Find a good place to study. This means a desk with nothing on it except what you need for the task you are going to work on. Move everything out of the way. You want to concentrate on one thing: studying. Make sure you have the following:

• Your agenda
• Table or desk for writing (clear of everything you are not using)
• Good lighting (not too bright and not too dim)
• Chair
• Books you will need
• Pencil, pen, eraser, etc. (put your supplies in a handy place like a shoebox)
• Glasses (if you are supposed to wear them)
• Computer if you need it
• You should try to study in the same place and at the same time every day
• Turn off the television and radio---no distractions!

Check your school website for information on homework and projects. Many teachers post assignments. If you are not sure how to complete a homework assignment, try calling a classmate.

• Get enough sleep (8 to 10 hours a night)
• Eat breakfast (helps you concentrate and have energy)
• Write in your agenda each day (write down homework assignments)
• Exercise (makes you feel better and have more energy)

• Get ready to read by thinking about the topic first
• Keep track of their understanding as they read
• Realize when they do not understand what they have read and read material again
• Ask questions such as what, why, who, when?
• Read every word (if you’re not sure of a word look it up in a dictionary or ask someone for help)

More tips on this website: www.how-to-study.com/read.htm

• Be prepared for class (bring notebook, agenda, books, pencil, paper)
• Be ready to listen—not just hear (this requires thinking)
• Follow the teacher’s directions
• Ask questions related to the topic
• Try to think what the teacher will say next
• Try to sit near the front of the class if possible
• Turn in assignments and projects on time
• Write down information your teacher tells you is important to know (this might be on a test!)

• Get a good night sleep the night before a test
• Eat a good breakfast the day of the test
• Practice relaxation if you get nervous (take deep breaths and let out slowly; relax all of your muscles)
• Think positive thoughts (“I know this stuff, I just need to show my teacher how hard I have worked”)
• Read the directions carefully before beginning
• Ask your teacher if you do not understand the directions
• Look over the test to see what the test is like before beginning
• Answer the easy questions first then go back to the hard ones (be sure to make a mark on the paper to help you remember which questions you skipped)
• For essay tests, make an outline of your answer first and be sure to answer all parts of the question
• Look over your answers for mistakes before turning in the test

Remember…the more prepared you are for a test, the less you will feel anxious or tense.

• For remembering a list of items, form a word out of the first letter of each item (HOMES for the names of the Great Lakes)
• Or form a sentence using words that begin with the same letter as the words you are trying to remember (“Kings Play Chess On Fancy Green Soft Velvet” for the order of classification in the animal kingdom)
• When having difficulty remembering individual words, try to think of words that sound alike or remind you of the word to help you form a picture of it (state of Minnesota as “mini soda”)

Remembering information takes effort and TIME. Trying to memorize facts right before a test does not work.