Study Strategies: Taking Stock
Objective________________________________
To help students learn about a variety of effective study skills and incorporate some of them into their own
study habits. Students will take stock of the strategies they currently use to study and fill out a questionnaire on
the effectiveness of their personal study habits.
Materials________________________________
Post-its or small scraps of paper, at least 3 per student
Student Handouts: “Taking Stock: How effectively do you study?” (Part I and II) and “Effective Strategies for
Effective Studying”
Chart paper and markers or your white board or chalkboard. Create four blank charts for Step 4 below or
create four columns on the board, each with one of the following titles:
1. Group A: Myself
2. Group B: My Environment
3. Group C: My Books and School Materials
4. “Ineffective Study Habits.”
Procedures______________________________
1. Explain to students that today’s lesson is about effective study habits. Put students into three groups A, B,
and C.
2. Pass out post-its (or small scrap paper pieces) to each group.
3. Instructions: “Depending on which group you are in, you will focus on a specific element of studying and
write a different habit on each Post-it, good or bad.”
For example: “Group B will focus on what type of environment you study in-- Is it loud? Do you share
space with others, are others watching TV or eating dinner, etc?)”
4. Have the following group descriptions on chart paper or on the board:
Group A: Write down study habits related to yourself, how you feel, how alert you are, how much
energy or concentration you have when you study. Is how you feel related to the time of day? When are
you most productive and better able to study?
Group B: Write down habits related to your environment, like your room, the TV, IPOD, noises. How
neat is the area? Who else is around? Where you do your homework? What does it sound like, look
like, feel like?
Group C: Write down habits that involve the way you use your books and other school materials. Do
you have access to a computer? Where are your supplies? What do you do with your supplies? Do you
take notes, mark your books, use post-its?MAHS HOMEROOM RESOURCE GUIDE TOOLS FOR SCHOOL AND LEARNING
PAGE 61 OF 239 9TH GRADE
5. When you have finished writing, get up and put your post-its on the chart that has your group’s assignment
and then sit-down:
Group A: Myself
Group B: My Environment
Group C: My Books & School Materials
Take your seat as soon as you post your notes.
6. When everyone is seated again, or after about 5 minutes, call time. Ask for a volunteer from Group A to read
aloud the post-its on their chart, while students in Groups B and C actively listen. Have the rest of the students
give a “thumbs up” for each study habit they think is a good one. If a habit doesn’t get a thumbs up, move it to
the fourth chart titled “Un-helpful or Ineffective Study Habits.” Interject comments about which habits are helpful
or unhelpful, based on information on the student handout.
Repeat this process with Groups B and C. When you are finished you should have three charts of effective
strategies and one of “unhelpful strategies.”
7. Distribute the student handout, “How Effectively Do You Study?” Go over the directions with the students
and have them take the self-assessment. When all students have finished, have them score their own selfassessment. Ask students if they are surprised by their score and why.
8. Distribute the student handout, “Effective Strategies for Effective Studying.” Review key points with the
class.
Reflection Activity________________________
Close the activity by asking for volunteers to complete one of the following sentences:
I’m going to practice better study skills by …
The one bad study habit I will work on breaking is…
Recommendation: You can suggest that the group choose one strategy per month that they will
practice. If possible, have the group pick one and get started!
Reflection Questions
1. What have you learned about your study skills?
2. What changes can you make in your study habits?
3. What ideas do you think you might use to improve your study skills?
4. What can you change about yourself, your environment, and how you use your supplies to
improve your studying?
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PAGE 62 OF 239 9TH GRADE
Student Handout: How Effectively Do I Study? Part I (for “Study
Strategies: Taking Stock”)
Follow the directions below to complete the self-assessment and find out how effectively you study.
Part I____________________________________
Answer the statements below according to your current study habits. This is a list of questions to see how you
study, not how you would like to study. Be honest with your answers, this exercise is meant to help you
improve your study skills. Mark each statement as YES or NO.
1. ___Y ___N I spend too much time studying for what I am learning.
2. ___Y ___N I usually spend hours cramming the night before a test or exam.
3. ___Y ___N I usually try to study with the radio and TV on.
4. ___Y ___N I can’t sit and study for long periods of time without becoming tired or distracted.
5. ___Y ___N When I’m in class, I usually doodle, daydream, or fall asleep.
6. ___Y ___N My class notes are sometimes difficult to understand later.
7. ___Y ___N I don’t review my class notes periodically to prepare for tests.
8. ___Y ___N When I get to the end of a chapter, I can’t remember what I’ve just read.
9. ___Y ___N I often find myself getting lost in the details of reading and have trouble identifying
the main ideas.
10. ___Y ___N I don’t know how to pick out what is important in the text.
