Year 7 Revision and Examination Preparation Guide 2019

Year 7 Revision and Examination Preparation

Guide 2019

YEAR 7 EXAM TIMETABLE 2019

Day 09.00-10.00 10.30-11.30 12.00-13.00 14.30-15.30

Monday 20 May

Geography Progress in English

French House Events

Tuesday 21 May

Mandarin/ German

Revision Computing English

Wednesday 22 May

Latin Chemistry RS House Events

Thursday 23 May

Spanish Revision History Biology

Friday 24 May

Maths Revision Physics House Events

Year 7

1

Pathway to Effective Exam Preparation

Year 7

2

TOP TIPS

GET ORGANISED

Benjamin Franklin did not find his face on the $100 bill by chance;

he spoke sense.

• Start early – this means you will not feel

under too much pressure to get huge

amounts done in the first few days.

• Create a revision timetable – see page 4.

• Use A4 folders or exercise books for your revision notes.

• Make sure you know what you need to revise for each subject. Your teacher

should help you with this.

SET THE MOOD

• Find somewhere you can work at your best and you won’t be distracted.

• Have a comfortable place to sit, a glass of water, a desk or table, and plenty

of light.

• Stay away from social networking sites, your phone and other external

influences.

• If you play music, ensure it is either quiet classical music or a long playlist of

familiar songs.

THE POMODORO TECHNIQUE (Pomodoro is Italian for tomato)

Working in short bursts of intense concentration is better than sitting there for

hours and hours without a break.

• The technique dictates that you work for 25mins...

• ...and then take a 5min break before returning to your revision.

• Repeat this cycle a further 3 times (depending on your timetable).

There is something about setting yourself a short time limit that forces your brain

to focus and retain as much information as possible.

Year 7

3

REWARD YOURSELF & TAKE A BREAK

Revision requires hard work. It is

therefore only fair that you should receive

rewards for achieving goals or targets as

part of your revision.

If you give yourself enough time in

advance, you can afford a day or two off...

see friends, play on your console or better

still exercise!

MIX IT UP

• You only remember 10% of all that you read.

• Your revision therefore needs to be active & varied.

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.

➢ Mind mapping

➢ Mnemonics

➢ Summarise points on revision cards

➢ Repeat lists / processes aloud over and over again

➢ Set yourself questions from your notes (review wrong answers)

➢ Explain work to a friend / parent

➢ Get someone to test you

➢ Watch relevant videos on Bitesize or Youtube

➢ When you feel ready, practice exam questions

Year 7

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 7

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 7

6

Subject: Biology Exam Length: 60 Minutes

Exam Format

There will be two sections in the paper.

Section A will be 30 multiple choice questions; recommended time spent on this is 15 minutes

Section B will consist of some longer answer questions, adding up to 55 marks; recommended time spent on this

section 45 minutes

There will be a mixture of different question styles including short-answer questions, calculations and questions that

will test your practical skills as well as the factual content of the topics we have covered this year.

Content

The exam will cover the following topics:

• Cells

• Diet and Digestion

• Soil

• Variation

Recommended material for revision

• Your exercise book. Look at the notes, the practical writeups and homework material

• Sharepoint – Biology section, lower school pages or Class Team area

• Topic Checklists given out as we have gone through the course, but also found on Sharepoint and Teams

• Look over past tests and the corrections you made, use your self-reflection as a guide to focus your revision.

• Textbook(s)

Recommended revision activities

1. Using the topic Checklists, make a table of contents for your own exercise book (you will need to number

your pages)

2. Condense your notes, using the Check list as a guide

3. Create a mind map for each topic

4. Create flashcards for key words and meanings (use the Checklists for a list of Key Words for each topic)

5. Practice questions, from the topic tests

6. Explain a topic to someone at home.

Year 7

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


• Studying Chemistry and Safety

• Chemical and Physical Changes

• States of Matter

• Atoms, Elements and Compounds

• Solutions

• Separating Mixtures


• Textbook

• Topic Checklists available from your teacher

• Notes in your exercise book and homework material


1. Condense your notes

2. Create flashcards for key words and meanings (use the topic checklists)

3. Practice questions

Year 7

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


• Programming in Python

o Variables and calculations

o If statements

o For Loops

o Subroutines (without parameters)

