Early in my teaching career, it became clear that many high school students lacked fundamental test preparation skills. Despite the shifting educational landscape where standardized tests are sometimes de-emphasized, unit tests remain a crucial tool in many high schools. These assessments serve to prepare students for significant end-of-year exams and to solidify their understanding of course material. Recognizing this gap, I aimed to equip my students with effective studying guide methods tailored specifically for the rigors of high school. But what distinguishes a studying guide designed for high schoolers from those used in earlier grades?
Traditionally, a studying guide is perceived as a tool to aid test preparation, broadly outlining potential topics. One might envision fill-in-the-blank worksheets common in middle school or the simple bullet-point lists often seen in college. However, the question remains: What constitutes an ideal studying guide for high school students?
Through extensive experimentation and refinement, I developed a system for implementing studying guides in high school that proved highly beneficial for both my students and myself. I am eager to share the key elements of this approach, focusing on:
- The rationale behind using studying guides
- The methodology of creating them
- The students’ role in utilizing them
- The optimal timing for their use
- Strategies for reviewing them with students
Why Implement Studying Guides in High School Science?
Teaching students how to study is paramount. Studying is a skill that needs to be developed, much like a muscle. This ability is crucial for anyone pursuing higher education or entering professions that require training and testing, regardless of whether a college degree is involved. Examples range from vocational licenses to professional certifications – all demand effective studying and test-taking skills.
A significant aspect of high school education is preparing students for their future, equipping them with essential skills for success, irrespective of their chosen path. Studying is undeniably a cornerstone of this preparation.
Furthermore, my goal is for summative assessments to genuinely reflect students’ knowledge. While I don’t provide test questions beforehand, assessments should never be a surprise. Every item on a summative test should directly correlate with the material taught in class. This principle is a driving force behind my batch lesson design approach when developing units for my year-long curricula. Learn more about my curriculum design process here.
Therefore, studying guides not only benefit students by teaching them essential study skills but also serve as a valuable tool for teachers. They act as a gauge to determine if instruction effectively covers assessed content. However, their effectiveness hinges on proper implementation. So, what is my method?
Crafting Studying Guides for High School Science
Here are the core principles for creating impactful studying guides in high school science:
- Develop the studying guide concurrently with unit lesson planning.
- Refine the studying guide after creating the unit’s summative assessment.
- Yes, assessment creation precedes unit commencement. Effective unit goals necessitate pre-defined targets.
- Incorporate more than bullet points, yet less than actual test questions.
- My guides typically include two components:
- Objectives for each concept: Desired student learning outcomes for each unit concept.
- Essential vocabulary: Key terms students must define to comprehend the material.
- My guides typically include two components:
- Distribute the studying guide at the unit’s outset.
- Early distribution is crucial. Students need to understand expectations from day one.
- This provides ample time to engage with the guide, encouraging consistent studying throughout the unit rather than last-minute cramming. Expecting proactive studying requires providing studying guides well in advance.
- This early access is another advantage of packet-based teaching. Packets necessitate batch lesson planning, assessment and resource alignment, and ensures studying guides are ready for students on day one – often serving as the packet cover page.
Student Engagement with Studying Guides
My studying guides are designed to be straightforward. The aim is to provide sufficient direction regarding essential knowledge and skills without over-scaffolding, which could negate active learning. Instead of merely answering practice questions, students are encouraged to utilize unit outlines to construct their own studying guides.
Here’s my approach:
- Each unit is divided into 3-6 core concepts.
- For each concept, I list objectives and essential vocabulary:
- Objectives: What students should know or be able to do upon unit completion.
- Essential vocabulary: Terms students must define to understand the subject matter.
- This list of objectives and vocabulary forms the first page of each unit packet, or can be distributed separately at the unit’s start.
- Students then develop a studying guide for each concept throughout the unit, requiring them to:
- Address all objectives.
- Define all vocabulary from the initial page.
- Italicized objectives are optional for written study guides, representing skills assessed practically rather than on paper, though mastery is still expected for assessments.
- Students have complete freedom in formatting their guides to suit their learning styles.
- Some prefer digital formats, others handwritten.
- Formats range from flip charts to digital tools like Quizlet.
- Visual formats are encouraged, moving beyond paragraph-based notes to Venn diagrams, tables, and charts for visual appeal and study effectiveness.
Continuously emphasizing personalized, useful studying guide formats is key. A studying guide’s value lies in its actual use for review and study, though even the creation process itself is beneficial.
For students needing more support, especially initially, provide resources like this How to Write a GREAT Studying Guide help sheet. Also, allocate initial class time for study guide work, allowing for guidance and monitoring.
Integrating Studying Guides into Class Time
Several years into teaching, I transitioned away from assigning homework in my high school science classes. My rationale and the outcomes are detailed in this post.
Eliminating homework necessitated incorporating more in-class time for essential learning activities. This shift freed up students’ home time for actual studying – the core skill I aimed to foster through studying guides.
Studying guides become valuable in-class resources for students who complete tasks ahead of schedule. Students are often motivated to stay focused in class, knowing that dedicated time is allocated for creating studying guides, which means:
- Direct access to teacher support and questions while working on guides.
- Minimal to no traditional “homework” in the science class.
Student motivation is further enhanced by post-test study guide reviews. After the first test, students compare their study guides to the test, identifying direct correlations between study guide content and test questions. This exercise effectively dispels “we never learned this” claims and underscores the direct link between diligent study guide completion and test success.
Reviewing and Assessing Studying Guides
My approach to grading studying guides varies based on student age and class dynamics. Generally, I employ two primary strategies:
- Regular encouragement for ongoing study guide work throughout the unit, with spot checks for completion near unit end. Class-wide review follows, utilizing a .pptx studying guide answer key I create for each unit.
- Collection of concept-specific studying guides throughout the unit. For example, after Concept 1, those guides are collected and assessed for accuracy. Grading focuses on objective completion and vocabulary accuracy, not style. Incorrect or incomplete items are circled for student correction and focused study. Guides are returned promptly for ongoing study.
The choice between these methods depends on personal preference. For highly motivated students, like AP Biology students, formal grading may be unnecessary. However, younger students often benefit from more structured support and accountability to ensure consistent engagement with studying guides.
I hope this overview provides useful insights into effectively using studying guides in high school science courses! Have you discovered alternative effective strategies? I welcome your input! Share your ideas here.
