Helpful Links for Studying!

In most textbooks they have some helpful sites where a student can go for more practice!

Spanish 1 Textbook

• If you have trouble grasping a grammar concept/ vocabulary in Spanish, classzone.com should be helpful! On the website it includes animated grammar, extra practice, quizzes for each lessons, online flashcards, etc. Check it out for yourself and see if it's helpful! Another website is studyspanish.com. Although the website isn't tailored to the book like classzone.com is, it has more detailed in the grammar explanations and has even more tests/ quizzes you can take! All you have to do is sign up for a free student membership.
• Yay! Spanish Resources! Sra. Menna has linked many helpful sites including an online book for both Spanish 2 and Spanish 3! Now if only they could get an online book for math....

Algebra 2 Honors Textbook

• For Algebra 2 Honors: http://www.phschool.com/webcodes10/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.gotoWebCode&wcprefix=ajk&wcsuffix=0099. The website includes worked out examples for each lesson in the book (under extra help), a self-test (the answers for these are sometimes really wrong), key terms for each chapter, etc.

Algebra 2 Textbook

• For regular Alegbra 2: http://www.classzone.com/books/algebra_2/index.cfm?state=CA. It has extra challenges and examples for each lesson, flashcards and crosswords for vocabulary terms (Flipcard activity & Crossword Puzzle), and they even have a games for people who think math is boring. It is just basically a simple game with questions in between each level. (The graphics are very simple so don't expect much)

Khan Academy Logo

• There are lots of online tutorials but I think the best of the best is at Khan Academy! They have lots of comprehensive videos on an large variety of subjects! I go here for Biology mainly, but they have lots of subjects, from Geometry to SAT prep! Unfortunately, they don't have foreign languages or anything related to English. See their diverse videos yourself!
• There are also other online tutorials like http://www.courserepository.org/ (It's very extensive in Biology!) 

• For Biology, studying off the CD practice quizzes/ tests are the best place. If you need extra help go to your teacher or check out the online tutorial sites!

• For honors Chemistry: Student Study Guide has summaries of the sections and interactive examples where you can answer questions as you learn or review and the Online Learning Center: has self-assessments, Animations, Chapter summaries, and more.

• Also, if you ever forget your book at home and need to read, you can always go on Online Chemistry Book but it's the 10th edition rather than the 8th edition used at school.

• Cramming for a Chemistry Test and no one is online at 4am when you need help? Go onto Chegg where they have solutions to most of the problems in the textbook! *you need an account to read the answers*

• AP European History Practice Exams for chapters 1-31
• Now there aren't many sites for English help since English consists mainly of essays and analyzing, some helpful sites include SparkNotes, but we all know that website already don't we? If don't already know what SparkNotes is, this nifty site will tell you all about SparkNotes and what it offers. Two other websites are Cliff Notes and Shmoop ; you may also consider checking out cliffnote's book study guides from a local library. Shmoop is really helpful for reading quizzes since they have quote and symbol quizzes; it is has lots of great things, you really just need to explore it! If you have trouble with grammar http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/ has lots of tips!
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• For most of the geography classes, the test concepts are based on handouts and not solely on the book. There are map questions for each unit we learn though. One of the hardest maps for me to memorize was Africa. After using http://www.ilike2learn.com/ilike2learn/africa.html I almost aced that section the test. If you prefer doing it old-school you can always print out a blank map and just fill in the countries.

• Some students decide to buy an extra copy of a textbook to keep at home so they won't have to lug a textbook back and forth. Others decide to study ahead during the summer for the coming school year. On Troy website ( http://troyhigh.com/students/text_room.jsp ) there is an official textbook list that has every class and the corresponding textbook.