• Hardware components of a PC

o CPU

o Hard drive

o RAM

• Logic Gates

o NOT, OR and AND gates

• Binary

o Converting to Binary from Decimal

o Converting to Decimal from Binary


• SharePoint – Year 7 pages

• Python tasks on repl.it

• Notes in your exercise book


1. Review all coding activities on repl.it

2. Complete revision questions hosted on SharePoint

3. Review notes in exercise book.

Year 7

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


• How meaning is created through literary technique

• Narrative and descriptive writing


• Guides to prose analysis tips available from your teacher

• Descriptive writing advice guide sheet available from your teacher



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 7

10

Subject: French 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 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

• Sports + free time activities

• Weather

• Opinion phrases (e.g. j’adore, je déteste ?

• Numbers

• Animals and opinions

• Things in your town, shops

• Hobbies and sports

• Time phrases

• Animals and adjectives

• Prepositions (sur/sous/dans)

• You will need to bring coloured pencils

• Personal possessions

• School equipment, school stuff

• Opinion verbs + reasons (e.g. J’aime / je n’aime pas…. parce que c’est ….)

• Physical and character descriptions

• Sports and hobby vocabulary (what you like to do/play)

• Describing your house

Grammar

• Present tense regular _er

• Present tense of: avoir + être

• Adjectival agreements (add an E, an S)

• Gender – le/la/les/un/une

• Link words (aussi, mais etc)

• Time references (d’habitude , le matin, le weekend etc) Recommended material for revision

• Textbook(s)





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 7

11

Subject: Geography Exam Length: 60 Minutes

Exam Format


Each Section will have a mixture of multiple choice questions, source-based questions relating to: maps, data,

graphs, diagrams, and a couple extended questions.

Content


• Where we Live: Earth to Mottingham

o The World: Location of the following: Continents, Equator, Tropics, Latitude and Longitude

o Europe: EU, Locate Major Geographical features within Europe, Differences between Montenegro

and Norway

o The UK: Political structure of the UK, Physical structure of the UK, Identity of the UK

o OS Map Skills: Scale, Straight Line Distances, Compass Directions, Curved Line Distances, Relief, 4

Figure Grid References, 6 Figure Grid References

• Weather and Climate

o Weather and Climate: What is weather and climate? Who is affected by weather? Global Climate

Change

o Measuring Weather: How do you measure weather? Eltham College Weather Station. Plotting

Climate Graphs

o The UK’s Climate: Relief Rain, Factors affecting the UK’s Climate

o Urban Heat Island: City of London comparison to the South Coast of England

• Glaciers

o What is a Glacier and Ice Sheet: Global Distribution of glaciers.

o Processes of Glaciers: Erosional (plucking, abrasion, freeze-thaw), Transportation (melt water,

striations), Deposition (Glacial Till)

o Erosional Landforms: Corrie, Tarn, Arête, Pyramidal Peak, U shaped Valley, Hanging valley

o Depositional Landforms: Moraine (terminal & lateral), Erratic, Drumlin

o Identifying glacial landforms on OS maps




• Textbook for skills Recommended revision activities

1. Condense your notes 2. Create flashcards for key words and meanings (use the topic checklists) 3. Practice questions

Year 7

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:

• Introducing yourself (name, age, birthday) • Family and pets (characteristics, colours) • School (classroom objects, school subjects and opinions, telling the time) • Free time and hobbies (sports, instruments, computer games and opinions, adverbs of time) • Where you live (weather, type of house, rooms in the house, furniture)

Grammar: • Present tense (regular and irregular) • Nouns (genders, nominative, accusative and plural) • Gern, lieber, am liebsten • Prepositions


• Textbook(s) • Sharepoint – Year 7 pages • Notes in your exercise book and homework material • Memorise


1. Create flashcards for key grammar points 2. Answering reading and writing questions on pages 22, 38, 54, 70 and 87 3. Reading activities on pages 152 - 156

Year 7

13

Subject: History Exam Length: 60 Minutes

Exam Format


• Students answer two short-answer 4-mark GCSE style questions from a choice of 4 Describe the key

features of ………………………………………..(8 marks)………10 minutes

• Students write 1 essay question from a choice of two… (20 marks)…….50 minutes.

