Year 8 Revision and Examination Preparation
Guide 2019
YEAR 8 EXAM TIMETABLE 2019
Day 09.00-10.00 10.30-11.30 12.00-13.00 14.30-15.30
Monday 20 May
History RS German House Events
Tuesday 21 May
Geography Revision Latin English
Wednesday 22 May
Maths Revision Mandarin House Events
Thursday 23 May
Chemistry Revision Spanish Physics
Friday 24 May
French Computing Biology House Events
Year 8
1
Pathway to Effective Exam Preparation
Year 8
2
TOP TIPS
GET ORGANISED
1.
2.
3.
4.
SET THE MOOD
1.
2.
3.
THE POMODORO TECHNIQUE
1.
2.
3.
Year 8
3
REWARD YOURSELF & TAKE A BREAK
1.
2.
MIX IT UP
• You only remember ___ of all that you read.
• Your revision therefore needs to be _____ and _______.
Over the next few weeks, you should aim to try some of these methods as part of
your revision. Think about what you might try this year and record it on the
following page. After your exams you will return to this to decide how successful
the method was.
Here a few examples, you may have others.
Year 8
4
MAKING A REVISION TIMETABLE
• Planning your revision is essential if you are to take control of your revision and not get too stressed.
• It requires you to think about which exams you have when and which subjects you find more difficult than others.
• Remember the Pomodoro Technique
• It is better to do a few hours each day rather than cram at the last minute.
You could use a proforma like this:
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday
AM 1 8-10
AM 2 10-12
PM 1 12-2
PM 2 2-4
PM 3 4-6
PM 4 6-8
PM 5 8-10
AVOID WORKING DURING THIS SLOT WHERE POSSIBLE…
Year 8
5
Or you could stick closer to your school timetable, with additional end of day slots
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
8.30-9.00
9.00-9.35
9.35-10.10
Break
10.30-11.05
11.05-11.40
11.45-12.20
12.20-12.55
Lunch
2.05-2.40
2.40-3.15
3.15-3.50
Break
4.30-5.30
5.30-6.30
Break
7.00-8.00
Year 8
6
Subject: Biology Exam Length: 60 Minutes
Exam Format
One 55 mark paper
Questions will assess understanding and application of Biology in addition to factual recall
Content
The exam will cover the following topics:
• Movement & Understanding Experiments
• Microorganisms
• Food to Cells
Recommended material for revision
• “Key things to know for exams” section at the back of the Food to Cells book, located on pages 37-46
• Chapters 1-3 of textbook; Cells and Life Processes, Food and Nutrition, Releasing Energy
Recommended revision activities
• Make condensed revision notes on “Key things to know for exams” section, written out by hand. These facts
must be memorised.
• Read chapters 1-3 of the textbook to aid understanding
• Read through the practicals covered this year to ensure understanding of scientific variables etc
• Look through previous test corrections and homeworks in order to improve exam technique
Year 8
7
Subject: Chemistry Exam Length: 60 Minutes
Exam Format
The paper will contain a mixture of question styles. These will include multiple-choice questions and short answer
questions where a clear, concise response is required. There will question(s) requiring you to plot or analyse data –
precise plotting and accurate lines of best fit will be needed, so you should ensure you have sharp pencils. You
should also expect to be asked to plan or evaluate experiments similar to those you have completed throughout the
year.
Content
The exam will cover the following topics:
• Metals and their Reactions
• The Reactivity Series and Displacement
• Extracting and using Metals
• Corrosion and Rusting
• Reactions of Acids
• Types of Reaction
Recommended material for revision
• Textbook
• Topic Checklists available from your teacher
• Notes in your exercise book and homework material
Recommended revision activities
1. Condense your notes
2. Create flashcards for key words and meanings (use the topic checklists)
3. Practice questions
Year 8
8
Subject: Computing Exam Length: 60 Minutes
Exam Format
There will be one section in the paper, comprising of a mixture of multiple choice, short response and long response
questions.
Content
The exam will cover the following topics:
• Programming in Python
o Variables and calculations
o If statements
o For Loops
o Subroutines with and without parameters
• Hardware components of a PC
o CPU
o Hard Drive
o RAM
• Logic Gates
o NOT, OR and AND gates
o Tracing Simple Circuits
• Binary
o Converting to Binary from Decimal
o Converting to Decimal from Binary
Recommended material for revision
• SharePoint – Year 8 pages
• Python tasks on repl.it
• Notes in your exercise book
Recommended revision activities
1. Review all coding activities on repl.it
2. Complete revision questions hosted on SharePoint
3. Review notes in exercise book.
Year 8
9
Subject: English Exam Length: 60 Minutes
Exam Format
There will be 2 sections in the paper.
