1. HOW TO TAKE NOTES IN CLASS
Seventh Grade Science
9/8/2014

2. Let’s Start at the Beginning…
What is the first thing you need?
Clean sheet of lined paper
Blue/black ink pen
Now what?
Write the title of the notes
Write the course information
Write the date

3. What Do I Write?
It is important to take quality notes that can be understood and used to study from long after class is over
It is not possible to write everything said in a lesson or put on the SmartBoard, it is your job to determine what is most important
Notes are not just key terms and definitions…they serve as a summary of the lesson being taught

4. No, not just for students..
Notes are used by people everywhere:
Students
People attending workshops/lectures
A boss in an interview/ interviewer
Journalists as they cover important stories/events
Nurses when doctors visit patients
Attendees at meetings

5. Tips & Tricks for Note-Takers

6. 1. Start a new page for each new lesson
Date and title your notes!
Put the date and title on the first line of your paper. That way it becomes easier to recall what was being talked about, what happened, etc.
Notes within the same lesson (from different days) can be on the same page, but remember to keep them organized
When a new lesson beings start fresh with a new page

7. 2. Leave space between topics or ideas.
It is easy for a teacher to talk about a specific topic, move on with the presentation, and then suddenly remember something that should have been said. Leave space between topics for better organization.

8. 3. Take down words/phrases, not sentences
Develop or use a system of abbreviations or symbols to help you get the most information.
- Use “&” for “and”
- Use “w/” for “with…”
-Don’t pay attention to spelling, do the best you can. If you have absolutely no clue, leave a blank until you can come back to it.
Be sure that whatever abbreviations you use will make sense to you later when reading over your notes

9. 4. Listen for word clues “The key point(s) I want to make is/are…”
“If you look on page __ ….”
“This is the cause/effect of…”
Use of numbers: “There are 2 points of view…”; “The second reason is…”
“This will be on the quiz/test…”
Repetition: The speaker repeats things
Review: The speaker reviews things that have been previously said.

10. 5. Review the notes you take daily…daily
Each day when you get home from school read over the notes from class that day
Fill in missing information
If you are, go to Mrs. Stabler’s website and check the class PowerPoint there for the details
Do you have questions about the notes? If so your teachers or come in early for help

11. 6. Don’t forget to include information from videos, charts, or images during presentations
Take the time to pay close attention. There is a reason why we are using this visual in class
Feel free to add your own drawings – sometimes pictures allow you to memorize better
Don’t focus on writing as much as listening!
Usually PowerPoints contain the same information that will be said by the person who utilizes them. They change slides because the information will match what they are saying!

12. 7. Be Organized
Use the outline given to you before class to help make sections in your notes that make sense for the lesson
Don’t write one looooooooooong paragraph or run-on-sentence
Bullet
And sub-bullet your notes