Writing to Learn in ALL content areas

What are 2 / 3 Column Notes? Column notes are a method of note taking that requires active reading and / or listening. Before students can write notes, they must process the information given and organize it into 2 or 3 columns: Key Concepts (Cue column) Details (Notes and questions) Summary (Overview of lecture, reading, etc.)

COLUMNS? Column notes can take the form of a graphic organizer teachers create, OR they can be a method students use to take notes on their own. For example, a teacher can create a note page to look something like this:

What’s in it for the kids? Column note taking helps students deepen their understanding of material because they are ENCODING rather than DECODING information. Basically, they are putting material in language they understand, and that requires a high degree of thinking on the part of the students. THISvsTHAT

Ultimate rewards? Students have organized notes for test or quiz review. Students are processing information into a language that they understand because they generate it. Students will respond better to high-level questions in class discussions because they are taking notes in this way (Jacobs, 2004). Students will improve their learning and opportunities for success.

Does this happen in your classes?

Kids like this would be nice… Column notes help make this happen!!

Column Note Taking Equals Active Reading and / or Listening Reading for specific content requires active reading. Listening for specific content requires active listening. Both are strands of the Common Core.

What the experts say… Writing notes about text increased reading comprehension scores by.47 (on a scale of 1.0). Writing to Read, 2010

“Intentionally or unintentionally, note takers organize the abstracted material in some way, connecting one idea to another, while blending new information with their own knowledge, resulting in new understandings of text.” (Writing to Read, 2010)

Column Notes 1. Read “