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Ace Your Semester

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Merri Vanderploeg

Tier 3
For Schools

Lesson Plan

Ace Your Semester Plan

Students will develop a personalized semester exam study plan by setting SMART goals, scheduling dedicated study sessions, and selecting effective study techniques.

This lesson empowers 9th graders to take ownership of their exam preparation, boosting time-management skills, reducing stress, and increasing confidence before semester exams.

Audience

9th Grade

Time

30 minutes

Approach

Guided individual planning with templates and checklists.

Materials

  • Semester Study Plan Template, - Study Techniques Checklist, - Classroom Digital Timer, and - Pens and Paper

Prep

Review and Prepare Materials

5 minutes

  • Review Semester Study Plan Template to ensure alignment with exam dates.
  • Familiarize yourself with the items on the Study Techniques Checklist.
  • Print or project one copy of each template per student.
  • Set up the Classroom Digital Timer for timed segments.

Step 1

Warm-Up Discussion

5 minutes

  • Prompt students: “Recall a past exam. What study strategies helped you? What challenges did you face?”
  • Have students discuss one success and one challenge with a partner.
  • Invite 2–3 volunteers to share key takeaways with the class.

Step 2

SMART Goal Setting

7 minutes

  • Distribute the Semester Study Plan Template.
  • Guide students to write 2–3 SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) for exam prep.
  • Circulate to offer individualized feedback and suggestions.

Step 3

Study Plan Creation

12 minutes

  • Students map out weekly study blocks on the template, assigning subjects and times.
  • Refer to the Study Techniques Checklist to choose 1–2 techniques per session.
  • Use the Classroom Digital Timer to keep pacing for each planning step.

Step 4

Reflection and Next Steps

6 minutes

  • Students review their completed plans and identify one potential obstacle and a strategy to overcome it.
  • Pair-share highlights and obstacle solutions briefly.
  • Collect or have students save digital copies of their plans for ongoing reference.
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Slide Deck

Ace Your Semester: Personalized Study Plan

• Welcome to our 30-minute planning session!
• Today you’ll craft a study plan tailored to your needs.
• We’ll cover: Warm-Up, SMART Goals, Study Blocks, and Reflection.
• Let’s get organized and confident for your exams!

Welcome students and introduce today’s goal: creating a personalized semester exam study plan. Emphasize the importance of ownership and stress reduction.

Warm-Up Discussion (5 min)

• Think back to a previous exam:
– What strategy helped you succeed?
– What challenges did you face?
• Turn to a partner and share one success and one challenge.
• We’ll invite a few volunteers to share highlights.

Prompt recall of past experiences. Encourage participation and listen for common challenges.
Use timer to keep discussion to 5 minutes.

SMART Goal Setting (7 min)

• Grab your Semester Study Plan Template.
• Write 2–3 SMART goals for exam prep:
– Specific: What exactly?
– Measurable: How will you track?
– Achievable: Is it realistic?
– Relevant: Does it matter to your success?
– Time-bound: What’s the deadline?
• Share one goal with the class if time allows.

Explain the SMART framework. Provide examples if students struggle.
Circulate to give feedback during goal writing. Keep to 7 minutes.

Study Plan Creation (12 min)

• On your template, map out weekly study blocks.
– Assign subjects and specific times.
• Consult the Study Techniques Checklist to choose 1–2 techniques per session.
• Use our timer to stay on track for each part.

Guide students through mapping weekly blocks. Remind them to pick 1–2 techniques from the checklist.
Keep pace with a timer; allocate 12 minutes.

Reflection & Next Steps (6 min)

• Review your completed plan and identify:
– One potential obstacle.
– One strategy to overcome it.
• Pair up and share your obstacle + solution.
• Save or submit your plan for future reference.

Encourage reflection on obstacles and solutions. Pair-share quickly and wrap up within 6 minutes.

Wrap-Up & Staying On Track

• Great work today—your plan is your roadmap!
• Keep your plan visible and revisit it weekly.
• Adjust as needed, celebrate progress, and stay motivated.
• You’ve got this—ace your semester!

Close the session by reinforcing the value of the plan. Encourage students to stick to their schedule and revisit their goals regularly.

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Worksheet

Semester Study Plan Template

Part 1: SMART Goals

Write 2–3 SMART goals for your semester exam preparation. Make sure each goal is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.

Goal #1:






Goal #2:






Goal #3 (optional):





Part 2: Weekly Study Schedule

For each day of the week, assign a subject/topic, a time for your study session, and a study technique from the Study Techniques Checklist.

Monday
Subject/Topic: ___________________________


Time: ___________________________


Technique: ___________________________

Tuesday
Subject/Topic: ___________________________


Time: ___________________________


Technique: ___________________________

Wednesday
Subject/Topic: ___________________________


Time: ___________________________


Technique: ___________________________

Thursday
Subject/Topic: ___________________________


Time: ___________________________


Technique: ___________________________

Friday
Subject/Topic: ___________________________


Time: ___________________________


Technique: ___________________________

Saturday
Subject/Topic: ___________________________


Time: ___________________________


Technique: ___________________________

Sunday
Subject/Topic: ___________________________


Time: ___________________________


Technique: ___________________________

Part 3: Obstacles & Strategies

Identify one potential obstacle you might face in following this plan and a strategy to overcome it.

Potential Obstacle:










Strategy to Overcome It:










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Worksheet

Study Techniques Checklist

Use this checklist to choose 1–2 techniques for each study session. Check the boxes, then write a brief plan for how you’ll use each technique.

  • Flashcards
    Create question/answer cards to self-test definitions and key facts.
    My plan:


  • Practice Testing
    Complete sample problems or past exam questions under timed conditions.
    My plan:


  • Spaced Repetition
    Review material at increasing intervals (e.g., 1 day, 3 days, 1 week).
    My plan:


  • Interleaving
    Mix different topics or problem types in one study block to improve recall.
    My plan:


  • Summarization
    Write concise summaries of chapters or lecture notes in your own words.
    My plan:


  • Mind Mapping
    Draw visual diagrams linking concepts, terms, and relationships.
    My plan:


  • Teaching Others
    Explain a topic or problem step-by-step to a peer or pretend audience.
    My plan:


  • Pomodoro Technique
    Study for 25 minutes, then take a 5-minute break; repeat cycles.
    My plan:


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