Section A = Prose comprehension
Section B = Creative writing
Content
The exam will cover the following topics:
• How meaning is created through literary technique
• Narrative and descriptive writing
Recommended material for revision
• Guides to prose analysis tips available from your teacher
• Descriptive writing advice guide sheet available from your teacher
• Notes in your exercise book and homework material
Recommended revision activities
Read a range of prose fiction texts
Check that you can identify the following:
• Similes and metaphors
• Alliteration
• Pronouns
• Verbs
• Adjectives
Make a note of interesting words, phrases and techniques and explain how they show you what a text means.
Year 8
10
Subject: French Exam Length: 60 Minutes Exam Content
There will be 2 exam papers:
Paper 1 (30 minutes): Reading. You will answer comprehension questions with regards to a stimulus text.
Paper 2 (30 minutes) = Writing. You complete exercises based on vocabulary, grammar and conjugation; you will
also have to complete an essay for which you will be given a clear structure.
The listening exam will be in lesson time outside of the exam period. Your teacher will confirm the date.
Content
Listening section Reading section Writing section
• Basic information (name, age, personality,)
• Activities/ daily routine
• Une fête (Unit 4) (Physical descriptions and helping at home)
• Food / drink. (Unit 1+5)
• Comment ça se passe? (Unit 3)
• Une fête (Unit 4)
• Bienvenue en France (Unit 4)
• Chez toi (Unit 4)
• Food, repas, restaurant (Unit 1 & 5)
• Means of transport
• School subjects, opinion about school, describe your school…
• Present tense of regular verbs (_er, _ir, _re) and key irregular verbs (avoir, être, faire, aller…)
• Passé composé tense of regular verbs (_er, _ir, _re) and key irregular past participles
• Hobbies or activities
• School: times of the day; subjects and opinions
• Food and drink
• Daily routine: range of verbs (reflexives included) + times + other relevant info (e.g. where, what)
Grammar
• Genders
• Present tense (+ key irregular verbs eg : être, aller, avoir, faire…)
• Passé composé of verbs taking AVOIR (regular and irregular past participles)
• Future tense (aller + infinitive)
• Link words (aussi, mais etc) + Time references (le matin, le weekend dernier etc)
Recommended material for revision
• Textbook(s)
• SharePoint – Year 7 pages
• Topic Checklists available from your teacher
• Notes in your exercise book and homework material
Recommended revision activities
1. Mind-maps per topic with relevant vocabulary and structures 2. Create flashcards for key words and meanings (use the topic checklists) 3. Practise vocabulary on Quizlet and practice grammar online
Year 8
11
Subject: Geography Exam Length: 60 Minutes
Exam Format
There will be 3 sections in the paper.
Section A = 20 marks on Population.
Section B = 20 marks on Rocks and resources.
Section C = 20 marks on Crime and Geography.
There will be a mixture of multiple choice, long and short mark questions.
Content
Rocks and Resources Population Crime and Geography
• What is a rock?
• The three rock groups
• Weathering, erosion and the rock cycle
• Geology of the UK
• Renewable and Non-renewable energy – case study ‘windfarms in Wales’
• Oil and Gas in the North Sea
• Geothermal in Iceland
• Water in Ogallala
• World population growth
• Why is the population
growing?
• Population pyramids-
Representing change
• China’s one child policy
1970-2010
• Ageing population –
Globally
• The UK’s ageing
population
• What is crime?
• Using GIS to measure
crime
Recommended material for revision
• Topic Checklists available from your teacher.
• Notes in your exercise book and homework material.
Recommended revision activities
1 Create mind maps for each week’s work from your notes and PowerPoints.
2 Create flashcards for key words and meanings (use the topic checklists).
3 Practice questions.
Year 8
12
Subject: German Exam Length: 60 Minutes Exam Format There will be 2 exam papers: Paper 1 (30 minutes): Reading. You will answer comprehension questions with regards to a stimulus text. Paper 2 (30 minutes): Writing. You will complete exercises based on vocabulary, grammar and conjugation; you will also have to complete a longer writing task for which you will be given a clear structure. The listening exam will be done in lesson time outside of the exam period. Your teacher will confirm the date. Content Topics:
• Fashion and shopping (clothes and opinions) • Going on a trip (holidays: what you did, do and will do) • Daily routine (giving the time, what you’ve done recently and opinions) • Festivals and celebrations (national holidays, organising a party, describing a party)
Grammar:
• Nouns (singular, plural, nominative and accusative, prepositions followed by the dative) • Verbs (present tense, perfect tense, future tense, möchten, reflexives, modal verbs) • Adjective endings • Question words
Recommended material for revision • Textbook(s) • Sharepoint – Year 8 pages • Notes in your exercise book and homework material • Memorise • Zoom 1 and 2 workbooks
Recommended revision activities 1. Create Grammar flashcards/cheat sheets 2. Answering reading and writing questions on pages 18, 34, 50 3. Completing the reading tasks on pages 148-150
Year 8
13
Subject: History Exam Length: 60 Minutes
Exam Format
In the examination you will just be asked to write one essay. You should plan for around 10 minutes and write for
around 50. There will be some advice on the question paper to help you structure your answer.
