. Burning coal with a high content of sulfur forms sulfur dioxide which reacts with the water vapor in the atmosphere to form sulfuric acid deposition. 6. This is not an English question but a Science Question. Do Not use an introduction or a Conclusion. 7. Answer using facts you learned in this course. Be SPECIFIC. 8. Leave out opinions or personal feelings on the topic. No Points.

9. The AP Test FRQ (continued) More Do’s and Don’ts: 9. Do NOT agree or disagree with the statements in the questions, unless you are told to do so. 10. When making an argument for or against a topic, it must be more than one sentence, and you must support your answer using facts. Example: The use of pesticides is essential in growing crops. Without pesticides insects would destroy almost one third of the harvest. This would lead to an overall decline in food production and leave many people without enough food / daily nutrients and cause diseases related to nutrient deficiencies. 11. When discussing a trend in a pattern from a graph, be specific, the value increased or decreased. Never use it went up or it went down. 12. Be prepared to graph or interpret data from a graph. This is common on AP FRQ. When graphing, Title your graph, make sure your scale has the correct intervals, construct a key if necessary, draw a best line fit to connect points. NO Sharp Angles. 13. Do not study the topics you already know. Study what you do not Know. 14. One of your FRQ will connect to a current event. However, there is a lag time of two years. In other words, your question topic will come from an event that happened two years ago. 15. Another major item is that you may be asked to design an experiment using the scientific method. State your Hypothesis clearly. Discuss your control set up and discuss your experimental set up. Be realistic. Do not state an expected outcome. 16. Use the cause – effect – consequence rule when discussing pollution. 17. On AP Test Day you will be given two forms: One green form with the questions and Several Pink forms. Put all answers, Show all work on the Pink Form. No credit is given for any answer on the green form.