My Revision Book of

Techniques

Name:

Target/Goal:

Top Ten Revision Tips

1. Have short bursts of revision. 30-40 minutes are most effective. You lose

concentration after about an hour and you need to take a short break of about

5-10 minutes.

2. Find a quiet place to revise - your bedroom, school, the

library - and refuse to be interrupted or distracted.

3. Make sure you don't just revise the subjects and topics you

like. Work on your weaker ones as well.

4. Make your own revision notes because you will remember what you have written

down more easily. Stick key notes to cupboards or doors or bedroom walls so you

see them everyday.

5. Rewrite the key points of your revision notes; read them out loud to yourself.

We remember more than twice as much of what we say aloud than of what we

merely read. Pretend to be making a speech!

6. Use different techniques. Make your own learning maps, use post-it notes to write

key words on, create flash cards. Record your notes on your phone and listen to

them back through your headphones. Ask friends and family to test you. Use

highlighter pens to mark important points. Chant or make up a rap

song.

7. Practice on past exam papers or revision tests available on the web.

To start with, do one section at a time and progress to doing an

entire paper against the clock.

8. You will need help at some stage, ask parents, older brothers and sisters,

teachers or friends. If there is a teacher with whom you get on well at school

ask for their e-mail address so you can clarify points you are unsure of whilst on

study leave. Use websites specifically designed for revision.

9. Don't get stressed out! Eat properly, healthily, drink lots of water and get lots

of sleep!

10. Believe in yourself and be positive. If you think you can succeed you will; if you

convince yourself that you will fail, that's what will probably happen.

FOR REVISION- Some Do’s and Don’ts! DO

1. Make a list of all the topics you need to revise:

Each subject that you are studying can be broken down into parts, with main sections,

sub-topics and supporting details. A very useful start is to list out all the topics on

the course and use this as a 'revision checklist' for the subject. Tick topics off as

you’ve learnt them.

2. Create a realistic schedule.

Block the waking part of each day into three portions. Allow

yourself one portion a day off and allocate subjects and topics to

the remaining two. Put the schedule on display so that your family

can see when you are available. It will also show your parents that

you are in control.

3. Plan ahead by working backwards

By using revision checklists in your various subjects, you should know what quantity of

material has to be covered over the coming months. Start from the final date (end of

May) and divide your revision up week by week, allowing some flexibility for

unforeseen delays. Surprise yourself by being ready in time! Use the timetables and

other sheets you have been given.

4. Revise using your preferred learning style.

Have you tried… mindmaps, diagrams, colour, mnemonics, recording

yourself and listening back to it, rewriting your favourite song using your

revision notes for a topic as the words, walking round?

DON’T

Just keep going! The body and the mind need regular 'time-outs'. When you're

tired, concentration is more difficult, you get distracted much easier and learning

and memorisation is less effective. There comes a point in an evening study session

when it is counter-productive to stay at the desk - nothing is going in and you are only

tiring yourself further. Use breaks effectively, particularly after completing a task.

How should I revise?

Try one of these……

A: MIND MAPS: Make mind-maps or association maps rather than taking linear

notes. Mapping your notes by radiating key words out in a pattern of links from a

central point will make best use of your memory. If you use colour and images on the

maps, you'll be harnessing the power of both sides of your brain - creative and logical.

How to mind map:

1. Start with the theme in the middle of the page.

2. Then develop your main

idea.

3. Each branch must relate

to the branch before it.

4. Use only key words and

images.

5. Key words must be written along the branches.

6. Printing your key words makes them more memorable.

7. Use highlighters and coloured markers to colour code branches.

8. Make things stand out on the page so they stand out in your mind. (This doesn’t

show up well on a black and whole photocopied booklet! You should use a different

colour for each main branch and all its sub-branches)

9. Brainstorm ideas. Be creative.

10. Design images you can relate to which will help you remember key information.

Mindmaps can be mostly text…

Or they can include more images (much easier to remember!) Look at this one summarising

William Shakespeare’s life……. (again – much better in colour!)

B: Read intelligently. Spend five minutes flipping through a book or

your notes looking at headings and summaries. Then attempt to mind

map what you have spotted and see what you can remember.

C: Use cards. Write questions on one side and answers

on the other. Then get your family to test you. Creating the cards will

help your recall. You can also use them to test yourself when faced

with 'dead' time at bus stops or waiting for someone.

D: Physical learning: Use the environment Use a different room for each subject.

Notice aspects of the environment such as the light or feel of the room - how

do you feel in that place?

Attach your notes to the furniture. Notice their location.

Associate a different location with each subject. Associate furniture, windows,

plants and ornaments with particular topics.

