Downloadable sample for LC Business here
1. Introduction
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I offer the trade - they are going to get a test the next day on a chapter or topic that they didn't know was scheduled, but, they get to create a cheat sheet to bring in to it to use during the test.
2. What Is a Cheat Sheet Activity?
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One A4 page, with about 40 minutes to prepare it, to use in the test the next day.
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Explain the rules (they can write anything, by hand, during class) but it gets handed up at the end of class and then given out to them the next day with their test.
3. Key Benefits for Students
Encourages Focused Study
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Students must decide what’s most important — prioritisation is key.
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Forces them to condense, summarise, and review in real time.
Develops Analytical Thinking
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Promotes critical questions like: What might be asked? What’s essential? Get them to review past papers to check they have everything covered.
Promotes Active Engagement
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Students are more likely to ask for clarification or guidance during the class.
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You can prompt students to reflect on what's worth including by walking around the class and checking in with what they are writing.
Builds Exam and Study Skills
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Teaches how much can be learned and revised in a short burst.
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Helps improve note-taking, keyword recognition, and understanding exam verbs.
4. Benefits for Teachers
One-on-One Support
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Opportunity to walk around and guide students individually.
Showcase Good Practice
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Take photos of strong or unique sheets and display them to the class.
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Encourages discussion of different note-taking or revision strategies.
The Next Step: The Follow-Up Assessment
Low-Stakes, High-Learning Test
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Students use their cheat sheet during a mini test the next day.
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Reinforces what they created and gives instant feedback.
- Opportunity here for group assessment (2 students, 1 pen, 1 exam)
Peer Assessment Opportunities
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Students can mark each other's work using marking schemes.
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Helps reinforce exam technique and content understanding.
Exam Skills in Focus
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It may reveal that content knowledge isn't always enough and how important exam technique and timing are also
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Encourages reflection on how questions are worded, what’s being asked, and how to apply the correct structure or examples.
Conclusion: Building Smarter, More Independent Learners
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The best thing I've found with them is you can really show the students great examples from other students that they can use to improve all of their note taking and study going forward, and also show them with a clear focus, they can achieve a lot of work!