The KEY Study Guide
THE KEY Study Guide, Castle Rock Research's core printed product, is a curriculum-specific resource that helps students prepare for their school tests, final exams, and standardized assessments. Each THE KEY Study Guide is aligned to the provincial or state curriculum it is published for, and each is developed through Castle Rock Research's own item development processes.
THE KEY is comprised of three main components: Unit Review, Unit Test, and Exam Preparation.
Unit Review
The Unit Review section consists of the units that review the concepts described in the regional curriculum. Each unit begins with a Table of Correlations that offers the specific objectives from the regional curriculum and shows how each multiple-choice, numerical-response, and written-response practice question corresponds to those objectives. Each concept is explained in detail, along with any necessary figures and diagrams. A set of relevant practice questions test offer students the opportunity to test their understanding of the concepts. The Unit Review section also includes questions that are more difficult in nature and are identified as Challenger questions.
Unit Test
The Unit Test included at the end of each Unit Review section uses questions that range in difficulty to test the breadth of the curriculum for that unit. Each test question has a detailed solution that describes the problem-solving method or rationale that needed to arrive at the correct answer.
Exam Preparation
The assessments in the Examination Preparation section reflect the types of exams student can expect to write, whether as in-school tests or as government-administered exams. Students can use these practice exams to prepare for their own upcoming final examinations or high-stakes tests. Students can also draw upon the detailed solutions for a better understanding of the problem-solving process and of how concepts are likely to be tested on future exams.
Study Skills
Students will also find the following sections helpful in developing their study habits:
KEY Skills Contributing to School Success provides students with examples of study and review strategies. Information is included on learning styles, study schedules, and developing review notes.
KEY Strategies for Success on Exams explores topics such as responding to common exam question formats, recognizing the most commonly used directing words, strategies for begin the exam, and managing test anxiety.
Find THE KEY Study Guide for the course you are looking for on our online store.
SNAP Workbook
The Student Notes and Problems (SNAP) Workbook is a curriculum-specific workbook that students and teachers can feel comfortable using within the classroom or for self-guided learning.
The SNAP Workbook provides complete explanations of curriculum concepts and provides illustrative examples that teachers can use in the classroom. Examples are designed to take students from guided learning to independent practice. Teachers can assign the even-numbered problems for each topic as additional homework as their answers and solutions are not included in the SNAP Workbook.
The SNAP Workbook can be used in the classroom throughout the school year or serve as a self-study aid for students working independently or at home.
Each SNAP Workbook is divided into Notes and Problems. The Notes consist of lessons covering each of the course objectives, providing detailed explanations of concepts and illustrative examples. The Problems consist of questions focusing student attention on the most relevant concepts in the unit. Answers and full solutions are provided for the odd-numbered problems.
Find the SNAP Workbook for the course you are looking for on our online store.
Features
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Summarizes the curriculum outcomes addressed in the unit in age-appropriate language
Lists the prerequisite knowledge and skills the student should have prior to beginning the unit
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Provide essential teaching pieces and explanations of the concepts
Include example problems and questions with complete, detailed solutions that demonstrate the problem-solving process
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Contains key definitions, formulas, reminders, and important steps or procedures
Provides space for students to add their own notes and helpful reminders
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Provides a succinct review of the key concepts in the unit
Notes
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Include questions that relate to each of the curriculum outcomes for the unit
Provide practice in applying the lesson concepts
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Assesses student learning of the unit concepts
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Demonstrate the step-by-step process or problem-solving method used to arrive at the correct answer
Problems
Class Notes Workbook
The Class Notes Workbook provides age-appropriate essential teaching pieces and explanations of concepts, 100% aligned with Alberta’s Program of Studies. Illustrative examples are designed to support students from guided learning to independent practice.
The Class Notes Workbook provides the valuable instruction materials as the SNAP Workbook without the problems and partial solutions found in the SNAP.
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Summarizes the curriculum outcomes addressed in the unit in age-appropriate language
Lists the prerequisite knowledge and skills the student should have prior to beginning the unit
-
Provide essential teaching pieces and explanations of the concepts
Include example problems and questions with complete, detailed solutions that demonstrate the problem-solving process
-
Contains key definitions, formulas, reminders, and important steps or procedures
Provides space for students to add their own notes and helpful reminders
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Provides a succinct review of the key concepts in the unit
Features
Combine with Problem Solved
The Class Notes Workbook can be used together with the Problem Solved Workbook to get a full lesson-and-question learning solution.
Problem Solved Workbook
The Problem Solved Workbook provides example problems and questions with complete, detailed solutions that demonstrate the problem-solving process. The questions in this resource align to Alberta curriculum outcomes and provide practice in applying knowledge of lesson concepts.
The Problem Solved Workbook provides the same valuable problems and questions as the SNAP Workbook, along with the complete set of detailed solutions.
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Include questions that relate to each of the curriculum outcomes for the unit
Provide practice in applying the lesson concepts
-
Assesses student learning of the unit concepts
-
Demonstrate the step-by-step process or problem-solving method used to arrive at the correct answer
Features
Combine with Class Notes
The Problem Solved Workbook can be used together with the Class Notes Workbook to get a full lesson-and-question learning solution.