E: Highlight. Target key areas, using colours and symbols. Visuals help you remember

the facts.

F: Record. Try putting important points, quotes and formulae on tape. If you hear

them and read them, they're more likely to sink in.

G: Talk. Read your notes out loud, it's one way of getting

them to register.

H: Test. See what you can remember without notes, but

avoid testing yourself on subjects you know already. Why not

ask someone else to test you?

I: Time. Do past exam papers against the clock, it's an excellent way of getting up to

speed and of checking where there are gaps in your knowledge.

J: Answering all questions: Always attempt all questions, even if you think it’s

wrong. You just never know, there might be some marks in there, being the

difference between a grade C or a grade D; an A or an A*. You have nothing to lose,

only to gain!

Performing on the Day

Get a good night's sleep

While the temptation is to stay up half the night 'cramming'

in more facts and figures, the evidence suggests this

approach is silly. When you’ve learned something over a

year, an extra night's studying can make very little

difference to your knowledge. However, having a mind that is refreshed, alert,

and ready to respond to circumstances will obviously be of far greater benefit.

Eat a balanced breakfast, drinking plenty of water: You must make sure you

eat before an exam, or your brain will be concentrating on saving energy for

your body to move, rather than getting energy to your brain to function well in

the exam. Make sure you’re not dehydrated and you drink plenty of water so

you are as fresh as possible.

Arrive in plenty of time: To perform well on the day, you need to be relaxed

and to feel in control of the situation. This is difficult to achieve if you have

missed breakfast and are stuck on a bus in traffic or standing on a train for 45

minutes as the exam time approaches. You will need about 15 minutes 'quiet

time' to mentally rehearse your exam and run through your 'game plan' for the

final time.

Have your equipment ready

Each exam has its own requirements. Apart from properly functioning pens,

pencils, rulers, etc, you may need a calculator for the Maths or Science exam.

Drawing pencils may be required for diagrams in some subjects. A lot of

nervous energy can be expended on last-minute hassle if these items aren't

checked in advance.

Think positive

On the day of the exam, remind yourself of the good

things (the material you know well, the revision you

have completed, all the past exam questions done, the

good grades achieved) rather than dwelling on areas

of weakness. Having that self-belief will give you the confidence to trust your

judgement within the exam hall and 'hit the target'.

Maintain your focus

There can be a lot of tension, drama, and hysteria in the air on the days of an

exam. You want to keep the balance between keeping your focus and interacting

normally with your friends and classmates. Try finding a quiet spot far from the loud crowd to 'warm-up' before each exam and 'warm-down' afterwards..

Ask a teacher if you can be in their room before.

Remember! You can't change what has happened, you can only focus on the

present. This will need your full attention!

Top Tips on Exam Strategy Success in exams involves two ingredients - having a thorough knowledge of the

subject matter AND making the most of your knowledge in the exam through

effective answering technique. Two students with identical knowledge and attainment

levels can sit the same exam and their final grades can differ by as much as 25%. The

difference is down to having an effective strategy and exam technique.

Here are four golden rules to apply to all your GCSE/BTEC/Progress 8 papers:

1. Allow time to read the paper carefully

2. Sweep up any mistakes

3. Attempt all questions

Answering Exam Questions

1. Scan all the questions.

2. Mark all the questions you could answer.

3. Read the questions carefully.

4. Choose the correct number of questions in each section.

5. Underline the key words in the question.

6. Plan your answer.

7. Stick to the point of the question.

8. Write your answer.

9. Use the plan at every stage – e.g. every paragraph.

10. Check your answer against the plan. Look out for mistakes.

11. If you have time, re-read the questions and your answers and make any necessary

corrections.

Managing your stress levels at NUSA:

Stress Management

Get organised Have a realistic daily schedule including revision, sleep, eating and relationships.

Be positive Talk positively to yourself! Don’t pay attention to that internal voice saying you can’t do it; tell yourself you can do it and you will do it.

Talk Talking and meeting with friends and occasionally sharing deep feelings and thoughts can be helpful in reducing stress.

Stay calm Make sure you are in a calm, positive mood before you start studying.

Be healthy Watch your eating habits. Make sure you eat sensibly and have a balanced diet. Avoid too much chocolate, cola, caffeine and foods with lots of additives. Drink lots of water.

Sleep Don’t become overtired by forcing yourself to work late. Your brain needs time to sort out the information it has come across during the day. Your ideal sleep time is about 8 hours a night.

Make a list Make a list of the things that are worrying you and the possible things that could happen – then your brain will stop bringing them forward all the time.