Content


• William’s consolidation of power after 1066……..to include the repression of the North, the Feudal system,

the Domesday book and the building of castles

• Henry and Becket

• The Crusades



• Photocopied sheets and worksheets in your exercise book

• Topic checklists available from your teacher



2. Create flashcards for key words and meanings (use the topic checklists)

3. Look over feedback from previous essay questions

Year 7

14

Subject: Latin Exam Length: 60 Minutes

Exam Format


Section 1 = Comprehension and Translation

Section 2 = Five Derivations

Section 3 = you will have to answer a question about the Classical Civilization Topic

Content


• Grammar of Stage 1 -Stage 6

• Vocabulary Stage 1 -Stage 6


• Booklets

• Cambridge Latin course Vocabulary Checker (online)


1. Revise thoroughly and learn your grammar by heart

2. Create flashcards for vocabulary

3. Practice texts and online activities (Cambridge Latin Course – online)

Year 7

15

Subject: Mandarin Exam Length: 60 Minutes

Exam Format


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 1-3; chapter 4 (school subject only)

• Grammar List: Jin Bu 1 page 100 -112;

• Writing task: See writing task sheet

• Speaking task: See speaking task sheet


• Textbook Jin Bu 1, chapter 1 - 4

• GoChinese online exercise

• Previous vocabulary test and worksheet

• Notes in your exercise book and homework materials


1. Practise reading characters from memory 2. Practise writing tasks from memory 3. Revise grammar points 4. Practice listening and speaking using GoChinese

Year 7

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


• Number skills

• Analysing and displaying data

• Equations, functions and formulae

• Fractions

• Angles and shapes

• Decimals

• Equations

• Multiplicative reasoning

• Perimeter and area

• Sequences and graphs


• Homework textbook

• MyMaths tasks



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 7

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.

• There will be 2 sections in the paper:

o Section A = short section which tests basic music theory knowledge (15 minutes)

o Section B = Listening exam. You will hear extracts of music, some of which are related to the topics

studied in class this year, and answer questions about the musical elements (45 minutes).

Content


• Elements of Music (pitch, melody, rhythm, dynamics, texture, instrumentation)

• Music theory basics: notes of the treble clef, note lengths and performance directions (e.g. dynamics)

• Instruments of the Orchestra

• Carnival of the Animals

• Film Music


• Revision sheet will be given out in class, and available on Teams / Sharepoint

• Your folders – make sure you have filled in any glossary pages!

• Revision lessons after Easter – you will be given resources to use.


1. 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?”)

2. 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!

3. Use www.musictheory.net for practicing recognising note names and note lengths

4. You can also log into MusicFirst Classroom and use some of the lessons in ‘Focus on Sound’.

Most of this exam can be answered by listening to the extracts; it is testing your skills in analysing music.

Therefore, make sure you learn the elements of music and associated terminology first.

http://www.musictheory.net/

Year 7

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.


• Energy Transfers and Resources

• Forces

• Light

• Pressure

• Space


• Textbook(s)

• Topic Checklists and revision material available from your teacher



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 7

19

Subject: Religious Studies Exam Length: 60 Minutes

Exam Format


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


• Abraham

• The Birth of Jesus

• Incarnation and Trinity

• Holy Week

• Peter

• The Division of the Christian Church

• Prophet Muhammad

• Sacred texts: The Bible and the Qur'an

• Christian and Muslim Places of Worship

• Christian and Muslim Prayer


• SharePoint – Lower School pages

• Glossary word list available from your teacher




2. Create flashcards for key words and meanings

3. Practice questions

Year 7

20

Subject: Spanish Exam Length: 60 Minutes

Exam Format


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

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’


• Textbook(s)


• 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 7

21

NOTES

Year 7

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 7

23

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 7

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 7

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.

Documents

Year 7 Revision and Examination Preparation Guide 2019