REVISION GUIDE
YEAR 8
REVISION GUIDE YEAR 8
Summer 2016
EXAMINATION TIMETABLE 2016 YEAR 8
Monday 6th June Friday 10th June
Time
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
MATHS
1 Hour
HISTORY
1 Hour
Session 1
9.00 - 10.25
GEOGRAPHY
1 1/4 Hours
MATHS
1 Hour
SPANISH
1 1/4 Hours
or
REVISION
..
Session 2
10.50 - 12.00
CHEMISTRY
1 Hour
RS
1 Hour
PE
Activity
BIOLOGY
1 Hour
PHYSICS
1 Hour
HE Group A
HE Group B
HE Group C
HE Group D
HE Group E
MUSIC or
ART or
REVISION
REVISION
DT or
REVISION
REVISION
Session 3
12.05 – 1.15
Film in S8
Session 4
2_10 - 4.05
FRENCH
1 1/4 Hours
or
REVISION
GERMAN
1 1/4 Hours
HE Group F
Or REVISION
ENGLISH
1 1/4 Hours
GAMES
ACTIVITIES
Pells Pool
• Year 8 will be split into 6 groups to take their practical exam in HE. Only those s tudents opting to study either
Music, Art or DT in Year 9 will sit these exams. Those not taking an exam at this time will have a revision session
REVISION GUIDE YEAR 8
Summer 2016
ART
HEAD OF DEPARTMENT: MS DINMORE
Exam Length:
1 hour
Exam Structure:
Practical exam
Exam content: Surrealist hand
Add a miniature animal balancing, walking or curled up on a hand.
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Drawing and composition skills from direct observation.
3-D tonal shading, perspective and shadow.
Creative and imaginative response.
On A3 paper.
Revision tips
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Take photos of your hand in different positions.
Practice drawing your hand, therefore working from direct observation.
Consider: use of tone, texture and 3-D form.
Collect images of animals to help you.
Draw your chosen animal in different poses, working out your composition.
Artists to refer to:
Durer’s drawings of hands
Cathie Bleck
REVISION GUIDE YEAR 8
Henry Moore hand drawings
Michael Sowa
M.C. Escher
Summer 2016
BIOLOGY
HEAD OF DEPARTMENT: Dr A Scott
Exam Length:
1 hour
Exam Structure:
The paper will include questions with short or longer answers, the latter
requiring proper sentence construction and the use of good English.
There may be diagrams to draw or label and data to analyse.
Exam content:
The questions will cover the topics taught during the year:
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Photosynthesis and Plants for Food
Respiration
Skeleton and Movement
Co-ordination and Control
Ecology
Revision tips:
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Whilst learning, write notes and devise some questions and answers based on these.
Ask someone to ask you these questions to test your learning. Practise drawing and
labelling the diagrams as well as definitions of keywords for each unit.
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Read the examination questions carefully and answer as asked. The marks allocated
to each question will indicate the amount of detail required in each answer.
Revision Checklist
Photosynthesis
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that green plants do not absorb ‘food’ from the soil
that green plants use carbon dioxide and water to
produce biomass
to represent photosynthesis by a word equation
that light is needed for photosynthesis
that the raw materials for photosynthesis are taken from the environment around the
plant
to test for the presence of starch in a leaf that chlorophyll and light are necessary for
photosynthesis
that oxygen is produced during photosynthesis
about variation between leaves
that leaves are adapted to photosynthesise efficiently
how leaf cells close to the upper surface are adapted for photosynthesis that plants
store starch
that new materials made from glucose produced during, including fats, proteins,
cellulose
photosynthesis leads to an increase in biomass
that the glucose from photosynthesis provides energy for all living processes in the
green plant
REVISION GUIDE YEAR 8
Summer 2016
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that plants need sources of nitrogen and other elements in the form of minerals
that mineral deficiency hinders plant growth
that fertilisers can cause problems far away from the initial application area–run off
that weeds are a plant that we don’t want or need
competition with desired plants for resources
that herbicides are used to control weeds
that a pest is any organism that will attack and eat any cultivated plant
that pesticides are used to control pests
problems with herbicides and pesticides
Respiration
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that products of digestion are transported in the blood to other parts of the body
that glucose is an energy source for cells
that respiration is the sum of the chemical reactions which release energy from food
molecules
that respiration can be represented by a word equation and this reaction releases
energy
that carbon dioxide is produced during aerobic respiration
that lungs are specialised organs where oxygen from the air enters the blood and
carbon dioxide in the blood passes into the alveoli
how the alveoli provide a large surface area for gas exchange
to make comparisons between the composition of inhaled and exhaled air
to present findings in a suitable format
to discuss and respond to initial ideas and information, carry out the task and then
review and refine ideas
that the exchanges of substances between cells and the blood occur adjacent to
the capillaries
that the blood transports substances to and from the cells of body tissues
why the heart needs to work efficiently
to select relevant information and link to other information from a range of sources
that cells need a good supply of oxygen in order to release energy
that plants and other animals produce carbon dioxide during respiration
The Skeleton, Movement and Co-ordination
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Vertebrates have an internal skeleton which provides the framework for support and
movement
Bones are rigid to provide support for the body and for muscle attachment
At a joint the bones at a joint are held together by strong fibres called ligaments-the
ends of the bones in a joint are covered with a smooth layer of cartilage which stops
the bones rubbing together; -a membrane in the joint secretes synovial fluid which is
oily making the surface of the cartilage slippery and helps the joint to move easily.