Part I: Scoring_____________________________
Look back through the questions and divide the quiz into the following categories:
‣ Time Scheduling - #1 and 2
‣ Concentration - #3, 4, and 5
‣ Listening and Note Taking - # 6 and 7
‣ Reading - #8, 9, and 10
In any category where you answered two or more statements with a “yes,” this is considered a study habit you
need to improve.
In any category where you answered one “yes” or less, you are probably already proficient in this area.
However, this is a skill you want to continue to practice on.
MAHS HOMEROOM RESOURCE GUIDE TOOLS FOR SCHOOL AND LEARNING
PAGE 63 OF 239 9TH GRADE
Student Handout: How Effectively Do I Study? Part II (for “Study
Strategies: Taking Stock”)
Follow the directions below to complete the self-assessment and find out how effectively you study.
Part II___________________________________
Rank your study skills from 1 to 10 (1= I don’t do this at all to 10 = I do this very well). Read each statement
carefully and answer honestly.
1. ______ Manage my time to meet my school, job, and social (friends) needs.
2. ______ Motivate myself to study.
3. ______ Stay alert and focused during classes.
4. ______ Take class notes that are complete, clear, and useful.
5. ______ Understand how I learn best.
6. ______ Use a variety of strategies to remember information.
7. ______ Differentiate between essential and non-essential information in class and in my textbook.
8. ______ Study information so that I understand and remember it for tests.
9. ______ Take tests in an efficient and organized way.
10. ______ Stay on top of my class-work.
Part II: Scoring____________________________
Add up your total points. Total points possible are 100. Your total score is your study habit percentage.
If your study habit percentage is less than 80%, please take the time to learn and practice more effective study
habits and strategies. If your percentage is greater than 80%, choose a few of your lowest areas and focus on
those habits and strategies for the next few months.
MAHS HOMEROOM RESOURCE GUIDE TOOLS FOR SCHOOL AND LEARNING
PAGE 64 OF 239 9TH GRADE
Student Handout : Effective Strategies for Effective Studying
(for “Study strategies: Taking Stock”)
_____________________________________________________________________
Each of us has our own unique style of learning. Below is a list of general strategies considered to be effective for most
styles. Some strategies will be much more effective for you than others. In order to determine which ones work best for
you, think about and try them all. Sometimes a strategy that does not seem very effective at the moment can work well if
you practice.
 Notebooks - You study better when you have everything you need in one place. Use notebooks with dividers to
keep your notes, worksheets and review sheets organized.
 Assignments - You need to stay on top of what is happening in your classes to do well in school. Write all of your
homework assignments and dates for quizzes and tests in one place like in your agenda book or class notebook.
 Designated School Time - Get a jump-start on studying so you do not wait until the night before an exam.
 Designate a certain amount of time every afternoon or evening for schoolwork. Aim for at least one hour per
day and mark it on your calendar. If you don’t have homework on a particular night, review class notes and
worksheets during your study time.
 Designated Study Space - Designate an area of your home, or at the library, where you can study without
constant interruptions or distractions. If it is your room, make a “Studying – Do Not Disturb” sign for your door. Be
sure to turn off distracting music or television, but instrumental music (without lyrics) often helps some people
study.
 Supplies - Make sure you have all the supplies you need before settling down to study. Things like your agenda
book, class notebook, pencil, paper, textbook, calculator, dictionary, computer, etc.
 Mood - Create a positive mood before you begin studying. Think of studying as practice, much like you have to
practice for a sport or fine art. Do not go into studying if you are in a bad mood- your time spent will not be nearly
as effective.
 Focus - Before beginning, focus on the task at hand. Think about the objectives you will be covering and
determine a few general strategies you will use to accomplish those objectives.
 Time - Study in chunks of time between 20-50 minutes each. Between each chunk, take a brief break (5-10
minutes) to clear your head, switch to another topic, get a drink and snack, or stretch.
 Stop Time - Set a stop time for studying. This gives you a goal to look forward to and encourages effective use of
your study time.
 Active Study - Ask yourself questions, discuss what you need to know with a classmate, ask the teacher the next
day about concepts you did not fully understand. The more active you become in your learning, the more you will
learn.
 Continuous Study - Spend 30 minutes each day leading up to a test preparing for it. Continuous study enables
you to comprehend the material and makes it easier to recall the information.
 Charts and Diagrams - Pay close attention to any chart or diagram given to you by the teacher or in your
textbook. Often charts and diagrams are a concise summary of the information you need to know.
 Association - When doing homework or reviewing, continuously try to make connections between what you are
currently learning and what you already know. Making this connection allows for easier recall.
 Class Notes - Try to keep notes as accurately as possible for review later. Compare your notes with classmates
to ensure you did not miss vital information.
 Study Notes - Keep a running list of questions you have and concepts you do not fully understand. You can then
take your notes to school and ask classmates and the teacher to explain what was not clear.
 Incentives and Rewards - Create incentives for yourself for completing your tasks. This might include calling
friends, having a special snack, listening to a CD, playing a video game, seeing a movie, etc.