Mrs. Chavez
Biology
Troy High School
TIPS TO SUCCEED in Biology:
1. READ. Be alert when you read, never read passively.
a. When approaching a new chapter, skim over the titles, subtitles, graphs, figures, and their captions for about 20 minutes. This will give you an idea of what is going to be covered in the chapter and peek your curiosity as well.
b. After a short 3-5 minute break, read the ÒSummarizing the ConceptsÓ at the end of the chapter and review the ÒMultiple Choice and True & FalseÓ questions. Can you answer any of the questions? This exercise may take you another 20 minutes to complete. You should always be reading with a question in mind. This helps you actively read.
c. So to recap, only study for 20 minutes at a time. After which you should take a needed short break. A small windup timer is perfect for this activity.
d. It may be necessary to read a chapter more than once. This is new and technical information for you. Learning Biology is like learning a new language. The more exposure you have to the words, the more fluent you will become in the terminology and the better you will do on the exams.
e. Last point: while you are reading, think about possible questions I might ask. Chances are you could be thinking of the same questions I am!
2. READ BEFORE YOU COME TO CLASS. If
you have any questions on the material you read, ask me at the beginning of a
lecture.
3. COME TO CLASS, TAKE NOTES AND ASK
QUESTIONS. Miss a class, and you will miss a chance to have heard,
discussed or written the concepts. The more ways you work with
information, the better your brain is at putting facts together into
patterns. If you understand the overall strategy, you will be able to
keep better track of the details.
4. REVIEW. You must go over your notes everyday. Review your lecture notes within several hours of class. Refer to the text and add information that makes the material more clear to you. In addition, highlight material that I emphasized in class. I try to give you hints during the lecture on what I might ask you on the exam. So listen carefully!
5. KNOW THE MATERIAL. Exams may cover anything in the book and anything given in the lecture. You need to know everything. You can expect to spend at least 30 minutes a day outside of class on Biology. I know this seems like a lot, but remember you are taking a science course.
6. BE PREPARED TO WORK EVERY DAY. Studying everyday will increase your success in this class. You canÕt wait and put all the hours studying the weekend before the exam. It is like trying to train for a marathon by practicing the weekend before the race when you have not run for months.
7. WORK WITH OTHER STUDENTS. Go
over the information in study groups. Serious study groups give you a
chance to refine your ideas. Working with others may indicate to an
entire group that a concept is not clear to anyone in the group! You can
then ask for clarification during lecture.
8. USE A VARIETY OF METHODS TO STUDY. The greater the number of methods you use to interact with this material, the clearer will be your understanding. Read, write, talk (yes, dream!) biology. It helps your brain to reinforce the knowledge.
9. GOOD HABITS. In order to survive this rigorous schedule of lectures and labs and pass the class, you must get enough sleep, eat nutritious food, and prioritize your time. If you follow these Òtips to succeed,Ó you should do well in this class. Good Luck! I look forward to a fun class!
If you should continue to have difficulties after
diligently adhering to the above-mentioned study tips, here are some more
suggestions