STRUCTURED NOTE-TAKING FOR ALL WARREN MOTT

STUDENTS

Cornell Notes

Why Take Cornell Notes?

Long story short: When you write down even brief notes about

what you are hearing/ experiencing, you keep 60% of what you hear/learn.

When you take thorough, organized notes and review them, you keep 90-100% of what you hear/learn.

Cornell Notes is a process to cover all of these steps.

How To Take Cornell Notes

There are four parts to the CORNELL WAY:1.Note-taking: capturing complete notes in any

situation2.Note-making: creating meaning and revising

the notes taken3.Note-interacting: using the notes as a

learning tool to increase achievement4.Note-reflecting: reflecting on learning and

utilizing feedback to improve future note-taking effort

1. Note-taking

C – Create FormatComplete headingThis includes the day’s objective or essential question

1. Note-taking

O - Organize Notes•Right side•See your packet for student tips on HOW to take notes.

• This is also a skill they need to be taught.

2. Note-making

N – Note Key IdeasUse key ideas to create questions (see your packet)Encourage students to use higher-level questionsConsider, “How might this be asked on the test?” (think like the teacher)

Power Points can be turned into Cornell Notes

2. Note-making

E – Exchange IdeasCollaborate with others

This can be done periodically throughout your delivery of the material, at the end of class, or at the beginning if they took notes for homework.

Encourage use of a different colored pen if availableList key vocab from lessonThe idea is for them to begin taking ownership of the content in their notes, both what is there and what is not there (until a partner helps them).

3. Note-interacting

L – Link LearningCreate a summaryGoes at the END of the notes (not one for each page of notes)See your packet for a summary-writing template to help teach this skill.

3. Note-interacting

L – Learning ToolStudy from notesFold the notes over and quiz over the questions on the left while hiding the material on the rightSee your packet for more ways to help students study from their notes.

4. Note-reflecting

W – Written FeedbackTeacher provides written feedbackIt takes time to assess notes, but you can even provide students a simple checklist to assess themselves. Otherwise, how will students know how to improve?

4. Note-reflecting

A – Feedback on their notes and in classMake goals for improvement and be patient as this is an ongoing learning process for the students.

Sample Cornell Notes

English Math

Sample Cornell Notes

Science Social Studies

Sample Cornell Notes

Band/Choir

Sample Cornell Notes

Yes, even PE! Coaches can even use CN to diagram plays.

Sample Cornell Notes

Cornell Notes work for ANY content.

Think about it: If it’s content worth writing down, isn’t it also worth processing, critical thinking, and reflecting?

Ways to Begin Cornell Note-taking

Start by training students one piece of the process at a time (learning to take good notes is a marathon, not a sprint) Practice the format Take existing notes and draw in the lines of the Cornell

Notes format

Move onto what is written down Teach students common abbreviations for your content

area or academic abbreviations (expl, comp/cont, etc)

Ways to Begin Cornell Note-taking

When you create student notes or handouts, format them as Cornell Notes You can start by providing some of the pieces and

having students do the rest Give students partial notes and help them with the gaps Have students generate the questions and write a

summary over the notes provided

Model the process Write questions and summaries as a class first after

providing examples and explaining the process

Ways to Begin Cornell Note-taking

Turn chapter questions into Cornell Notes, put dates in the left-hand column, or elements such as plot, setting, conflict for students to keep track of during note-taking

Draw Thinking Maps on the right and generate critical thinking questions on the left. Summarize the learning at the bottom.

Connect what is in the notes to what was on the test as a reflection over the efficiency of students’ notes

Encourage review of notes, questions, and summaries

Ways to Begin Cornell Note-taking

Assess the notes Have students attach them to their test or turn them

in at the end of a unit You might let them use their notes for a portion of a

practice quiz once in a while (that’s up to you!) You can also give extra credit for good student-

generated questions that you use on the test

Thank you!

I hope that this session will inspire you to begin using Cornell Notes with your classes!

If you have any questions or would like more content-specific information, please feel free to ask me via email (rkay@wcskids.net), in person (room 124), or on the phone (ext. 13124).