Goal: Create a Study Plan for Middle and High School  

Recommended Steps

• 
  Learn the seven steps of a successful study plan.

  Educational researcher Joan Carver says that the best study plans include the follow characteristics:

  
  

  
  
  • 
    Simple. Good plans are uncomplicated.
  
  
  • 
    Specific. Good plans state what you're going to do and where, when, and how you're going to do it.
  
  
  • 
    Positive. Good plans state what you're going to do (not what you're going to stop doing).
  
  
  • 
    Repetitive. Good plans include something you can repeat frequently.
  
  
  • 
    Independent. Good plans are based on you doing the work; they don't depend on anyone else.
  
  
  • 
    Immediate. Good plans can be started right away, usually within twenty-four hours.
  
  
  • 
    Committed. Good plans include "I will" statements.
  
  

  
  
• 
  Review an example of a well-written study plan.

  Read the example below and identify the parts of the plan listed in step 1. Circle or underline each part and jot down the characteristic it represents.
  
  "I will read at least ten pages of Animal Farm between four and five every afternoon until I've finished the book. I'll read in my bedroom where it's quiet and there are no distractions. After I finish every page, I'll pause to ask myself what happened in the story. I'll answer out loud to help me remember."
  
  
• 
  Choose one of my assignments and create a study plan for it.

  Make a list of upcoming assignments. Choose one and write a study plan for it. Review the plan with a parent. Point out all seven parts of the plan.

  
  

  
  Tip: Select an easy assignment in a subject you enjoy for your first try at writing a study plan. You'll be more likely to write a solid study plan for an assignment in a class you feel confident and positive about.
  
  

• 
  Review my process.

  After you turn in an assignment that you completed using the study plan you created, review what you did with a parent. Did you follow the steps? Did having a plan make the assignment go more smoothly? Were there any steps that were difficult to follow or complete? If so, what could you do differently next time?

  
  

  
  Reality Check : It takes at least three weeks for a new skill to become a habit. Try to use a written study plan for your major assignments for at least three weeks, until you get the hang of creating-and using-them.