Muscles only move bones at a joint by contraction.
Muscle tissue contains fibres which contract when supplied with energy from
respiration.
Ligaments have tensile strength and some elasticity. This makes it possible for joints
to bend without the bones being easily dislocated
Cartilage is strong but not rigid. This enables it to be slightly compressed and to
absorb shock
Tendons, which attach muscles to bones, have tensile strength and little elasticity.
That the eyes, ears, skin, tongue and nose are referred to as receptors
That light, sound, touch, taste and smell are known as stimuli
REVISION GUIDE YEAR 8
Summer 2016
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All information is passed along nerves from the receptors to the brain via sensory
neurons
Reactions to stimuli are determined by the CNS (brain and spinal cord)
Basic structure and function of eye and ear
State what a hormone is
Where hormones are produced
Ecology
 Identify features, e. g. light, temperature range, which are different in different
habitats
 Describe adaptations to life in a variety of habitats such as: water, underground and
woodland
 Identify ways in which habitats vary through the year
 Describe some strategies which plants and animals adopt to avoid climatic stress
 Sort organisms into a food chain
 Explain what is meant by, and identify, carnivore, herbivore, consumer, producer
 Identify food chains within food webs and describe what a food web shows
 Explain the direction of arrows in a food chain, e. g. energy from the leaves passes to
the caterpillar
 Place food chains within a food web
 Describe how all the organisms in a habitat can be linked together in food webs
 Sequence a food chain
 Recognise that arrows in a food web or food chain show the direction of energy flow
 Predict the effects of altering numbers of an organism in one part of a food web
 Recognise that organisms living in a habitat compete with each other for food
resources
 Recognise the importance of plants as the food source at the start of all food chains
 Identify predators and prey from information about commonly encountered animals
 Identify features of predators, e. g. a hooked beak, sharp claws, acute vision, ability
to trap prey
 Identify features of prey animals, e. g. camouflage, acute senses, armour, speed
REVISION GUIDE YEAR 8
Summer 2016
CHEMISTRY
HEAD OF DEPARTMENT: MRS C LOWDEN
Exam Length:
1 hour
Exam Structure:
This is a structured question paper, which requires answers to be written
on the paper. Some of the questions will require longer answers. There
will be some diagrams to label and/or draw.
Exam content:
This is based on topics covered this year but you will be expected to remember the
basic work learnt in Year 7. This year we studied:
Physical and chemical changes
Metals and non-metals
Elements, compounds and mixtures
Preparation, properties and uses of oxygen, carbon dioxide and hydrogen
Tests for oxygen, carbon dioxide and hydrogen
Composition of the air; acid rain; neutralisation
Burning fossil fuels
Reactivity series of metals – metals reacting with air/oxygen, metals reacting with
water/steam, metals reacting with acids.
Uses of metals related to their reactivity
 Reactions of acids (Making salts)
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Revision tips:
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Try not to leave your revision to the last moment
Read through your notes to make sure that you understand them. Ask your teacher if
you don’t.
You will be given a revision sheet and a list of topics to learn and a selection of
questions to help you revise.
You must learn the correct scientific words.
Write down some questions that you think you could be asked. Try to answer your
own questions. Get someone to test you.
Exam tips:
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Read the questions carefully before answering.
If you can’t answer a question, do the next one and go back later.
The number of marks available for a question will be on the exam paper.
Work steadily through the paper and check it when you have finished.