~currently expanding~

Algebra 2 Honors Guide (Rogers)

To see how Mr. Rogers' class is on a difficulty level, the following link will be helpful!

http://www.ratemyteachers.com/mr-rogers/1762371-t

1. Participation
1. You can get participation by answering questions or examples during the lessons or working out questions on the board from warm-ups or the homework. It is worth 30 points at the end of the semester. If you have a lot of participation points then you can get extra credit too! So if you don't take the most pretty tests, just participate like a madman - it pays off!
2. Extra credit
1. He doesn't give out chances extra credit too often, just mainly in the beginning of the semester or after a long break, so keep your skills sharp during breaks! Occasionally he gives out these quizzes that are extra credit for the first person/ group to turn it in with all the correct answers.
3. Homework
1. He doesn't have very strict guidelines for homework. For example you don't have to write down the original problem which seems easier, but when you look over your homework before a test it is not as helpful.
4. Tests
1. Mr. Rogers tests are no joke but he gives partial credit! The multiple choice questions don't receive partial credit so always double or triple check your answers on those! He takes challenging problems from class and twists them around so that you'll have to really comprehend the material he teaches you. Even then, sometimes you might still not understand, unless math is just your thing. On most of the tests there is one extra credit problem that varies throughout the periods. It's worth the same amount of points as the hard level questions. You also get partial points for the extra credit problem so complete as much of it as you can! Before every (or most) test, Mr. Rogers always writes a "Things to Know" for the test. You typically get it the day before the test and it includes really helpful information like how many points the test is worth and important concepts that will be on the test.
5. What and how to study (bold is important)
1. Things to know
2. Warm-ups
3. Notes
4. Questions on homework you had issues with, or ones that Mr. Rogers went over during class
5. Practice problems from the Algebra 2 section on the helpful links page

CST time!

It's CST time! California State Tests for those of you who don't know what it stands for. It's also commonly called STAR tests. Most people don't really stress over these tests but nevertheless some studying/ reviewing never hurts! If you are not already in IB or TT, the STAR test may have an impact on your placement/courses! So, don't do something stupid and purposely bomb the test. Just try your best! I usually take a practice test first so I can determine how much studying needs to be done. Other people study first and then take the test. If you do not think you are adequately prepared for the test then I advise you to study first. But if you are like me and you think you are decently prepared, take the test first and see how you do. The most efficient way to prepare for this is to read the standards that will be tested in the exam (typically the first few pages in a released exam). I find that this is most helpful for science. For subject specifics, English is hard to study for because most questions are reading comprehension/ analysis and for Math you need to know the standards that will be tested and practice them!

Link for released questions with answers: 
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ta/tg/sr/css05rtq.asp

And if you want even more questions then try this site:
http://starsamplequestions.org/starRTQ/search.jsp (select all performance levels for the most amount of questions)

Here's how I figure: these are rough waters, but granola bars are good, the sun is too hot, and you should get to know me.

Hi. I'm one of the contributors, and I will also be making the occasional post with my own tips and experiences. Please don't ask about my current username (strangedolphin) because it was just a random thing I thought of on the go.

I'm also a freshman, suffering through Troy Tech/IB at Troy High. (No, not really. Suffering, I mean) My track record? Well...for the sake of the legitimacy of my contributions, I had straight A's the first semester. Those tips on how to survive HB (Honors Biology) and everything else are straight from A students, sharing our secrets to the trade... This year, I'm also the only freshman (albeit an alternate) on the Science Olympiad team (national champs), so that makes those HB tips all the more authentic, right?

In a nutcase, Troy is definitely harder than junior high, but that applies for every high school anyway. Yes, it's difficult, but not as bad as everyone outside of Troy thinks it is. But according to the upperclassmen, the insanity is saved for sophomore year and onwards. Freshman year is ridiculously easy for all the talk, and it certainly helps prepare you for the rest of Troy, so don't be intimidated. However, that doesn't mean the teachers don't work you.

Just some personal info about me: I like food. I like sleep (doesn't everyone at Troy?). I like music. I like basketball. People would probably think my favorite color is purple, but I don't have one. Pandas are cute, and so is yogurt. (No, I didn't want it to rhyme in the first place.)

Wow, that was rather generic. As you can see, I can be a bit quirky.

Hopefully, our tips and tricks help guide you to success, straight A's, nutella, and Girl Scout Cookies at Troy (disregarding the last two). Good luck!

