Tips and Tricks for Examination Success

It is almost time for the September (and November) examinations for our grade 12 learners. Here are four booklets with tips and tricks to get the most out of your performance. Grade 10 and 11 learners will also benefit by reading the general issues.

Use the links below the picture to download your own copy of this.

Tips & Tricks for Physical Science in Afrikaans
Tips & Tricks for Physical Science in English

Tips & Tricks for Technical Science in Afrikaans
Tips & Tricks for Technical Science in English

Are you ready for the Siyavula challenge?

Are you ready for the Siyavula Challenge?

Click here and click here for full details!

Enjoy!!

How to use Siyavula

The staff at Siyavula has prepared posters to make it easy for teachers how to use the Siyavula resources. The first three posters look like this and below the pictures are links that you can use to download A4 size posters for youself.

Poster 1

Poster 2

Poster 3

Online Teaching and Resources

The universities of Cape Town and Stellenbosch offer online support material and other services to high school learners and teachers. Click the links below to go to the two websites for more information.

https://www.uctonlinehighschool.com/

https://www.suadvantage.co.za/

Updated Info from Dr Angela Stott

Do not miss out on all the wonderful opportunities, activities, training and teaching offered by Dr Angela Stott.

Click here to access all the updated information, and follow the links from there (scroll down) to access all the other information.

Dr Stott - you are a star!

Thank you on behalf of all the teachers and learners!

More Generous Grading in the 2022 Examinations

An interesting article about more generous grading of the 2022 examinations in the UK has appeared on https://www.bbc.com/news/education-60241364.

The similarities between the UK Covid problems and what we have experienced locally is nice reading material. Note the fact that marks awarded by teachers at the end of 2020 and 2021 were substantially higher than the normal results obtained in the case of examinations. 

The fact that learners wrote the usual national examinations in South Africa in grade 12 was actually a good decision to avoid large statistical discrepancies between the marks of different years.

This shows how important it is to make learners aware that SBA marks are very important to help them. Even tasks such as informal tests, that do not count for SBA, are important to prepare them for those tasks that DO count for the SBA. The value of practical work is very high. Therefore, it should NEVER be neglected.

A pdf copy of the article is available here.

Study Guides of DBE

Remember that DBE has developed a set of study guides for Physical and Technical Sciences (and other subjects). They are available on the DBE website at

https://www.education.gov.za/SelfStudyGuidesGrade10-12.aspx

Some of these documents have already been loaded on the hard drives distributed to schools. Others can be downloaded with the above-mentioned link.

Marking Reports, Free State Assessment Guidelines and Examination Guidelines

Teachers, remember to download your documents as requested at start-up meetings.

Grade 12 Marking Reports for November 2021 and Examination Guidelines are available under "Pages" and then "Examinations (TEACHERS) ...", or you can click here to go there.

The 2022 editions of the Free State Assessment Guidelines are available under "Pages" and then "Free State Assessment Guidelines", or you can click here to go there.

Woza Matrics and Tswelopele: Don't Forget to Use

Learners in grades 10 to 12 should not forget about these resources to help them with their preparation for examinations.

Tswelopele

Tswelopele has resources for grades 10 to 12
(in fact from grade R).


Click here to download this flyer. In the flyer are links to click to go further.

Woza Matrics

Click here to download this flyer. In the flyer are links to click to go further.


A previous post about Woza Matrics is available here. From there follow links to older posts for more information.

*** Enjoy and all our best wishes! ***

Via Afrika: Free Study Guides

Free Via Afrika Study Guides for grade 10 are available here.

Reflections on the Teaching of Dependent and Independent Variables

Do you plot velocity on the y-axis and time on the x-axis of a graph for a velocity-time relationship or the other way round, and why? What about the relationship between pressure and volume of an enclosed gas? Which one of pressure or volume should be on the y-axis of a graph?

Many learners struggle to distinguish between dependent and independent variables. An interesting article appeared on https://partnersindataliteracy.com/ in 2019 about this question. The discussion about the causal/non-causal relationship between variables is very useful. Click here to read the original article, or click here to read a pdf version.

Easy Way to Draw Graph Paper

Yesterday I was working with a document from somebody in which the person used a substantial amount of time to draw graph paper in MS Word. Remember that there are websites that can produce a sheet of graph paper for you in a few seconds. I have written about this on this website a long time ago. The article is available on "Useful and interesting websites and links" under "Pages", or click here to go there directly. Explore the other useful info as well.

2021 School Closure Dates and NSC Exam dates

 The latest information about this can be found in this circular.

Measurement of Curriculum Coverage

A circular, LTA 2/2021, has been released on the importance of the measurement of curriculum coverage. All teachers must support this effort to submit their online data as required. Click here for the circular.  

Free State Assessment Guidelines 2021

The 2021 editions of the Free State Assessment Guidelines (FSAG) are available. These FSAGs include the National Recovery ATPs. 

Teachers in the Free State should use the ATPs included in the FSAGs. A copy with explanatory notes is also available. Do not use the original Recovery ATPs that became available in December last year.

Click here to go to the download page.

Amended School Calendar for 2021

The latest, amended school calendar for 2021 was received today. Click here for the document (pdf).

These dates are also available on the Dates for Teachers page, and adjustments to weeks and their dates on the new ATPs for 2021 will be sent to teachers.