REVISION GUIDE YEAR 8
Summer 2016
Some revision questions for Year 8 Chemistry
1. Temporary and permanent changes/Physical and chemical changes
How do we recognise them?
What “clues” do we look for?
What is always made in a chemical change?
What does not change in a chemical or a physical change?
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2. Elements, compounds and mixtures.
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What is an element?
What is a compound?
What is a mixture? Can you give examples?
Use diagrams to show differences between them in terms of their particles.
What are the differences between metallic and non-metallic elements – physical
and chemical properties can be used.
Give differences between mixtures and compounds
Name a compound we made from elements. Can you write a word equation for its
preparation?
Names of compounds give you clues about the elements that they are made from.
What elements are found in the following compounds:- iron sulphide, copper oxide,
sodium chloride, magnesium sulphate, calcium carbonate, zinc nitrate?
Do you know symbols for some common elements?
3. Hydrogen
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Write down the names of two substances that you could safely use to make
hydrogen.
Draw a diagram and label a diagram to show the apparatus you would use to
make and collect some hydrogen.
What are the properties of hydrogen?
What is the test for hydrogen?
What safety precautions do you need to take when making hydrogen?
Give three uses for hydrogen.
4. Carbon dioxide
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What chemicals did we use to make carbon dioxide?
How can we collect the gas?
What are the properties of carbon dioxide?
How do we test for carbon dioxide?
Give three uses for carbon dioxide.
5. Oxygen
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Oxygen is prepared in the laboratory by the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide.
What catalyst did we use to speed up this reaction?
Can you draw a diagram of the apparatus we used to make this gas?
Can you write a word equation to describe the decomposition of hydrogen
peroxide?
What are the properties of oxygen?
What is the test for oxygen?
REVISION GUIDE YEAR 8
Summer 2016
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When elements react with oxygen, they form oxides. What do you see when the
following elements are heated in oxygen:- magnesium, sulphur, carbon, copper,
iron wool?
If the oxides of these elements dissolve in water, what effect do they have on
universal indicator solution?
Can you write some word equations to describe the reaction between elements
and oxygen?
6. Composition of the air
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Name the main gases in the air and give the approximate percentage of each of
them. Can you give some uses for these gases?
Can you describe experiments that we could do to show how much oxygen is in the
air?
What is an oxidation reaction?
What happens in combustion reactions?
How do we separate the gases in the air on a large scale (Name the process used).
Combustion of fuels is a useful oxidation reaction. What is made when a fuel burns?
7. Air pollution
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What causes acid rain? Give the type of substances that are responsible and the
likely sources.
What are the effects of acid rain on the environment?
8.
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Reactivity of metals:–calcium, copper, iron, magnesium,
What would you notice when the above metals are heated in air or oxygen?
What forms in each case?
What kind of solution is formed and how do you know?
As well as hydrogen, what else is formed when metals react with dilute acids?
Which metals do not react with dilute acids?
Can you arrange these metals in order of their reactivity?
How are uses of metals related to their reactivity?
Iron is one of the most widely used metals
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9. Reactions of acids (Making salts)
 What are the products of reactions of acids and bases?
 What is the name given to these reactions?
 Could you suggest two starting substances (reactants) to make blue crystals of
copper sulphate salt?
 Can you describe step by step process to make blue crystals of copper sulphate
salt?
REVISION GUIDE YEAR 8
Summer 2016
Year 8 - Recommended web sites for the revision of Chemistry
http://inteleducationresources.intel.co.uk/index.aspx
Click on Key stage 3 – Chemistry
Scroll down to find the following topics and click on each to revise the facts and to test your
knowledge:
5. Metals
6. Non-metals
7. Uses of some elements
9. Reaction of metals with oxygen and water
10. Reaction of metals with acid
13. The reactivity series of metals
14. Making salt using an insoluble base
15. Making salt using an acid and an alkali
16. Uses of salts
17. Acid base reactions
http://www.docbrown.info/ks3chemistry/ks3chemistry.htm
Scroll down and test your knowledge with a series of quiz questions as follows:
1. QCA 7F – Simple chemical reactions
2. QCA 8E – Atoms and elements
3. QCA 8F – Compounds and mixtures
4. combined quiz 8E + 8F
5. QCA 9E – Reactions of metals and metal compounds
6. QCA 9F – Patterns of reactivity
7. combined quiz 9E + 9F
REVISION GUIDE YEAR 8
Summer 2016
CRAFT DESIGN TECHNOLOGY
HEAD OF DEPARTMENT: MR N ASHFORD
Exam Length:
1 hour 15 minutes
Exam Structure:
Section A – Tools, materials and techniques.