There will be two essay questions, and you should choose one to complete.
There will also be a provided primary source, and you should try and incorporate this into your answer.
Content
The exam will cover the following topics:
• The reigns of Henry VII and Henry VIII
• The causes of the English Civil War
Recommended material for revision
• Your notes in your exercise book
• Photocopied sheets and worksheets in your exercise book
• Y8 History Sharepoint pages
Recommended revision activities
1. Condense your notes (into lists of key events, mind maps and diagrams, etc)
2. Create flashcards for key words and meanings
3. Look over feedback from previous essays and any guidance notes you have on how to analyse sources
Year 8
14
Subject: Latin Exam Length: 60 Minutes
Exam Format
There will be 3 sections in the paper.
Section 1 = Comprehension questions on the passage.
Section 2 = Translation of the text on alternate lines.
Section 3 = Classical Civilisation topic. You have to answer only one question.
Content
The exam will cover the grammar and vocabulary of Stages 1 -12
You will need to study also the following Classical Civilisation Topics: The Gladiators and The Baths.
Recommended material for revision
• Booklets 5-12
• Your Latin Poster
• Some texts for translation practice available from your teacher
Recommended revision activities
1. Revise your grammar from your Latin Poster
2. Create Flashcards for vocabulary revision
3. Translate texts online Cambridge Latin Course website
4. Use the Cambridge Latin Course Vocabulary Checker (online)
Year 8
15
Subject: Mandarin Exam Length: 60 Minutes
Exam Format
There will be 2 exam papers:
Paper 1 (30 minutes): Reading.
Paper 2 (30 minutes): Writing.
The listening and speaking exams will be done in lesson time outside of the exam period. Your teacher will confirm
the date.
Content
• Vocabulary: Jin Bu 1 chapter 1-5; Jin Bu 2 Chapter 1 booklet • Grammar List: Jin Bu 1 page 100 -112; Jin Bu 2 Chapter 1 booklet • Writing task: See writing task sheet
Recommended material for revision
• Textbook Jin Bu 1 and Jin Bu 2 Chapter 1 booklet • GoChinese online exercise • Previous vocabulary and grammar test worksheet • Notes in your exercise book and homework materials
Recommended revision activities
1. Practice writing tasks from memory 2. Revise grammar points 3. Practice listening and speaking using GoChinese
Year 8
16
Subject: Mathematics Exam Length: 60 Minutes
Exam Format
There will be one examination paper.
You will need a scientific calculator, pencil, ruler, compasses and a protractor for the test.
Content
The exam will cover the following topics:
• Factors and powers
• Working with powers
• 2D shapes and 3D solids
• Real-life graphs
• Transformations
• Fractions, decimals and percentages
• Constructions and loci
• Probability
• Scale drawings and measures
• Graphs
Recommended material for revision
• Homework textbook
• MyMaths tasks
• Topic Checklists available from your teacher
Recommended revision activities
1. Work through the practice questions
2. Complete MyMaths tasks, repeating each task until a minimum score of 80% is achieved
3. Go to Maths Clinic to find out about any topics you do not understand
Year 8
17
Subject: Music Exam Length: 60 Minutes
Exam Format
• There will be one 1-hour paper which you will sit in class in the week before the Internal Exam Week. This is
because it is a listening paper.
• This is a Listening exam. You will hear short extracts of music several times, some of which are related to the
topics studied in class this year, and answer questions about the musical elements and their effect.
• Music Theory questions and analysis will be integrated into one paper.
Content
The exam will cover the following topics:
• Elements of Music (pitch, melody, rhythm, dynamics, texture, instrumentation)
• Music theory: notes of the treble clef, note lengths and performance directions (e.g. dynamics), and how to
write major and minor chords
• Jazz and Blues
• Music and Space (Holst: The Planets)
• Film Music
Recommended material for revision
• Revision sheet will be given out in class, and available on Teams / Sharepoint
• Your folders and booklets – make sure you have filled in any glossary pages!