How To Survive Biology H - Chavez

Website: http://gotscience.com/honors_biology.html 

It has homework, Power-Point lectures, contact information, etc.

For more information on her like how she teaches please see http://www.ratemyteachers.com/kristen-chavez/319386-t !

1. Passes
1. About: Chavez gives out a sheet with 6 passes on them - three for homework* and three for going outside of class. At the end of the semester the passes can be turned in for extra credit for a total of 18 extra credit points.
1. *The homework passes are for one day late homework.
2. TIP: Do not use the passes! Seriously, NEVER. That's a given right? Well, you may forget to do the homework one day and you'll feel an urge to use your passes. WELL DON'T. It's a bad idea. Why? Chavez stamps the homework on homework sheets. That means individual homework assignments are not graded but it's all of the homework in a chapter or two. All the homework sheets are worth 30 points. No matter if there were 145 total points, the actual amount of points you get for homework is always 30. You may think that the homework assignments are worth more but they are actually worth a lots less than the stamps. [sorry for the wordiness!]
3. Getting those 18 EC points is equivalent to get 18 more points on an exam because the extra-credit points go in as non-weighted points.
2. Extra Credit
1. Always do the extra credit! Biology Honors is one of the more challenging "IB" classes. If you receive average scores on tests then the extra-credit is almost the only thing that push your grade from a B+ to an A-.
3. Participation
1. Participation is worth a total of 30 points at the end of the semester. 
2. Even if you aren't the brightest person, Chavez give participation points for people to read labs or pass out/ collect papers. Those points are gimme's.
3. If you are more of a shy person, volunteering to collect/ pass out papers is your best bet of getting full participation points.
4. Pro-tip: Raise your hand lots in the beginning of the school year because most of the students are scared to raise their hands or don't realize the importance of participation. (This applies to all classes)
4. What to do during class/lectures 
1. While Chavez is stamping the homework, outline the upcoming chapters or preview what she will talk about later
2. While she's lecturing, follow the lecture with your textbook because she may ask a question that's a small, almost seemingly random detail from the book. If you forgot your book at home (which is a big no-no) you can always borrow your neighbor's book.
3. While she's lecturing, take notes on things she may emphasize. Chavez lectures off the lecture notes on her website [gotscience.com] and whatever she says that not on the lecture notes, write down in your own notes! Remember to make it legible too since you'll be reviewing those notes before the exam.
4. Whenever she says, "I like this concept..." or "...very important..." or shows you a picture over and over again, that is something to burn into your memory!
5. Watch her facial expressions! This kind of ties into the tip above. Most her students knows that she makes these faces to hint that something will be on the test. She has her own 'smirk' and nods to make it more obvious. When she makes a face or does her 'thing' she's almost always hinting at a question on the test.
5. Studying Tips! 
1. Do the tests / quizzes on the CD a while before the test so if you don't understand anything, Chavez can still explain the concept to you! Also, the CD test results gives you a rough estimate of how much studying you need to do, but be aware that the results aren't exactly what you get on the test (e.g. 100% on the test doesn't guarantee an A on the test, you should still study)! Study a bit of what you get wrong, and look over the answers. A few questions from the CD often come out on the test, especially in the beginning of the year!
2. Don't write awful outlines because the outlines are where the knowledge comes from and the lectures just reinforce the knowledge. Don't understand something from the outline? Ask.
3. Pay attention to and memorize important diagrams. A picture is worth a thousand words and some sections are basically just explaining diagrams - understand the diagram, understand the section.
4. Also, pay attention to the small details and learn how to apply your knowledge. The application questions usually get everyone.
5. Don't start studying the night before... it just doesn't work out. But if you must cram, you must cram efficiently. Try to predict what she'll ask on the test. 
6. You may want do the CD questions and review key terms the night before the test to refresh your memory of confusing questions. You should get 100% this time around.
7. Lastly, go over her "Checklist to Succeed" and see if you want to incorporate anything from there into your studying habits for Biology. For me, I thought the list was a bit extensive and these are the things I did to succeed in Biology.

Thanks to strangedolphin and others for help!