Section B – Design problem solving and drawing skills.
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Exam content:
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Names, uses and techniques for tools used (this year).
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Names and properties of materials used.
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Construction techniques, including safety and use of flow diagrams.
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Sketching and technical drawing.
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Imaginative problem solving.
Revision tips
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Practise sketching and drawing techniques.
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Sketch and label tools you have used.
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Drawing tools helps you remember their names and how you use them.
Exam tips
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Present information clearly.
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Design solutions need to be imaginative, but logical.
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Explain ideas clearly and include plenty of details.
REVISION GUIDE YEAR 8
Summer 2016
ENGLISH
HEAD OF DEPARTMENT: MS L McCARRON
Exam Length:
1 hour 45 minutes – 1 ¼ hours in Exam Week.
Exam Structure:
1 paper split into 2 sections: testing reading and writing. The writing
section will take place in the first English double lesson after exam
week.
Exam content:
Section A. - Reading and Understanding
You will be asked to read a non-fiction passage. It may be an article, a report,
autobiography or travel writing.
You will then be asked questions about what you have read, including to test your
understanding. There will be four questions which will test your ability to 1. Locate
information in the text 2. Summarise information 3. Identify and comment on the writer’s use
of language 4. Compare and contrast the two articles.
Section B. – Writing
You will be asked to write content for a website.
This will test your:
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Spelling and vocabulary
Sentence structure and grammar
Selection and organisation of ideas
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Exam tips:
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Always read everything, including the questions, very carefully at least twice.
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Be sure you know how many marks each question is worth.
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Do exactly what the question asks.
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Remember REVISE means to adapt and improve so before the examination check
that you understand and practise the following :
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Use of full stops / capital letters / commas
Setting out your work in paragraphs
Using speech marks correctly
Looking to choose interesting and a wide range of vocabulary.
REVISION GUIDE YEAR 8
Summer 2016
FRENCH
HEAD OF DEPARTMENT: Miss Valérie Rosin
Exam length:
1 hour and 15 minutes
Exam structure: At the end of the academic year, the speaking, writing and grammar skills
will be tested. We will carry out the speaking assessments in the 2 weeks before half-term
during lesson time. The writing/grammar exam will be taken during the exam week. We
have already assessed the listening and reading skills formally at the end of the Autumn
and Spring Term. Each exam is worth 25% of the total. After all exams are taken, an
average of all 4 will give your son / daughter their final mark and grade.
Book used: Expo 2 (Rouge)
Exam content:
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TOPICS
Talking about families, their
hobbies and jobs.
Talking about their daily
routine and where they live.
Weather and activities.
Time.
Personal and social life, free
time and social activities
Making and reacting to
invitations
Clothes and colours
Shops and shopping
Description of last weekend,
different TV programmes.
My weekend.
Food and drink
At the restaurant, supermarket
buying goods.
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GRAMMAR
-er, -ir and –re verbs in the
present tense.
Negative ne…pas
Use of depuis + present tense
Connectives quand/si
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Adjectives
and
their
agreements
Comparative and superlative
od adjectives
Modal verbs.
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À, à la, à l’, au, aux + places
Opinions with c’était
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Partitive article some and any
(du, de la, de l’, des), prices
(numbers)
Expressions of quantities
J’aime + infinitive
Il faut + infinitive
Questions words
Prepositions en, au + countries
Asking questions
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Holidays and travel
Foreign countries
Tourist office
Past holidays
Verbs and tenses:
Present, perfect and future tense of regular verbs (-er, -ir, -re)
Perfect tense of regular verbs
Near future of regular verbs
Some irregular verbs in the present tense (faire, venir, aller, avoir, être)
Some irregular perfect tense ( prendre, dire, voir, lire, boire, faire)
Modal verbs in the present (vouloir, pouvoir, devoir)
REVISION GUIDE YEAR 8
Summer 2016
All the vocabulary learnt can be found in your son/daughter’s exercise books. They will also
be given a revision booklet containing all the vocabulary and grammar learnt.
Revision tips:
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Start early
Practise verb endings, spellings with your friends and family
Make flashcards with vocabulary and grammar rules
Play “ I spy” with your friends with French words
Practise your spelling by writing words you find difficult, reading them over and over.
Exam tips:
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Do not panic. There is nothing new in the exam paper. It only contains things we
have studied. Revision lessons will be held the week before the exam.