• Revision lessons after Easter – you will be given resources to use.
Recommended revision activities
4. Turn on the radio (try a range of stations to experience different styles of music! Try: Classic FM, Radio 1,
Radio 2, Radio 6 etc.), and ask yourself questions about the music (e.g. “how could I describe the dynamics?”,
“what instruments can I hear?”, “how does the texture change?”)
5. Even better, select a piece at random on Spotify (so you can listen to it a few times) or your phone/ipod, or
on Youtube, and write sentences about what you can hear – try to write one sentence about each element
of music. Don’t forget to ask permission from your parents to use Spotify/ Youtube!
6. Use www.musictheory.net for practicing recognising note names and note lengths if you are not confident
with this.
7. You can also log into MusicFirst Classroom and use some of the lessons in ‘Focus on Sound’.
Year 8
18
Subject: Physics Exam Length: 60 Minutes
Exam Format
You will need to answer all the questions in the exam. There will be a mixture of short and long answer questions as
well as calculations. You will need to have access to a calculator, ruler, pencil and a protractor for the exam.
Content
The exam will only be on topics that you have covered this year.
The exam will cover the following topics:
• Motion
• Electricity
• Sound
• Magnetism and Electromagnetism
• Moments and Hooke’s Law
Recommended material for revision
• Textbook(s)
• Topic Checklists and revision material available from your teacher
• Notes in your exercise book and homework material
Recommended revision activities
1. Condense your notes (Mind Maps etc)
2. Create flashcards for key words and meanings and equations (use the topic checklists)
3. Practice questions and check your answers against the mark scheme
Year 8
19
Subject: Religious Studies Exam Length: 60 Minutes
Exam Format
There will be 2 sections in the paper.
Section A = 10 key word definitions worth 1 mark each, 2 five-mark questions, 1 ten-mark evaluation question.
Recommended time spent on this is 30 minutes.
Section B = 10 key word definitions worth 1 mark each, 2 five-mark questions, 1 ten-mark evaluation question.
Recommended time spent on this is 30 minutes.
Content
The exam will cover the following topics:
• The Nature of God
• Cosmological Argument
• Design Argument and the Challenge of Evolution
• Miracles
• Religious Experience and Scientific Challenges
• The Problem of Evil and Theodicy
• Divine Command Theory
• Racial Equality
• Gender Equality
• Poverty
Recommended material for revision
• SharePoint – Lower School pages
• Glossary word list available from your teacher
• Notes in your exercise book and homework material
Recommended revision activities
1. Condense your notes
2. Create flashcards for key words and meanings
3. Practice questions
Year 8
20
Subject: Spanish Exam Length: 60 Minutes
Exam Format
There will be 2 exam papers:
Paper 1 (30 minutes): Reading. You will answer comprehension questions with regards to a stimulus text and do a
short translation.
Paper 2 (30 minutes): Writing. You will complete exercises based on vocabulary, grammar and conjugation; you will
also have to complete an essay for which you will be given a clear structure.
The listening exam will be done in lesson time outside of the exam period. Your teacher will confirm the date.
Content
Vocabulary
• Introductions (name, age, where you live, birthday)
• School bag items and objects in the classroom
• School (subjects, teachers, giving opinions, what you do in lessons)
• Snacks and prices
• Family members
• Pets and colours
• Physical and personality descriptions
• Numbers 1-100
• Places and activities around town
Grammar
• Regular ‘ar’, ‘er’, and ‘ir’ verbs
• The verbs ser/ tener/ llamarse
• Adjectival agreements
• Gender (un/una/unos/unas ; el/la/los/las)
• Singular/ plural nouns
• Qualifiers (muy, bastante, un poco)
• Connectives (también, pero, y)
• Use of the negative ‘no’
• Near future tense (voy a + infinitive)
Recommended material for revision
• Textbook(s)
• SharePoint – Year 7 pages
• Notes in your exercise book and homework material
Recommended revision activities
1. Mind-maps per topic with relevant vocabulary and structures 2. Plan in advanced stuctures and think about how you are going to show off your language. 3. Practise vocabulary on Quizlet and practice grammar online
Year 8
21
NOTES
Year 8
22
Top Tips: Exam Technique
Exam Strategy Success in exams involves not only having a thorough knowledge of the subject matter but also making the most of your knowledge in the exam through effective answering technique. Two pupils with identical knowledge and ability can sit the same exam and their final grades can differ by as much as 25%. The difference in result is down to having an effective strategy and exam technique.
