Middle School Survival Skills

Introduction

Welcome to Middle School Survival Skills!

In this webquest, you will learn skills to help you be successful in school: note-taking, study skills, test-taking,  and time-management.

Task

Before we get started, let's make sure you have everything you need:

  1. Notebook
  2. Pencil or pen
  3. Computer
  4. Your Brain

Once you have all your supplies, click on "Process" to begin the journey. 

Have fun!

Process

Mission 1: Note-taking

Part 1: Open up your notebook to the note-taking section (pink flag). Title the page "Note-Taking Video Clip 1" and write today's date. Below the title and date, write the down following, leaving 3 lines in between each point (use the back side of the page): 

  • Teacher speaking too fast
  • Rewrite notes
  • Spacing
  • Bullet points and indentations
  • New page vs back side of page
  • Highlighting
  • Post-it notes
  • Margins

As you watch the video clip, use bullet points to write down tips and ideas for each of the topics above. Click on the link below to watch "How to Take Awesome Notes":

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQNWlQe5k54&feature=youtu.be

Part 2: Turn to the next page in the note-taking secton. Title it "Taking Notes - SlideShare" and write down today's date. Below the title, copy down the following list, leaving a couple of lines in between:

A

B

C

L

O

U

Skip 3 lines after the last letter and write a section title "More Ideas for Note-Taking". Beneath this subtitle, write the following:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

 Now you are set up and ready to watch the slide show.

 NOTE: on Slide #12, click on the "Fact Fragment Frenzy" link. Watch the demo. When you have finished the demo, see Mrs. Barton for a practice sheet. 

http://www.slideshare.net/maryaliceosborne/learning-to-take-notes

Mission 2: Study Skills

Part 1: Open up your notebook to the study skills section (green flag).  Title the first page " Study Skills Survey" and write today's date. Below the title and date, write the down following, leaving 5 lines in between each topic:

  • Score 
  • What my score means
  • Habit 
  • Habit 
  • Habit 

You are going to take a 10 question survey about your study habits. When you have finished, record the score you received. Also, in your own words, write down what your score means. Finally, scroll down and read through the habits students should develop to improve their study skills. Choose any three you think are reasonable goals for yourself and write them in your notebook.

http://www.studygs.net/attmot4.htm

Part 2: Turn to the next page in your notebook. Title it "Study No-No's" and write the date. Read through the article below and write down at least 2 "no-no's" and how to fix them.

http://home.d47.org/krbarton/files/2014/02/Study_No_Nos-2.doc

Part 3: Okay, you've taken great notes and you're ready to start studying for your test. One great study technique is creating a mind map. You are going to make an online mind map.

Let's get ready: turn to the next page in your notebook, title it "Mind Maps" and put today's date on it. Leave room under the title to write the web address for the Mind Map website we are going to use. Click on the document below; use the template to create the data for your mind map. Write the data in your notebook, just as it is set up in the document.

http://home.d47.org/krbarton/files/2014/02/Mind-Map.docx

When you have completed your template, you are ready to create your mind map. After you finish your mind map, we are going to save it to Mrs. Barton's flash drive. Make sure you save it to the flash drive, so Mrs. B. can print it out for you.

https://www.text2mindmap.com/

Remember...Call Mrs. Barton for the flash drive!!!!!

Mission 3: Test Taking


See Mrs. Barton for a worksheet, scissors, and glue stick. Open your notebook to the purple tab, "Tests". At the top, write the title "Test Taking" and today's date. Cut out and glue the worksheet to the page. 

For this mission, you will watch a quick YouTube video, a BrainPop clip, and look at a document. Your worksheet will walk you through this mission. Let's start with music video from Flocabulary about taking a test:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TB1WhAsw6dk&feature=youtu.be

Now, Tim and Moby are going to give you some more helpful ideas about taking a test:

http://www.brainpop.com/

Finally, I want you to take a look at a Top Ten List for Test-Taking

http://home.d47.org/krbarton/files/2014/02/Test-Taking-Tips.docx

Great Job! See Mrs. Barton before heading to the next Mission.