Always read the questions carefully and allow 10 minutes to re-read the answers you
wrote to check for spelling and grammatical mistakes.
REVISION GUIDE YEAR 8
Summer 2016
GEOGRAPHY
HEAD OF DEPARTMENT: MR W ELLIS
Exam Length:
1 hour 15 minutes
Exam Structure:
The examination building upon the skills and knowledge attained in
Year 7. The questions will test the topics covered throughout this year,
but also require pupils to apply this to new situations and use practical
skills (e.g. drawing and interpreting climate graphs).
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Exam content:
The topics covered in Year 8, which should form the bulk of pupils’ revision, are outlined
below:
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Coasts – processes, landforms of erosion and deposition, uses of the coast, coastal
erosion and what can be done to combat it.
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Weather and climate – measuring the weather, types of rainfall, high and low
pressure, forecasts, weather maps etc.
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Climate change- causes, impacts and possible solutions.
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Population – growth, density and distribution, population and resources.
Exam tips:
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Learn all your work thoroughly, concentrating on the list of topics above.
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Read all questions carefully, and make sure you are aware of mark allocation
(obviously your answers should vary in length accordingly).
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Leave time at the end, to check through your answers.
REVISION GUIDE YEAR 8
Summer 2016
GERMAN
HEAD OF DEPARTMENT: MRS A MASSON
Exam Length: 1 hour 15 minutes
Exam structure: At the end of the academic year the skills of speaking, writing and
grammar will be tested. We will carry out the speaking assessments during the two weeks
before the May half term during lesson time. The writing/grammar exam will be taken during
the exam week. We have already assessed the listening and reading skills formally at the
end of the Autumn Term. The result of every exam is worth 25% of the total. After the
completion of the speaking and writing/grammar assessments an average of the four
results will be calculated, which will be the student’s final grade.
Book used: Echo 2
Exam content:
Topics
• The Holidays, weather and activities
• The Time
• Food shopping
- Know different shops and what you buy
in them.
 Fruit and Vegetables
 In a café, menus , ordering a meal
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Pocket money (what you get , buy and
save for)
 Media
- Talk about going to the cinema and
different kinds of films.
- TV Programmes
- Understand summaries of films and
books.
- Give opinions about books and films.
- other media like mobile phones
 Health
- Body parts and illnesses
- At the doctor
- Healthy and unhealthy eating
Grammar
 Revision of Present
 Past Tense
 Future Tense
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Understand the 24hour clock.
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“es gibt”
Measurements and prices
Accusative ending
gern / lieber / am liebsten and
adverbs of time and frequency
Question words
Possessive adjectives
Plurals of nouns
Modal verbs : können and müssen
„seit“ with present tense
The imperative
Subordinate sentences with „weil“
Adjective endings
„ihr„ informal adress
Sequencing in semtences
Separable verbs
Ich hatte as past tense
Word order : TIME, MANNER,PLACE
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 Going out and excuses
 Party clothes and food
 Daily routine
REVISION GUIDE YEAR 8
Summer 2016
 Problems
 An Exchange
suggesting a programme
Revision tips:
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Start early
Practise verb endings, spellings with your family and friends
Make flashcards with vocabulary and grammar rules
Play “I spy” with your friends with words in German
Exam tips:
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Do not panic. There is nothing new in the exam paper. It only contains things we
have studied. Revision sessions will be held the week before the exams.
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Always read the questions carefully and allow ten minutes to re-read the answers
you wrote to check for spelling and grammatical mistakes.
REVISION GUIDE YEAR 8
Summer 2016
HOME ECONOMICS
HEAD OF DEPARTMENT: MRS D TICEHURST
Exam Length:
1 hour
Exam Structure:
Students will be asked to prepare and cook a dish using the techniques
and cooking methods they have learnt this year. Students may select
any recipe but we would really like to see the use of seasonal
ingredients if appropriate. ANY RECIPE MUST BE NUT FREE as we have
students with severe nut allergies who use the HE Room
They will be assessed on:
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Their choice of dish
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Their organisation with regards to bringing all the necessary ingredients
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Their health, food hygiene and safety
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Their organisation of equipment
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Their preparation and cooking of the dish
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Their presentation of the dish
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Their diligence in clearing, washing, drying and putting away items they have used.