Here are four golden rules to apply to all your exams:
1. Allow time to read the paper carefully
Make sure you really understand a) how many questions there are and; b) exactly what is being asked of you before
you rush into answering the paper. Mistakes are easily made by failing to fully understand what you are being asked
about, or even missing out a question that could be, for example, on the back page!
2. Stick to your “game plan”
For each subject you should have an idea of what will appear in the exam, and you should be able to come up with a
plan to deal with this. In most cases the questions will be as expected, but there will always be surprises to deal with
in some papers. Don't get flustered. Stick to your “game plan”, and trust your judgement.
3. “Sweep up” any mistakes
In the pressure of the exam room it is easy to make basic errors. These errors could cause you to lose you valuable
marks. Misreading an instruction is a typical example. Simple miscalculation can lose you time as you try to figure
out why your answer is wrong. Be disciplined with your time. Always leave a few minutes at the end to tidy-up
errors. Simply changing a definition / formula / calculation could be the difference between a good and an average
grade.
4. Attempt all questions
It is amazing how many exam scripts are handed in unfinished. Every year, capable pupils who didn’t get time to
finish a paper lose easy marks. Don't fall into this trap. Work on the basis that you will write an answer to every
question. It is much easier to get the first 20% of the marks for any question than the final 5%. You can always polish
an answer further but, if there is no attempt made a question, your teacher can’t give you any marks.
Year 8
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The Teacher’s View
The job of your teachers is to give you marks, not to take them away, but they are powerless to help you if you fall into the most common traps. These are the most common pitfalls they have identified:
1. Not reading the question correctly
This is one of the most regular and fatal errors: it is often called the 'triggered
answer'. You have your pre-prepared answer ready but you don't look at
exactly what the question is asking you, and therefore write the wrong
information in your answer.
2. Not finishing the paper Bad time management in an exam can easily bring you down a grade. The biggest exam 'crime' is to leave questions
that you have not even attempted. Remember: it is much easier to get the first 20% of the marks for any question
than the last 5%. Let’s pretend you have to answer five questions and you are stuck on question three: do not spend
your remaining time extending and perfecting that answer. Instead, move on to questions four and five, even if your
answer to question three is only a draft. If you have answered only three questions instead of five, the highest
mark you can get is 60%.
3. Ignoring the marking scheme You must take the marking scheme into account when you allocate time to each question or part of a question. Lots
of marks normally = lots of points to make; few marks = only a few points to make.
4. Repetition Make the point once. There are no extra marks for restating facts, even if you phrase them differently. Repetition is
a very common mistake. It also wastes time and can be irritating.
5. Missing part of a question
Sometimes part of a question can be carried onto the next page and, in the pressure of the moment, you don't see
it. As a consequence you might fail to do a compulsory part of a question or miss out on the chance to take an option
that would have suited you better. Always take time to familiarise yourself with the whole paper before you start
answering it.
6. Rough work
Include your rough work with your exam paper – you might get some credit for any plans or “workings-out” written
on it.
Year 8
24
Final Preparation for Exams
Performing on the Day
1. Get a good night's sleep
While the temptation can be to stay up half the night 'cramming' in more facts and figures, the evidence suggests
this approach is counter-productive. In the context of a year’s work, an extra night's studying can make very little
difference to your knowledge. Having a mind that is refreshed, alert, and ready to face the exam can make all the
difference.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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 room and answer
questions with calm and confidence.
5. 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 maintaining your focus and interacting normally with your friends and classmates. Surround yourself with
people who are likely to add to the calm rather than add to the clamour.
6. Beware of post-exam analysis
The more you participate in the exam post-mortem, the more confused and disheartened you are likely to become.
You can't change what has happened, you can only focus on the present and this will need your full attention.
Year 8
25
Who to ask for help
YES
NO
YES
NO
YES YES
NO
YES
NO
YES
Ask your subject teacher for help,
and write their advice down in the
“revision strategies” area for that
particular subject in your revision
booklet.
Ask your subject teacher for help,
and write their advice down in the
“revision strategies” area for that
particular subject in your revision
booklet. Experiment with revision
techniques written about earlier in
this booklet.
Is the problem about what
you need to know for
particular subject?
Is the problem about how
to revise what you know
for a subject?
Is the problem about the
exam timetable, the date
or the time of an exam?
Check your exam timetable, which
is printed on the inside front cover
of the booklet, which will tell you
when all your exams are.
Is the problem that you are
unsure how to organise
your revision?
Use the “how to make a
revision timetable” template
and discuss it with your form
tutor, who will give you any
further advice you may need.
Is the problem to do with
feeling stressed or anxious
about the exams?
Talk to your parents, your
form prefect, your form tutor,
the nurses or your friends:
whomever you feel can
support you.
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