Time Recognise that you can only do so much in a given time. Try to pace, not race.

Exercise Physical activity provides relief from stress. The brain uses 20% of oxygen in the blood so you need to think about your posture and exercise to make sure your body gets enough. 30 minutes of sport or a short walk will do the trick.

Learn to relax Take mini breaks throughout the day. Work on relaxation techniques, such as taking slow deep breaths.

Some revision

resources to

help you

revise for

your exams!

KS3 English Revision

Question 1: You will be directed to look at certain lines. You will then be

asked to pick out four points from those lines.

Question 2: You will be asked here to look at language from a certain part of

the extract.

It will say ‘How does the writer use language to

________________________? You should answer this question using PEE.

You will have to think about specific words and phrases, language techniques

and sentence structure.

Question 3: FOR YEAR 7 ONLY

You will be given a statement. You will then have to write to what extent do you

agree (how much do you agree)?

In your response, you could:

o write about your own impressions of the characters and how they are feeling

o evaluate how the writer has created tension

o support your opinions with quotations from the text

Question 3: FOR YEAR 8 ONLY

You will need to read through the whole source.

How has the writer structured the text to interest you as a reader? You could

write about:

• What the writer focuses your attention on at the beginning

How and why the writer changes this focus as the source develops

• Any other structural features that interest you.

o Think about the opening and closing sentence. How do they interest you? Has

anything changed from the first and last sentence?

Question 4: FOR YEAR 8 ONLY

You will be given a statement. You will then have to write to what extent do you

agree (how much do you agree)?

You will be given one extract.

It will be “unseen” – don’t worry, you are not expected to have seen it before.

Year 7 will answer 3 questions.

Year 8 will answer 4 questions.

In your response, you could:

o write about your own impressions of the characters and how they are feeling

o evaluate how the writer has created tension

o support your opinions with quotations from the text

Point – make a clear point which answers

the question.

Evidence – use a quotation from the text

that

supports your point. Write it in quotation

marks.

Explain – explain what your evidence

shows.

Pick out key words and key techniques.

Analyse the words as fully as possible.

What do they show/suggest?

Key Words:

An adjective is a describing word. For example: colourful, beautiful

and amazing.

An adverb describes a verb. For example: quickly, carefully and

patiently. A simile is where you say something is ‘like’ or ‘as’

something else. For example: her eyes sparkled like diamonds.

Alliteration is the repetition of the same letter or sound at the

beginning of closely connected words. For example: amazing

America.

A metaphor is where you say something is something else. For

example: my life is a rollercoaster of emotions.

Personification is the giving of human characteristics to something

nonhuman. For example: the flowers danced in the breeze.

Revision Techniques

Maths revision is similar to revision in other subjects. The only difference is that practising questions is the best way to revise for maths exams. Follow these steps to work out what you need to revise. Ask your teacher if you need help on what to revise and how, they can give you really specific help.

Identify what you are not good at (It is important that you revise these topics). You can

identify these by looking at: Previous Exams, Classwork, and by asking your teacher.

To learn how to do these you could use: Internet, Class Book, Peers, Revision Guide, or

Teachers.

Practice questions related to the topic; these could be obtained from: Internet, Past Exam

Papers, Text Books, Revision Guide, and Teachers.

Make appropriate resources to ensure you remember important information about the

topic:

Revision Cards, Mind Maps, Bullet Points, and Presentations.

Keep all revision resources neatly organised in a revision folder. They can then be easily

used.

Useful websites are: Mathsgenie.co.uk, corbettmaths.com, mrbartonmaths.com, Khanacademy.org,

bbc.co.uk/education It is important that you get your revision right, now! If you need any more help on how to revise make sure you ask your teacher for help. Also, here are a list of topics in Mathematics covered in years 7 and 8. You may not have covered all of these, but you would have definitely covered some. These topic headings are quite technical, but if these were searched on Bitesize (check the link below), for example they should be easily found. Here is a link to Bitesize where you can just find the topic from the list for KS3.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/zqhs34j

Unit- 1 Calculations Unit-2 Area & Perimeter Unit-3 Probability

Unit-4 Place Value, Rounding & Estimating

Unit-5 Measures & Conversions Unit-6 Simplifying & Substitution Unit-7 Coordinates

Year 7 Science December Assessment Revision List

Your Science Assessment will test all of the ideas you have studied since the start of the year. Use this as a

checklist to make sure you have covered all of the topics you need to revise.

Topic 1: Cells

Microscopy Know the different parts of the microscope Describe the functions of the different parts of the microscope

Plant and Animal cells Know the structures in plants and animal cells.