REVISION GUIDE YEAR 8
Summer 2016
HISTORY
HEAD OF DEPARTMENT: MR P WALTON
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Exam Length:
1 hour
Exam Structure:
Writing frames/gap filling paragraphs
Questions requiring short answers
Questions requiring long answers
Source analysis
Exam content:
As well as the key words for each unit make sure you revise the topics we have covered:
Unit 1:
Was Mary 1 a monster?
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The difference between Catholics and Protestants
Why did Henry VIII set up his own church?
What changes did Henry make to the church? Edward? Mary? Elizabeth?
Has Mary 1 been unfairly interpreted?
Unit 2: Why did the English kill their King?
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Where does authority come from? King v Parliament
How did James 1 upset Parliament? Why did Guy Fawkes try and blow him up?
What caused the English Civil War?
Why did Parliament win the Civil War?
Unit 3: What have the Muslims ever done for us?
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What is Islam?
How did Muslim Empires spread across the world?
Why did people go on the Crusades?
How have Muslim inventions affected our lives?
Unit 4: Black peoples of the Americas
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Transatlantic trade triangle and conditions for slaves
African nations
Resistance, abolition, segregation and civil rights
Progress for black people in America
Revision tips:
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Read through your work to make sure you understand the topic covered
If you have missed work through absence – see your teacher for help.
Don’t leave your revising to the last minute!
REVISION GUIDE YEAR 8
Summer 2016
MATHEMATICS
HEAD OF DEPARTMENT: MRS A PEARCE
Exam Length:
Two 1 hour papers
Exam Structure:
The examination will test you on topics from the list below. Calculators
will not be permitted.
Equipment:
Pen, pencil, rubber, ruler, protractor, compasses.
Exam content:
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Number
Place value, putting numbers in order of size, rounding, powers and roots, fractions,
decimals, percentages, ratio and proportion. Order of operations (BIDMAS /
BODMAS), written methods for calculations.
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Geometry and Measures
Measuring and drawing lines and angles, bearings, 3-D Objects, constructions of
triangles
Plans and elevations (three views of a shape)
Coordinates and graphs, transformations, measures and mensuration, loci.
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Algebra
Equations, formulae, sequences
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Statistics and Probability
Stem-and-leaf diagrams, mean, median and mode and range (for all data types),
Venn diagrams, Probability
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Revision Tips
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You will be given revision sheets. Ensure you work through these conscientiously.
Use examples in your exercise books and text books to help.
Ask for help if you get stuck!
Identify weak areas and practise these.
Look up principles while doing the exercises.
Only refer to answers when you are confident you have succeeded.
Exam Tips
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Ensure you have the correct equipment for the exam.
If you get stuck on a question, leave it and go back to it later.
REVISION GUIDE YEAR 8
Summer 2016
MUSIC
HEAD OF DEPARTMENT: MISS A ABIS
Exam Length:
1 hour (During lesson time)
Exam Structure:
The paper will include; questions with short and long answers
with some multiple choice options.
Listening exercises.
Exam content:
The questions will cover topics taught during the year.
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Music theory, including notation
Key elements of music
Film & TV music
Leonard Bernstein and West Side Story
Listening tasks
Exam tips
o
Use your classroom books and homework as a basis to revise from.
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Read carefully through the questions and think about how you listened to and
played music, and how we discussed it in the classroom.
REVISION GUIDE YEAR 8
Summer 2016
PHYSICS
HEAD OF DEPARTMENT: MRS V FROST
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Exam Length
1 hour
Exam Structure
Structured questions.
All questions to be attempted.
Equipment required
Black Pens, Pencils, Ruler, Eraser, and Calculator.
______________________________________________________________________________
Exam content:
This is based on the topics covered this year but you will be expected to remember the
basic work you learnt in Year 7.
This year we studied:
Electricity
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Charging by friction
Law of charges
Atomic structure & motion of electrons in charging
Experiences & applications of static charges
Circuit symbols
Conductors & insulators
Use of ammeters and voltmeters
Resistance
Series & parallel circuits, short circuits
Magnetism
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North & South seeking poles
Law of poles
Magnetic materials
Magnetic fields
Electromagnets
Electric bell, relay, reed switch, reed relay
Solar system and beyond
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Sun & Earth: Day, night, year, seasons
Moon & Earth: Phases of the moon, solar & lunar eclipses
Solar system, universe, galaxies, constellations, meteors etc.
Gravity & space
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Mass & weight
Forces on rockets & satellites
REVISION GUIDE YEAR 8
Summer 2016
Pressure & moments
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Pressure due to a solid
Pressure in liquids and gases
Levers
Moment = force x perpendicular distance from the pivot
When an object is balanced the sum of the clockwise moments is equal to the sum
of the anti-clockwise moments.