6 Biggest Lessons From Freshman Year

1. Don't procrastinate! You'll come to regret it... the day before whatever assignment is due. Trust me, been there, done that - several times at least. Sadly, no one will listen to me, but it's a nice reminder!
2. Every point counts! Some people end the semester just a few points away from an A. Maybe they could have worked harder on participation or turned in one assignment. It's just really unfortunate to see people so close, yet so far away.
3. Back on the points matter... Always raise your hand! Reel in those participation points. Those points are basically gimme's. They are so easy to get, yet if you don't participate at all they can really affect your grade. Also, if you aren't the best test taker, the participation points are a cushion for your not-as-great test scores. Pro-tip: Raise your hand lots in Biology. 
4. Stay organized! Whether it's having a binder for each class or one huge binder with lots of little sections, keeping your papers organized is a key aspect at Troy. You may think it won't benefit you in the future, but when the time comes for studying for finals... you'll be grateful to have all your papers organized and read to study from!
5. Always, always, always do the extra credit, no excuses!! Even if its the beginning of the year and you have a 98% in a class, you never know what your grade will become in the future. I had a 98% in math which went in a gradual decline to an A-. I regret not completing the extra credit! So always do the extra credit. Those high A's aren't stable - especially in the harder classes!
6. If you're thinking about dropping an honor class, I would definitely question yourself. Ask yourself these questions: Do I not understand the material and asked for teacher's help but still don't understand it (this only works if you have a teacher who actually teaches)? [If you said yes here then I personally would drop. It isn't a matter of habits, just understanding the material.]  Am I trying my hardest? [I know that sounds cliche but if you trouble then there's not much you can do other than dropping the class]

~currently expanding~

Helpful Links for Studying!

Click here for official textbook list

Spanish 1 Textbook

• If you have trouble grasping a grammar concept/ vocabulary in Spanish, classzone.com should be helpful! On the website it includes animated grammar, extra practice, quizzes for each lessons, online flashcards, etc. Check it out for yourself and see if it's helpful! Another website is studyspanish.com. Although the website isn't tailored to the book like classzone.com is, it has more detailed in the grammar explanations and has even more tests/ quizzes you can take! All you have to do is sign up for a free student membership.

Algebra 2 Honors Textbook

• For Algebra 2 Honors: http://www.phschool.com/webcodes10/index.cfm?fuseaction=home.gotoWebCode&wcprefix=ajk&wcsuffix=0099. The website includes worked out examples for each lesson in the book (under extra help), a self-test (the answers for these are sometimes really wrong), key terms for each chapter, etc.

Algebra 2 Textbook

• For regular Alegbra 2: http://www.classzone.com/books/algebra_2/index.cfm?state=CA. It has extra challenges and examples for each lesson, flashcards and crosswords for vocabulary terms (Flipcard activity & Crossword Puzzle), and they even have a games for people who think math is boring. It is just basically a simple game with questions in between each level. (The graphics are very simple so don't expect much)

Khan Academy Logo

• There are lots of online tutorials but I think the best of the best is at Khan Academy! They have lots of comprehensive videos on a large variety of subjects! I go here for Biology mainly, but they have lots of subjects, from Geometry to SAT prep! Unfortunately, they don't have foreign languages or anything related to English. See their diverse videos yourself!
• There are also other online tutorials like http://www.courserepository.org/ (It's very extensive in Biology!) 

• For Biology, studying off the CD practice quizzes/ tests are the best place. If you need extra help go to your teacher or check out the online tutorial sites!

• For honors Chemistry: Student Study Guide has summaries of the sections and interactive examples where you can answer questions as you learn or review and the Online Learning Center: has self-assessments, Animations, Chapter summaries, and more.
• Also, Crash Course has great videos (for Euro too) !

