Name______________________________
Ms. Nersesian/Mrs. Bonewald
Date________________
Period_____________
8th Grade Honors
Living Environment
Unit 2 Study Outline
This handout will serve as a resource to help guide you in studying for the Unit 2 Test. We
encourage that you find a study method that works best for you. Use this page as a reference as you
review class notes, handouts, quizzes, Castle Learning assignments, etc. In addition, there are
excellent resources on the internet that you can use for supplemental review and reinforcement. Visit
our teacher webpages for some suggestions on internet sources. As always, come to extra help and to
our review sessions if you have any questions. Best of luck!
1.
Inorganic Chemistry
A. Biochemistry
B. Matter vs. Energy
C. Elements on the Periodic Table:
i. Atomic Number (# of protons and # of electrons)
ii. Atomic Mass (# of protons + # of electrons)
iii. Valence Electrons
iv.
Be able to describe the difference between an atom, a molecule and a compound
v. Be able to describe the difference between:
 Atom
 Ion
Isotope
vi. Valence Electrons determine an atom’s reactivity
 Max # of electrons in 1st energy level = 2
 Max # of electrons in subsequent energy levels* = 8
vii. How do Lewis Dot Structures show us about valence electrons and bonding?
viii.
Covalent bonds
 Single bonds
 Double bonds
 Triple bonds
ix.
Ionic Bonds
 Oxidation/Reduction reactions
 LEO the lion says GER
x.
Water is polar → Hydrogen Bonding → Water’s Special Properties
 Ice floats on water
 Cohesion and Adhesion
 Transpiration
 Surface tension
 Water takes longer to heat up in the summer and longer to cool in the winter
(Specific heat)
 Universal Solvent
Name______________________________
Ms. Nersesian/Mrs. Bonewald

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Date________________
Period_____________
Solution
Solvent
Solute
Aqueous solution
D. pH Scale
i. Acidic solutions
ii.
Basic solutions
iii.
Neutral solutions
iv.
Neutralization
v.
Be able to explain why buffers are important to living things.
vi.
How do indicators work?
2. Organic Chemistry
A. Chemical Reactions
i. Reactants
ii. Products
B. Organic vs. Inorganic
C. Living things can convert inorganic molecules into organic molecules
D. Why is Carbon THE main ingredient?
E. Carbohydrates
i. Monomer
ii. Polymer
iii. Ratio for Carbohydrates- 1:2:1
iv. Building blocks - Monosaccharides
v. Isomers
vi. Glucose vs. Glycogen
vii. Disaccharides
viii. Polysaccharides
F. Dehydration synthesis vs hydrolysis
G. Lipids
i. Building blocks- fatty acids and glycerol
ii. Hydrophobic vs. Hydrophilic
iii. Unsaturated vs. Saturated
H. Nucleic Acids
i. DNA
ii. RNA
Name______________________________
Ms. Nersesian/Mrs. Bonewald
iii.
I. Proteins
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
Date________________
Period_____________
Building blocks- Nucleotides
Functions
Building blocks- amino acids
Functional groups
Polypeptides and peptide bonds
The sequence of amino acids determine a protein’s shape. The shape of a protein
determine its function.
vi. Four levels of protein structure
a) Primary
b) Secondary
c) Tertiary
d) Quarternary
vii. Denaturation
viii. Enzymes- will be added after the Biochemistry test for the quarterly!
3. Test Taking Strategies
A. Do not leave studying until the night before the test! Try to start studying a little every
night so it does not seem so overwhelming!
B. Bring pens, pencils, highlighters, graphing calculator, and straightedge (ruler) to the test.
Being prepared will help save time and stress.
C. Dress comfortably. Wear layers so you can be comfortable during the test. You want to
eliminate all other distractions so you can focus on your exam.
D. Wear a watch so you can manage how much time you have left for the exam. Our tests
are 60 minute exams that are administered on our double period. (No breaks during the
bell in between periods).
E. Get a good night sleep the night before your test! Sleeping 8+ hours a night is VERY
important.
F. READ all of the information provided to you on your test. Make sure to read directions,
diagrams, charts, background information, etc. Most importantly, READ WHAT THE
QUESTION IS ASKING!!
G. Underline or highlight key words.
H. After you answer a question, go back and make sure it actually answered the question that
is being asked!
I. When answering multiple-choice questions, read all responses and cross out responses
that you are certain are incorrect. Try to narrow it down to two choices and choose the
response you feel best answers the question. There may be other tempting choices, so look
for key words or distinctions between the choices to determine which one is the best
answer.
J. Short and concise responses are best. Sometimes writing too much can make an answer
go from correct to incorrect.
i. If the question says “state” or “identify” you do NOT need to write a full
sentence. Just write your response on the line provided.
ii. If the question asks you to “describe” or “explain” you must write in full
sentences. Make sure to answer the question entirely! For example, if it asks you
Name______________________________
Ms. Nersesian/Mrs. Bonewald
Date________________
Period_____________
to DESCRIBE HOW the control group is treated from the experimental group,
you must acknowledge both groups in your response!
iii. If the question asks you to identify ONE or TWO factors, only write down the
amount that is asked! If you write down three or four, the teacher will only
grade you on the first two you have written.
iv. Check your work for spelling! There is no excuses for misspelling words that are
written in the question or information provided. We strive for excellence!
One final thought…
You are in an honors class which is going to be both a challenging experience and a rewarding one. Do your
best to keep on top of your work and prepare for assessments well in advance. The more prepared, the more
confident you will feel! These tips are general guidelines to help you in preparation for your first exam in
Honors Living Environment. You are not limited to the information provided. Find what works best for YOU!