Revision tips:
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Read through your notes and the relevant sections of your text book.
Go through the check list for each unit to ensure that you have covered everything.
Learn the formulae, units and correct scientific words.
Practice answering questions. You can use worksheets and test sheets that you
already have and/or make up your own questions. Use your notes to check your
answers. Ask someone in the family to test you.
In the examination, make sure that you read the question carefully and include all
the relevant facts. In calculations you must:
 Write down the formula
 Put the numbers from the question into the formula
 Give the answer with the correct units.
Checklists
Electricity Checklist
 Everything is made of atoms.
 An atom has a positive nucleus, containing protons and neutrons, which have
negative electrons moving around it.
 Some objects can be statically charged by rubbing them together.
 Charged objects have gained or lost electrons.
 Opposite charges attract, like charges repel.
 We experience the effects of static electricity in our everyday lives.
 Electric current describes electrons flowing around a circuit. It is
measured with an ammeter which is connected in series.
 Electrical components are represented by symbols in diagrams.
 The unit of current is amp, A.
 Electric current can flow through conductors but cannot flow
through insulators.
 The potential difference across a component is a measure of the energy that it
transfers.
 Potential difference is measure with a voltmeter.
 Resistance describes how hard it is for current to flow through a component.
 A dimmer switch works by changing the resistance of a circuit.
 Bulbs, and other components, can be connected in series or parallel.
 A short circuit occurs when a low resistance conductor is in parallel with a
component.
REVISION GUIDE YEAR 8
Summer 2016
Magnetism Checklist
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Magnets can attract magnetic materials – iron, steel, nickel & cobalt.
Most metals are not magnetic.
Magnets are surrounded by a magnetic field; this is the area where its force can be
detected.
The magnetic field is strongest at the poles of a magnet.
There are two types of poles: north-seeking poles and south-seeking poles.
Opposite poles attract, like poles repel.
Magnetic fields can be blocked by magnetic materials.
There is a magnetic field around a wire with current flowing
through it.
An electromagnet is made from a coil of wire in an electrical
circuit.
An electromagnet can be made stronger by increasing the
current, increasing the number of coils or adding an iron or
steel core.
An electromagnet can be turned on and off which makes
them very useful.
Electric bells, circuit breakers and reed relays all use electromagnets to work.
Earth and Space Checklist
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The Earth takes 24h to spin on its axis.
The side of the Earth facing the sun is in daylight, the other side
experiences night time.
The Earth orbits the Sun every 365 ¼ days.
The Earth spins on a tilted axis causing the Earth to lean towards
or away from the Sun which results in seasons.
The moon reflects light from the Sun as it orbits that Earth.
We see different phases of the moon because different amounts of the illuminated
side of the moon are visible to us.
If the Sun, Earth and moon are in a completely straight line, an eclipse occurs.
During a solar eclipse, light from the Sun is blocked by the moon.
During a lunar eclipse, the Earth prevents sunlight from reaching the moon.
The solar system describes the Sun and the bodies that orbit it.
The order of the planets as they get further from the Sun is: Mercury, Venus, Earth,
Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, (Pluto).
The further a planet is from the Sun, the cooler it is and the longer it takes to orbit the
Sun.
Constellations, meteors and comets may be seen in the night sky.
Telescopes help us to see distant objects in the night sky.
A galaxy is a large group of stars.
Weight = mass x gravitational field strength.
Different planets have different gravitational field strengths.
Satellites are kept in orbit by the Earth’s gravitational pull.
There are many uses of satellites.
A satellite in a low orbit is used for imaging the Earth.
A satellite in a geostationary orbit is used for communications.
When a rocket leaves a planet the thrust force must be greater
than its weight.
There are many more new discoveries to be made in space.
REVISION GUIDE YEAR 8
Summer 2016
Pressure & Moments Checklist
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Pressure = force / area
Units of pressure
Pressure increases with depth in a liquid
Pressure is the same in all directions in a liquid
Levers are simple machines that make jobs easier.
A lever involves an effort force, a load and a pivot.
Levers can magnify forces or distances.
The turning effect of a force is called a moment.
