Notetaking Procedures

Designed by: Mary H. Harris, Hopkins Middle School

1) CORE CURRICULUM  OBJECTIVE(S): Use text organizers (type, headings, subheadings, and graphics) to predict and categorize information. (6-AR-4) PACT I.I

Grade Level: Sixth    Subject(s): Language Arts/Reading

2) OVERVIEW: The students will use text organizers to categorize information.  This lesson is ideal for the beginning of the school year as it provides strategies for effective notetaking.

3) PURPOSE/ESSENTIAL QUESTION(S):

How can text organizers be used to categorize information?

4) TIME FRAME:

TWO FIFTY MINUTE CLASSES

5) RESOURCES:

 any textbook

Notetaking procedures handout

Notetaking procedures rubric

Teacher resources:

Video “Effective Study Strategies”

Inspiration Software, Inc.,1995

www.notetaking.com

6) ASSESSMENT: The culminating assessment will be a well-organized notebook containing the student’s notes. A sample rubric is provided to assess the notebook.

INSTRUCTIONAL ACTIVITIES:

BEFORE THE LESSON: The teacher may want to review some basic note taking strategies.

Some strategies may include:

1.Keep notes in one place (for example spiral notebook, three-ring binder, pocket folder).

2.Date and label each day’s notes.

3.Create an informal outline.

4.List important words or phrases.

5.Use common abbreviations as well as your own.

6.Create your own short-hand system.

7.Organize your notes as you take them, using lots of white space, indentations, and larger type or print to indicate the main ideas.  Also, students may use Inspiration Software, Inc., 1995 to assist in organizing notes.

Activity One:

1.Students will be given the note taking procedure rubric and review the criteria with the teacher.

2.Using the note taking procedure handout, the teacher will demonstrate to class what a page in their notebook should look like.(See Attachment)

 3. Using their textbook, the student should select a section and write all main headings and subheadings in their notebook.

4.Students should include boldfaced, italicized or otherwise highlighted words and phrases; which usually designate key terms or vocabulary words.

5.Students should add a summary phrase or definition, explaining headings, subheadings, or key words and phrases or sentences from each paragraph.

6.Students should pay special attention to information in graphs, charts, and captions. One to two sentences should be written explaining each graph, chart, and caption.

Optional: Students may want to draw a vertical line down each page, dividing it into two halves.  Headings and subheadings may be placed on the left and detailed notes may be placed on the right.

Activity Two:

1.       Using the above strategies, the students should take notes from a passage in their textbook.

2.       Students should select a partner to work with.

3.       Students should reread their notes as soon after class as possible.  If the students cannot understand them, notes should be compared with those of their partner.

4.       Teacher will monitor the student’s performance.

5.       The procedure for activity two should be repeated a least twice prior to evaluation.

NOTETAKING PROCEDURES

EXAMPLE

CHAPTER HEADING
SUB HEADING
KEY WORDS AND DEFINITIONS

NOTES AND SUMMARY OF PARAGRAPH

 ________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

INFORMATION ABOUT CHARTS OR GRAPHS