Recovery ATPs for 2021

 The Department of Basic Education released these documents middle December 2020. They are available on the Covid-19 page. Click here to go there. Teachers may want to familiarise themselves with the documents. They will be discussed and explained during the first series of start-up meetings in 2021.

Let's start looking at the future

It is time to start looking at the future.

(C) https://www.needpix.com/photo/1294077/

From 2021 teachers and learners will have the extra responsibility to catch up on crucial grade 10 and 11 topics that were not taught in 2020 due to Covid-19.

Circular S11 from DBE deals with this. Click here to download the circular and familiarise yourself with it. There is something for the Senior Phase as well. It is also important that all teachers start thinking about creative ways to catch up on untaught topics that are crucial for the next grade.

From the side of the FSDoE, we will also collect information on outstanding grade 10 and 11 topics. In due course, look out for links to complete online forms concerning this.

Examination time 2020

Use the Table of Contents BELOW the picture to jump to the part you are interested in.

*** New info ***

20 Nov: The YouTube links for all the Grade 12 exam prep broadcasts are available, as well as the lessons for Grade 11 on electrostatics and electric circuits. Dr Angela Stott uploaded more videos; check out her YouTube channel as well. All of these will assist you in your preparations for Monday's papers.      

17 Nov: Examination anxiety and depression: Here is help!

16 Nov: Remember to listen to the Lesedi FM exam prep broadcast for grade 12 today.

13 Nov: Very good videos and other resources from Dr Angela Stott. See the new updates!

2 Nov: Nine sets of new question papers are available.

South Africa's grade 12 learners have started with their final school examinations. 2020 will be known as the Covid 19-year; it was not at all easy, but in a way also special.

Best wishes to all learners. Your teachers have spent countless hours to help you, but when you sit for the examinations, it will be only you. Your effort! Your input! Therefore, it is worth the while to prepare as best as possible. Remember that your best is enough. Don't get too worked up because of the examinations.

 

Table of Contents

Angela Stott's YouTube Channel and Website

Examination Anxiety and Depression

Good habits

IBP broadcasts

Lesedi FM support radio broadcasts

Question papers

*******************************************************

Good habits

Many internet sites and books give good advice about healthy habits during such times. It is good to follow those, but don't change your lifestyle drastically at this stage (except for studying more if necessary). Carry on as normal as possible, but study, study, ...

IBP broadcasts of the University of the Free State

The general link to the site is https://www.youtube.com/c/FSIBPOnline/featured.

The second round of exam preparation broadcasts for grade 12 are in November. The YouTube links for paper one, and the broadcast slots for paper two are given below:
Technical Sciences Paper 1: Click here 
Physical Sciences Paper 1 Part 1: Click here
Physical Sciences Paper 1 Part 2: Click here

Technical Sciences Paper 2: Click here 
Physical Sciences Paper 2: Click here

Developmental/Revision lessons for grade 11 are in November. The YouTube links for electrostatics and the broadcast slots for electric circuits are given below:
Electrostatics Part 1: Click here 

Electrostatics Part 2: Click here

Electric circuits: Click here

The first round of grade 12 exam preparation broadcasts took place in October. They can be accessed with the following YouTube links:
Physical Sciences Paper 1 Part 1: Click here 

Physical Sciences Paper 1 Part 2: Click here  
Physical Sciences Paper 2: Click here  
Technical Sciences Paper 1: Click here 
Technical Sciences Paper 2: Click here 

Matric exams: Class of 2020 to be examined on full curriculum Click here for the News24 article.

Question papers

Working through previous question papers is a powerful technique to prepare yourself for the examination. Colleagues from other provinces were so kind to share their papers with the Free State. Click here to go to the question papers. As new ones are obtained, they will be loaded. So keep track of what you download, and sort them alphabetically to make it easy to see new ones.

Angela Stott's YouTube Channel and Website

Many excellent videos are available to explain concepts and problem-solving. An excellent resource to help you.

A starting point and promo! The best you can get!

Click here for the YouTube Channel.

Click here for her website with further resources.

Lesedi FM support radio broadcastsLesedi FM support radio broadcasts

Three more support broadcasts will take place in November from 16:15 to 16:45 on Mondays.

16 November: Physical Science Grade 12 Exam Prep on electrochemical cells.

23 November: Physical Science Grade 11 on Newton's laws.

30 November: Physical Science Grade 11 on Newton's laws will continue.

Examination Anxiety and Depression

It is very, VERY important that you seek help if you are overcome with examination anxiety and depression. People want to help you. The South African Depression and Anxiety Group gives contact numbers and other details about support groups, etc. One number to keep in mind is the Suicide Crisis Line which is 0800 567 567.

High, middle and low road scenarios in schools

Some time ago we have distributed TWO important documents; circular S7 and a document dealing with high road, middle road and low road scenarios in schools. The latter document is available for each of Physical and Technical Sciences.

A video is also available to explain the circular and the different scenarios to help teachers cope with the rest of 2020 in so far assessment, etc. is concerned.

Lately, we got a substantial number of questions about issues already dealt with in the video. So, please download the documents and the video, and work through them to have insight in the scope and arguments. Explanatory notes were added to the circular as well. After you have downloaded the video, turn up the playback speed to 1,5 or 2. It is a nice way to go through it quickly.

This material is available under the Covid-19 documents under "Pages". The picture below shows what you must look out for.

You can also click on the picture to go to the documents and the video.