How to study
Midterms and finals cover huge amounts of information, and many students have a hard time figuring out exactly how to study for them in a practical way. My best advice? Avoid cramming! Studies have shown that cramming does not lead to long-term retention of information, and may actually be detrimental to the retention of problem-solving skills (which are the most important skills in chemistry).
Instead, try making yourself a study schedule, starting at least two weeks before the exam. Set aside two hours per day for studying (no Facebook, no phones, etc.) and briefly go through old tests, notes, Powerpoints, and textbook chapters to pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses. Then, choose two subjects to review per day, and rotate through them. The beginning of your schedule might look something like this:
Monday: Study English and Math
Tuesday: Study Chemistry and History
Wednesday: Study Spanish and Computer Science
Thursday: Study Music and English again...
And keep cycling through the subjects as you feel necessary. By the end of two weeks, you should have been able to study for each subject at least three times, and you can always adjust your schedule if you feel that one subject needs more time than another.
My second best piece of advice? If you find something that you just don't remember or can't understand, try the resources on the Need Help? page or see me immediately. Reviewing something far ahead of time will help you to understand it more deeply and remember it longer, and seeing your teacher earlier will mean that you're more likely to get fast, individual attention. Remember, the closer you are to the exam, the more likely it is that other people will also need help!
Below, you will find information on what to study for each of the major quarterly exams in chemistry. All materials are intended to help guide your studying, but may not be sufficient for a thorough review. If you need something, ask! Odds are that I have more practice resources available, or I can help you find some.
Instead, try making yourself a study schedule, starting at least two weeks before the exam. Set aside two hours per day for studying (no Facebook, no phones, etc.) and briefly go through old tests, notes, Powerpoints, and textbook chapters to pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses. Then, choose two subjects to review per day, and rotate through them. The beginning of your schedule might look something like this:
Monday: Study English and Math
Tuesday: Study Chemistry and History
Wednesday: Study Spanish and Computer Science
Thursday: Study Music and English again...
And keep cycling through the subjects as you feel necessary. By the end of two weeks, you should have been able to study for each subject at least three times, and you can always adjust your schedule if you feel that one subject needs more time than another.
My second best piece of advice? If you find something that you just don't remember or can't understand, try the resources on the Need Help? page or see me immediately. Reviewing something far ahead of time will help you to understand it more deeply and remember it longer, and seeing your teacher earlier will mean that you're more likely to get fast, individual attention. Remember, the closer you are to the exam, the more likely it is that other people will also need help!
Below, you will find information on what to study for each of the major quarterly exams in chemistry. All materials are intended to help guide your studying, but may not be sufficient for a thorough review. If you need something, ask! Odds are that I have more practice resources available, or I can help you find some.
3rd Quarter County Assessment
Nomenclature (game)
Types of Reactions (online, 15 questions)
Balancing Equations (worksheet with key)
Calculating Molar Mass (worksheet with key)
Doing Mole Conversions (single substance; ignore #3 and #8)
Empirical and Molecular Formulas
Percent composition (worksheet with key)
Stoichiometry
Limiting Reactants (online, unlimited practice)
Boyle's Law (worksheet with key)
Charles's Law (worksheet with key)
Gay-Lussac's Law (worksheet with key)
Combined Gas Law (worksheet with key)
Ideal Gas Law (worksheet with key)
Types of Reactions (online, 15 questions)
Balancing Equations (worksheet with key)
Calculating Molar Mass (worksheet with key)
Doing Mole Conversions (single substance; ignore #3 and #8)
Empirical and Molecular Formulas
Percent composition (worksheet with key)
Stoichiometry
Limiting Reactants (online, unlimited practice)
Boyle's Law (worksheet with key)
Charles's Law (worksheet with key)
Gay-Lussac's Law (worksheet with key)
Combined Gas Law (worksheet with key)
Ideal Gas Law (worksheet with key)