Describe the functions of the organelles

Identify the 7 life processes

Specialised Cells and Unicellular Cells Identify the different specialised cells and unicellular cells

Describe the functions of specialised cells

Diffusion Define the term diffusion

Describe the role of diffusion in the movement of materials including oxygen, carbon dioxide and glucose.

Topic 2: Forces

Types of Forces Identify the different forces acting on objects

The effect of drag on a moving object

Measurement of Force Identify the units used to measure force

Describe how it varies with mass

Topic 3: Particles

States of Matter Identify substances as Solids, Liquids and Gases and draw particle diagrams

Recall the properties of Solids, Liquids and Gases

Changes of State Identify the changes of state

Describe the changes of state with reference to the particle model

Define melting and boiling points and interpret data on these.

Diffusion Describe diffusion using the particle model

Explain how temperature affects the speed of diffusion

Topic 4: Scientific Skills

Planning and Safety Identify the independent and dependent variables in an experiment

Identify the control variables

Be familiar with hazards and hazard symbols

Measurements and Interpretation Draw an accurate graph for given data Create a labelled table of results for a given hypothesis

Identify appropriate equipment

Interpret data in graphs

A suggested website for extra help:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/subjects/zng4d2p

Year 7 Geography Progress Board Exam Revision

Factors that may affect the building of a new football stadium/housing

estate:

Being close to a river – this could flood and damage the pitch

Steep slopes – this could be difficult to build upon

Near to houses – the noise could put people off

Near to main roads and railway station – this is useful so that

people can get to and from the place quickly

Not near main roads – it will be hard for people to get there

and a new road may have to be built which could destroy the

countryside

Animal and plant habitats could be destroyed with the new

building

Revision Tasks to complete before your Progress Board Assessment

1. Attend every Geography lesson 2. Complete all revision tasks in

lesson and for homework 3. Ask your teacher if you do not

understand any of the different skills

4. Attempt practice questions

Edward the Confessor dies without an heir to the throne (without a son). This causes

problems because different people claim they deserve to be the next king.

Contender 1: Harold Godwinson-Brother in law of Edward the Confessor through marriage-A

brave and strong Anglo Saxon Earl with battle experience-Elected as King by the Witan

Council-Claims Edward promised him the throne on his death bed (but no proof).

Contender 2: William of Normandy-Distant cousin of Edward the Confessor-A strong and

powerful Norman Duke-A fierce warrior and experienced leader-Claims Harold Godwinson

promised him the throne (but Harold said he was held hostage so it doesn’t count.

Contender 3: Harald Hardrada-Fierce Viking warrior- His father Magnus had been promised

the English throne but was never given it, Harald decided he would claim it instead-The

Vikings had been living in England for many years before 1066.

The Battle of Stamford Bridge: The Vikings (Harald Hardrada and Tostig) were resting after a

recent battle where they had beaten the English army, they were expecting to trade hostages

with the Saxons-Instead Harold Godwinson had arrived with his army after marching from the

South of England (Waiting for William of Normandy to arrive). Harald Hardrada’s army was

caught by surprise without their armour and a lot of me. The English attacked-A giant Viking on

the bridge killed 40 English soldiers before one man sailed under the bridge and killed him with

a spear. The English army attacked the Vikings without their armour and killed them all. Harald

Hardrada was killed with an arrow to the neck.

Key turning points-Catching the Vikings off guard-Killing the Viking on the bridge-the

Vikings having no armour-Hardrada being killed.

William’s Preparations: William got support from the Pope who called it a Holy War- Men

from across Europe came to fight in return for money and land- William built ships, weapons

and flat pack castles. He trained his horses to fight and had knights on horseback and

archers/crossbow men. Williams’s men had a feast and were relaxed ahead of battle.

Harold’s mistakes: Harold chose not to rest his men (he had lost his best soldiers at Stamford

Bridge). Harold could have picked up 6000 more men and archers. Harold’s men were tired-

hungry and injured.

The Battle of Hastings: Harold’s men formed a shield wall on the hill-Harold was on foot.

Williams men were at the bottom and fired arrows up but they hit the shields- Williams knights

and soldiers attacked but were beaten back down the hill- William fell off his horse but took off

his helmet to show he was alive- William told his men to pretend to run away twice which made

the English break the shield wall-Williams men attacked the vulnerable men and killed them-

Harold was either shot by an arrow in his eye or was cut up by Norman soldiers-William had

won.

Key turning points- Breaking the shield wall by pretending to run away-Harold being killed.

Year 7 History: 1066 Progress Board Revision Sheet

Example of a Revision Timetable

Study Times and Subject

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Notes Page: