Welcome to World History. I wanted to go over five simple tips to help you study in history class this year. Although it is a lot of information to learn, there are several ways you can organize to make it easier to memorize.

An important part to being successful in class this year is to read all the assigned texts. I know that your textbook might not always be the most exciting book you've read, but with our new online textbook you are able to interact more with your reading. Also, the articles provided will give you current research on a particular subject.

You cannot memorize everything, so making an outline is a great way to organize the main concepts. Outlining the major ideas will also help you keep a organized timeline of events. Feel free to use a notebook and pen or if you would like you can take notes on your iPad.

You can number or use bullet points to separate the information. This style of note taking can be used in class to ensure you have the information for the test.

Try looking for the overall story of the historical content you are learning. Be sure to understand the background of an event and its impact. Who, What, When, Where and Why are good starting points. For example, its important to know the outcome of World War I because it will setup the events that will bring start World War II. This class will help you begin to understand the important points of understanding and what is interesting to know, but not needed for the test.

After reading, outlining, and studying be sure to quiz yourself. Try to rewrite your notes or fill-out your study guide without looking at your notes. Review how you did and re-read if needed to understand the information. Once you have recreated your notes without looking you will be ready to test. You can also have a parent or friend quiz you. Be sure to use the study guide provided to breakdown the information you need to focus on.

Throughout the unit be sure to ask questions where clarification is needed. I'm here to help you with the connections in history and want to be sure you are ready to test.

Hopefully these tips will help during the course of the year. If you need any clarification on how to be successful in your learning in this class feel free to ask me.