• Now there aren't many sites for English help since English consists mainly of essays and analyzing, some helpful sites include SparkNotes, but we all know that website already don't we? If don't already know what SparkNotes is, this nifty site will tell you all about SparkNotes and what it offers. Two other websites are Cliff Notes and Shmoop ; you may also consider checking out cliffnote's book study guides from a local library. Shmoop is really helpful for reading quizzes since they have quote and symbol quizzes; it is has lots of great things, you really just need to explore it! If you have trouble with grammar http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/ has lots of tips!
• For the Non-Western History class, the test concepts are based on handouts and not solely on the book. There are map questions for each unit we learn though. One of the hardest maps for me to memorize was Africa. After using http://www.ilike2learn.com/ilike2learn/africa.html I almost aced that section the test. If you prefer doing it old-school you can always print out a blank map and just fill in the countries.
• If you're having trouble in math, check out videos from Khan Academy (see above), Patrick's Videos (great for calculus students) or Paul's Notes. Again, each student learns differently so try each website and see which one helps you the most!
• AP Cram Packets
• Troy Guides (VERY HELPFUL!)
• Anti-Procrastination Apps

~currently expanding~

Studying for Finals (any class)

1st semester has come to an end and the dreaded finals week is over! [Cheers] Now in hindsight I feel that I should have studied much harder for Spanish. It may actually be my only B (hopefully!) My geography grade was at a solid A so I didn't have to worry about that too much! Now no one wants to hear my rant on about my grades so here's some
tips for studying for the finals: 

1. Always study the study guides the teacher gives!
2. If there's a cheat sheet, write all over it. Abuse that thing. Everyone says that things you write down you remember, so you won't have to glance onto your cheat sheet too often on the test.
3. Anticipate your teacher's questions! If your algebra teacher has a special liking towards factoring, expect some factoring questions! My biology teacher loves ecology and half of the test was on ecology - funny how it works out, isn't it?
4. Study all the handouts of for math: study notes, warm-ups, review worksheets (if your teacher gives them), maybe homework - if you can read it
5. Don't procrastinate your studying! You may be able to cram in some concepts if you already understood the concepts in the past. Something you can't procrastinate on is vocabulary. (At least I can't) You'll have to review vocabulary everyday in order for it to stick into your mind.
6. When studying, try to go to the library, or somewhere that has no distractions. Yes, that means off the computer!
7. Utilize your resources by going onto websites that help you review the material, making flashcards, asking questions about confusing concepts.
8. Get a good sleep and eat a good breakfast before the final! You don't want to be sleepy during one of those tests... 

Hope those tips were helpful! 

In the Beginning

I used to be just an average, bright 8th grader who was hoping for a chance at the prestigious Troy High. Now little did I know what I was in for. It was roughly a year ago that I took the test for TT/ IB. Fortunately I passed both of the tests and was admitted into Troy's Pre-IB program! I was part of a large group of out-of-district kids, but I was one of the farthest ( over an hour's drive to Troy). Soon after I moved into Troy's proximity so I had a mere ten minutes drive to Troy.

Now how about that test? To be completely honest, the test was challenging but not impossible. I would equivalent the English portion to the CST English - except the written part, that was hard. For me, I overestimated the test and it was a lot easier than I expected. The math was  definitely no joke. Why in bold you ask? Well first of all, I can never spell that word right; secondly, it was extremely challenging. Almost everyone had trouble finishing it! If you have a good foundation of algebra and guessing I think you should be prepared enough. I must admit I actually took a prep class to get into Troy since I had no gauge of the difficulty of the exam but I don't think it helped me too much overall except for preparing me for the written portion (wasted $800...).

Introduction

So this will be my first blog! I'm a total noob to this whole 'blogging' concept, but I'm sure I'll understand it soon! This blog will illustrate my journey through my fun high school life at Troy High School in Fullerton.

A little about me: I'm a freshman at Troy. I'd like this blog to prepare future students about Troy's life. For me, I pretty much came to Troy with barely any prior information about classes or teachers. I don't want other unfortunate souls to be swept up by Troy's fast pace so this is my way of preparing other kids!  My viewpoints and tips will be at a perspective of a TT/IB student.

Note: This blog isn't for all highschoolers. It's just mainly for students at Troy. My tips are tailored for certain teachers/ classes. As I get my friends to help me expand this blog, I will have more tips that can help people with other classes at Troy. :)