Tower Hill School 8th Grade Study Skills By Specific Subjects

English Novel Study:

❏ Highlight key elements, ❏ Circle unfamiliar vocabulary, ❏ Write three important questions/comments at the end of each chapter

Notes in Class: ❏ Use a skeletal outline, or ❏ Use an outline that is specific to your best learning practice when writing essays

Test Taking: ❏ Review notes ❏ Practice using vocabulary in context ❏ Attend review sessions

Writing: ❏ Always make an outline ❏ Use rubric and checklist to gauge progress ❏ Edit with teacher, ❏ Recheck guidelines, ❏ Write final draft

In general: Keep your notes organized in binder so that you can use them as a reference Math

❏ Do homework each night ❏ Check homework answers with the back of the book.

o If you get any incorrect, see if you can find your mistake. o If you cannot find your mistake, be ready to ask questions in class and listen to the discussion

about the homework. ❏ Complete practice problems to study for a test. The more you practice the concepts, the better you will

understand the material! ❏ When completing assignments, aim for understanding (not to simply complete the assignment). If you

can explain the concept to someone else, then you will have a thorough understanding of the topic.

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History Study Smarter, Not Longer

❏ Write like an Egyptian Cave Man! Studies have shown that highlighting can often detract from your understanding of the material and may not be as effective a tool for memory retention/comprehension as writing summary notations/phrases in the text margins. Design your own visually creative hieroglyphics – use symbols, notations and phrases to reiterate and condense each paragraph. Read one paragraph at a time and use outline, mapping or Cornell note taking methods - write in Cave Man!

❏ Take a Hot Air Balloon Ride Take a big picture view of the “Big Ideas” and “Main Ideas” of each section. Understand the Key Terms and People. Be able to relate the section headings to the Big Ideas. Have someone quiz you and/or make creative flash cards. Pay special attention to photos, charts, graphs, pictures and maps. How do they relate to the Big Idea of the section reading? Review Handouts, Test, Quizzes, and Class Notes. Studies show students who summarize their notes within 24 hours of initially recording them are more likely to remember the information.

❏ Talk to Fido Studying means practicing new information until you know and understand it. If you know something, you can connect it with other knowledge you have. Knowing and understanding require more effort than memorizing. To know and understand, you need to practice what you learn just like you practice piano, lacrosse or ping pong. If you can put a concept or idea in your own words, it reflects understanding. In your own words, describe for Fido the impact the Bolshevik Revolution had on WWI!

❏ Know what you don’t know – huh? Review quizzes and home works. Don’t spend time and energy on what you know. Spend time on what you don’t know – go back and right those wrongs! Use your text, teachers and classmates as resources.

❏ Get a Clue If you were the teacher, what questions would you put on the test? Science

❏ Organize all handouts, labs, and quizzes chronologically in your binder. ❏ Keep your Science Journal neat and up to date. Every entry should have a date, title, and be referenced in

your journal’s index. ❏ When reading, use SQ3R:

o Skim for a general overview of the content o Ask yourself questions about what you will learn, or form questions from the subtitles o Read the assignment, pausing to write brief summary statements after each section o Review your notes often o Rehearse what you’ve learned by answering your introductory questions and section review

questions. ❏ Correct all test errors on time, and file in classroom portfolio. ❏ Resubmit all graded work below 70%. ❏ Review new material daily to be ready for quizzes. ❏ Get extra help as soon as you feel confused. Fifth period is a good time. ❏ Check your assignments on TOWERNET when you are out, and make up missed labs promptly when you

return. Get copies of Teaching Assistant’s notes.

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Languages Latin

Vocabulary ❏ Make flashcards for the new vocabulary.

o Divide the cards according to the kind of word (verb, noun, adjective, adverb, etc.) o Work with one set of cards per day in an effort to memorize the vocabulary.

❏ Put your vocabulary on a piece of paper that is folded in half length-wise. o Write the meaning on one side, and the Latin on the other. o As you go down the list, open the folded paper to check words you might not remember.

❏ Create English sentences with the Latin word in the sentence. Perhaps you write out the word’s meaning in sentence form. That way, you might remember the word by remembering the context in which you saw it.

Translation ❏ Find the verb ❏ Determine person, number, tense ❏ Identify the subject of the verb ❏ Identify other information: direct objects, indirect objects, possession, prepositions with nouns,

etc. ❏ Put the sentence or phrase together, starting with the subject and verb

Spanish & French

Vocabulary ❏ Color code masculine (blue) and feminine words ❏ Write out each word 5 times while saying it to yourself. Include articles in your memorization ❏ Review 5 words from vocabulary list per day

Verbs ❏ Conjugate each verb 5 times, while saying it out loud ❏ Review verbs daily (divide and conquer) ❏ Have a parent, sibling, friend help to quiz you orally

Grammar ❏ Review class lessons and notes daily ❏ Ask any questions in class the following day ❏ Do practice exercises online, by visiting the website that corresponds with your textbook.

Band

Goal: Practice 15 – 30 minutes on the days that band does not meet. o Practice facilities in the music building are available for student use during study hall

When practicing: ❏ Do a short warm-up: scales, long tones, slurs, flexibility exercises, lines from their book. ❏ Spend some time playing the challenging sections of the band music. Spending time working on

playing a few challenging measures is a much better use of time than playing entire pieces. Work on playing them slowly and then gradually speed them up.

Band directors are available for extra help – come see us.