Moment = force x perpendicular distance from the pivot
Unit: Nm
When an object is balanced the sum of the clockwise moments is equal to the sum
of the anti-clockwise moments
REVISION GUIDE YEAR 8
Summer 2016
RELIGIOUS STUDIES
HEAD OF DEPARTMENT: MRS J CHAMBERLAIN
Exam Length:
1 hour
Exam Structure:
A mixture of short answer questions, questions based on sources and
answering in paragraphs – descriptions and explanations
Exam content:
What does it mean to be a Hindu?
 Brahman and the Trimurti
 Prayer and worship
 Festivals – Diwali / Holi
 Life and death
What does it mean to be a Sikh?
 Who is the Guru Nanak? What is the Guru Granth Sahib?
 What is in the Gurdwara and how is it used?
 What are the 5 K’s and what do they mean?
 What is the Khalsa?
Religion and Young People
 How the home and religious upbringing influences the beliefs of
a child
 Describe and explain a birth or initiation ceremony in any religion
studied
 Compare the activities of faith groups for young people
Religion and Science
 What is the Creation story? And who are ‘creationists’?
 What are the arguments against creationism?
 Design Argument
 Cosmological Argument
 Arguments against the existence of God
 What is Humanism?
Useful Websites to be used alongside class revision & hand-outs.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/0/
http://www.request.org.uk/
Revision tips:
o Learn subject vocabulary using keywords in your exercise books
o Use Religious Studies websites for practice questions and additional information
o Re-read your exercise book!
o Use class revision hand-outs. All students will receive a hand-out in class which
breaks down the main aspects of the exam. They will also be given 2 lessons
minimum to recap the unit and be clear about the demands of the exam.
REVISION GUIDE YEAR 8
Summer 2016
SPANISH
HEAD OF DEPARTMENT: MRS PRADA-GARCÍA
Exam Length:
1 hour 15 minutes
Exam Structure:
At the end of the academic year the skills of speaking, writing and
grammar will be tested. We will carry out the speaking assessments before half term. The
writing/grammar exam will be taken during the exam week. We have already assessed the
listening and reading skills formally in the end of the Autumn and Spring Terms. The result of
every exam is worth 25% of the total. After the completion of the speaking and
writing/grammar assessments an average of the four results will be calculated; which will be
the students’ final grade.
Textbook used:
Mira 2
Exam Content:
Topics
NOS PRESENTAMOS
likes and dislikes
Descriptions of friends
Descriptions of famous people
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LA RUTINA DIARIA
 Daily routine activities
Grammar
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Present tense of regular verbs
Verb gustar
Negative form of verbs.
Verb preferir
Adjectival agreement.
ser and tener.
y, pero, no, también, nunca.
Comparatives.
Gender
 Reflexive verbs
 Adverbs of frequency: normalmente,
primero, luego
MI CIUDAD
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Places in town
Town description
EL TIEMPO LIBRE
 Telling the time
 Sports and free time activites
¿QUÉ QUIERES HACER?
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Activities linked with places in town
Future plans of activities to do in
the city
Turning down invitations
Making excuses
REVISION GUIDE YEAR 8
 Different verbs to use with weather
(hacer, haber, estar)
 Impersonal verbs: llover, nevar.
 Me gusta/no me gusta + infinitive
 times
 Possessive adjectives
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al /a la
Near future
1st and 2nd persons singular of the
verb poder
Tener que + infinitive
Summer 2016
LA COMIDA
 Meals of the day and mealtimes
 At the supermarket (money, high
numbers and food containers)
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Opinions about food, Types of
international food
 Spanish food
 At the restaurant
 Verbs desayunar, comer, merendar
and cenar
 Expressions with tengo : tengo
hambre/tengo sed
 Numbers up to 1000
 Weights (gramos, kilos) vs pounds
and ounces
 Containers (lata, paquete…)
 The preterite of –er and –ir verbs
¿QUÉ TAL LO PASASTE?
 Holiday activities in preterite
 Opinions about holidays
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Time markers
 Preterite of verbs in –ar
 Prepositions en and a
 Understanding the object pronoun lo
with the verb pasar (pasarlo
bien/mal)
 Time markers and expressions in
present and in past
 Using the present and the preterite
together.
► Start early
► Practice verb endings, spelling with your family and friends
► Make flashcards with vocabulary and grammar rules
► Play "I spy" with your friends with Spanish words
Exam tips
Do not panic. There is nothing new in the exam paper. It only contains things we have
studied. Revision sessions will be held the week before the exams.
Always read the questions carefully and allow 10 minutes to proof read your answers and
check your spelling and grammatical errors.
REVISION GUIDE YEAR 8
Summer 2016