Grade 7 Academic Skills Sarah Dunsford Rundle College 2009-2010

Grade 7 Academic Skills

Sarah Dunsford

Rundle College2009-2010

Agenda

Starting Junior High SchoolAcademic Tips and Strategies

Studying & HomeworkLearning StylesTests

Starting Junior High SchoolStudent Concerns:

Getting to classLockersNo recessPeer pressureOlder students

Academic Concerns:

Keeping up with workNew grading

procedures Harder testsExtra help & tutoring

Student ExpectationsThe 5 Ps

Be PromptBe PreparedBe Polite & a

Positive ParticipantBe ProductiveBe a Problem

Solver

Respect & Responsibility

Value yourselfRespect everybodyHonour others ideasOffer helpBe responsible with

property & belongings

Things That HelpSmall Class SizeExtra TimeHomeroom TeacherExtracurricular ActivitiesStudent ServicesParentsFrame of Mind

Whether you believe you will succeed or not succeed…you’re right!

The Role of Your ParentsFamily involvement is important!

Show your workListen to suggestions…

… then you decide! Help with homeworkStudy partners

Homework? No, STUDYING!The 5 Ws of StudyingWho? You!What? Finish homework, review,

organize, research, larger projects, study for tests.

When? 10 minutes per grade every weekday!

Where? Not the bedroom, good lighting, quiet, free from distractions.

Why? Building habits. How?....

Pg. 33

Taking Good Notes

Organization.

Focus on main ideas and supporting details.

Use margins to write down key ideas.

Kathy J., ScienceJan. 12, p.10

   Dinosaurs 

2 orders

Tyrannosaurus

from 2 Greek wordsdeinos = terrible + saurus = lizarddominated life on land – 140,000

years  Saurischia + Ornithischia ordersover 800 species w/ up. postureSaurischia incl. Tyrannosaurus  largest flesh eater – 12 m in lengthslow, top speed: 5 km/hwarm blooded, laid eggslived during Cretaceous period

Get Organized

•Agenda.•No loose papers anywhere.•Routine.•Stay one step ahead.

Time ManagementWeekly planning.Keep up with work.Break up large

projects.Plan for sabotage.

Multiple short sessions > one long session!

Pg. 34

Learning Styles

Visual – “seeing”Auditory – “hearing”Kinesthetic – “doing”

Helps you find the BEST way to study

Pg. 35-36

Setting Goals Do not set goals based on your marks!

Can't control them.

You can control: Homework completion. Hours worked. Perfect attendance. Extra help.

Example: “My goal is to study one hour a night this week for my math test.”

Weekly Study Planner Sheet – pg 34

Pg. 32

Review classes.

You can tell what will be on the test if the teacher:says something more than once writes material on the board pauses to review notes asks questions of the class says, "This will be on the test!"

Preparing for TestsUnderstanding vs. memorizing.

Reading a textbook isn't studying.The key is structuring.

Activity: Create a Study Sheet for the 7 Step StrategyRemember:

Go through each step outlinedTake out key wordsWrite out steps in order

Pg. 20-21

The 7 Step StrategyKey words or phrases

Biggest mistake is approach

Key is retentionRetention =

comprehension, understanding material

Ticket to retention is structuring

“Make material your own”

7 Step System1. Unit outline2. Use your study

guide & text3. Highlight headings4. Table of Contents

(TOC)5. Highlight content6. Add to TOC7. Study core

document

Study Cycles

Study everything the first time.Re-study what you don't know well.Re-study what you don't know well. Repeat until you're confident with it all

More on Study StrategiesThe 10 Minutes Memory Boost – pg 22

Visual Thinking Strategies – pg 23-24

Study in Same Mode – pg 25

Test Taking StrategiesBe positive.Cycling Through Test – pg 25

Scan, Easy, Harder, FinalUniversal Test Taking Plan –pg 30

Brain dumping! -Read instructions, format, weightingWrite on the test.Review careless mistakes.

Multiple Choice StrategyAnalyze information.Cover response, read question.Read again, identify key words.Re-word question.Think of correct answer.Uncover response, read one by one:

Cross out if incorrect.Leave it if it might be correct.

Choose response.Pg. 27

Multiple Choice Question:The road in Calgary on which you are least

likely to find a McDonald’s is

a) 17th Avenue Southb) Macleod Trailc) Deerfoot Traild) Whyte Ave.

Step 3:The road in Calgary on which you are least likely to

find a McDonald’s is

Step 4:Which road in Calgary has no McDonald’s?

Step 5:“I know there are McDonald’s on busy roads.

Usually they are not on freeways or residential areas though.”

a) 17th Avenue South (Lots of McDonald’s there)

b) Macleod Trail (Lots of McDonald’s there)

c) Deerfoot Trail (This could be the answer)

d) Whyte Ave. (I don’t know this road)

Which choice is the BEST answer?

Various FormatsWritten response

Short answer Long answerEssaysTrue and False

Pg. 29

Take Care of YourselfFeed Your BrainGet RestCope with StressDeal with Test AnxietyBalance Studying with FunAvoid ProcrastinationPositive Self Talk

Good Luck!