One of the most anticipated events in junior high takes place at the end of the first semester: the Constitution Unit. History teacher Hallie Rojeski’s 1st and 5th period U.S. History classes took the Constitution exam on Dec. 10.
The students began studying the Constitution on Nov. 5. In preparation for this test, students completed worksheets, packets, study guides and note cards that were intended to assist them in their review.
The relatively large amount of information caused some students to dread this test. Eighth grader Sabrina Henderson said she felt nervous before taking the exam.
“I know it will be challenging,” Henderson said. “But I have been studying like crazy. I went to every study session and worked hard on all the material. I’m nervous because it’s been coming for so long, and now it’s finally here.”
Rojeski provides the students with an opportunity to attend a study session in order to find out exactly what they need to know.
“By going to study sessions, they get three things,” Rojeski said. “First, the more they hear the material, the better they retain it. Secondly, to help refine it even more to what they need to know. Third, it provides discipline to review the material.”
As a result of attending study sessions, eighth grader Jason Swain said he felt confident before he took the exam.
“I think I will do good [sic] on this test,” Swain said. “I have been to study sessions and, because of that, I knew exactly what to study. I studied about an hour every night for this [test]. I think it will be easy because I know all of it.”
After the test was over, many of the students, including Colin Winegarden, felt optimistic about their unknown grades.
“It was a lot easier than I expected it to be,” Winegarden said. “It wasn’t that hard to study; I didn’t stress out over it. I think I got a good grade, since the test seemed pretty easy.”
According to Rojeski, this year the students overall did better than in past years. No one failed, and top grades were more prominent, she said.
Immediately following the exam, students enjoyed a free tri-tip lunch in the Jackie Johnson Hospitality Room. For both the test and this lunch, called the “State Dinner,” each student was required to dress in formal attire.
Although freshman Viviana Hinojosa took the Constitution over a year ago, she has retained some facts to this day, she said.
“Even though it was very stressful, it was actually fun learning about the Constitution,” Hinojosa said. “I still remember things from it, like how long each [elected] official serves their terms. It seems funny how we stressed out so much over it and it turned out to be an easy test.”
Four years after she took the exam, senior Kelsey Gunner remembers doing poorly on it.
“I remember I got a bad grade,” Gunner said. “I thought it was easy until I received my grade back. I think it was challenging because you had to retain so much information. Compared to tests I take now, that seems simple. I know that if I studied more I would have done better — that goes for any test.”
For more information on the test, read the Dec. 10, 2009 article, Annual test evaluates Constitution knowledge. For more photos of this year’s test, check out The moment is here and High stress, high reward.
