Are your biology students tips on how to study in order to master the content? Most students struggle with high school biology because there is a lot of content and new vocabulary that they need to keep up with. If they are not studying outside of the classroom, it can be really hard for students to achieve mastery. I have started explicitly teaching students the art of studying as part of my standards-based grading system. I want to share methods and strategies that have worked in my high school science classroom so hopefully, you will find the same success!
Before we jump into studying tips, if you are looking to get students studying in your biology classroom, then I may have just the right thing for you! I have created a free guidebook that gives you 5 specific strategies that you can use to teach your students how to study. I describe in detail the 5 strategies I have used in my classroom that allowed students to be successful with biology. Teach your students to study like a rockstar today!
3 Tips to study biology
Tip #1 Offer choice for how to study for biology
As a teacher, you know students are diverse learners. You differentiate lessons to meet the needs of all of your students. Well, studying should be the same. There are lots of ways to study out there so you should be giving your students choices for how they should be studying, not just giving them one single method.
Studies have found that offering students choice in the classroom leads to more intrinsic motivation and engagement. When students are engaged in a class, they are more likely to experience higher achievement. Heck yeah!
So you need to offer students choices when it comes to studying. But you may ask yourself, what are these choices you speak of? Well over the years, I have tried different methods myself as I needed to prepare for licensure exams, GREs, etc. I have some methods that I have found extremely helpful to study for major assessments.
Some strategies that I think you need to offer to your students include creating one-page review guides, re-writing notes by hand, and completing quiz or test corrections. I go more into detail about these strategies in my free guidebook.
The best way to offer these students studying options is with a study choice board. Create a choice board assignment that offers students 4-6 choices when it comes to studying. Outline each choice with specific directions that guide students on what to do.
I have found that my students are way more likely to study when I offer this choice board than if I just say “go study”. I have seen higher rates of engagement and ultimately higher student achievement.
Tip #2 Studying should be an active process
This tip is probably the most important of all! Studying should be an active process and not a passive one. So what do I mean by an active process? Think about the times you used to study. I bet you would read through your notes or look over the text. Yes, you are reading but you are not actively doing anything.
When we think about Bloom’s taxonomy, this type of studying is at the bottom of the pyramid. Students are not actively applying their knowledge but rather just trying to remember what is on the page in front of them.
For studying to be an active process, students need to be analyzing or creating. These are higher-order verbs in terms of Bloom’s. Find ways for students to study that involve them doing something.
For example, my favorite study method is to have students create a one-page review guide. And when I say one page, I do not mean this one page with everything written on it in the tiniest font. What I mean is a page with the most important information from a topic, chapter, unit, etc outlined and organized in a thoughtful way.
Students are not just copying down information onto the page. They are taking the information in their notes and analyzing what is of most importance and reorganizing it in a way that makes sense. Students should be adding color to help code information. Lots of images can be used in place of lengthy text.
The more active the process, the more likely students are to recall information and be successful on their next assessment.
Tip #3 Have students reflect on the best way to study for biology
This past year I have really fallen in love with having students reflect on their own learning. I have found students need to reflect on themselves if we want them to improve. When it comes to studying, your students need to evaluate their study habits in relation to their performance on quizzes, tests, and projects.
Because I offer students choice when it comes to studying, there are many methods they may choose. However, some may work for them while others may not. Some methods may help them ace a test while other methods did nothing to help them prepare.
When I pass an assessment back to students I have them complete a short survey about their study habits. I tell them that they need to be honest with themselves and that I won’t be mad if they used a method that didn’t work or if they chose to not study at all. The goal here is to have students realize that their study habits may be directly correlated to their success. And most students want to succeed, so if they can see that their habits can directly improve their grades, then they will be more likely to put in that effort in the future.
In the survey, I first have students identify the strategy or strategies they used to study. Then I have them rate how well they think it helped prepare them for the assessment. I have them think about what they could have done differently to improve their performance. Lastly, I have them think about what they will do (or do differently) in the future to ensure their success.
Overall, my students are really honest with me and themselves in these surveys. Students are able to identify their strengths and weaknesses when it comes to studying. Sometimes students can be very honest and let you know they are struggling and can use some more teacher intervention.
I have found this system to be ultimately rewarding for both myself and my students. Next time you have your students take an assessment, have them reflect on the best way to study for biology.
More study tips to help your students
Tips for teaching study skills
Studying 101: Study smarter not harder
Top 10 tips on how to study smarter, not longer
I absolutely love sharing my tips on how to study. After reading this, if you feel you are ready to help your students become expert learners in the classroom, register for my free guidebook! Get the 5 strategies to teach your students how to study for biology so they will be more prepared than ever!
