1. Cornell Notes with GBQs
INTRODUCTORY SLIDE
Welcome participants.
Share a little story about your AVID experience.
I (we) are here to share one of the most commonly used AVID strategies, Cornell notes.
This teaches students how to use writing as a learning tool.
We believe that all students will benefit from learning to take good notes.

2. Why take notes?
Cornell Note taking stimulates critical thinking skills.
Note taking helps you remember what is presented in class.
A good set of notes can help you work on assignments and prepare for tests outside of the classroom.

3. Why take notes? continued
Good notes allow students to help each other problem solve.
Good notes help you organize and process data and information.
Helps students recall by getting them to process their notes a minimum of 5 times.
Writing is great tool for learning!

4. Class Notes Topic Questions 3 to 4 sentence summary across
First & Last Name
Class Title
Period
Date
Topic
Questions
Class Notes
2 1/2”
CORNELL NOTE PAPER FORMAT
Stress that any sheet of paper can be turned into Cornell note paper - or - hand out paper and have participants set up sheet while working through slide.
The format causes students to process notes multiple times increasing memory, recall, and understanding.
Cornell Notes has 5 sections:
1. Heading
Name is imp. Because students exchange notes. Class & date helps keep notes organized in binder appropriately.
2. Topic
Focuses the content of the notes for the student.
3. Note section (rt. Side)
Where any info being presented in class is recorded.
4. Question Column
Students are responsible for completing after notes are taken.
5. Summary
Allows students to process notes in terms of big ideas.
3 to 4 sentence summary across
the bottom of the last page of the day’s notes

5. 5 Key Interactions Initial Note Taking “Fill in the Gaps” Questions
Summary
GBQs
Initial Note Taking: This can be in any format and source.
“Fill in the Gaps”: Students take time to pair and share their notes to fill in anything they missed during the note taking session or to clarify any questions. When students are learning the process, take a little time to do this step in class. Later students can fill in the gaps with text or by asking their teacher.
Questions & Cues: I tell students that this is the “scary” part of taking notes. This is the time to get in the mind of their teacher and think of questions that might be on the test. They have to read their notes and come up with questions. Eventually, students should be developing higher level questions.
Summarize: Students should write a brief

6. Step 1: Initial Note Taking!
Take notes in the large, right hand column, in any format you desire. (outline, narrative, bullets)
Notes can be taken from any resource; lecture, textbooks, video, etc.
Our goal is to help our students become proficient note takers.
Emphasize that students can take notes in any format that best works for them. Although, it may help to give students ideas of how to structure their notes. This will help them with organization.

7. Leave spaces between major topics.
Note Taking Skills!
Leave spaces between major topics.
Leave spaces when you miss information during the session.
Highlight main ideas and critical information
Use abbreviations & symbols
Help students to understand that notes should be organized in a manner that will make it easier to understand and study when they come back to their notes at a later time. Grouping like information with a topic heading is one way they can organize their notes.
Students often get frustrated when they cannot keep up with the note taking. Teach students to skip some lines and come back to that section at the end of the note taking session.
During the note taking session teach students to highlight important topics for quick reference later.
Tell students to use abbreviations & symbols during their notes. They often feel they have to write word for word. Tell them to use “text message” shorthand.

8. Step 2: Questions & Cues Create questions in the left hand column.
Initially, your questions may be simple recall…
Over time, questions will include the higher levels of Bloom or Costa’s models.
The goal of the question column is for students to create a self made study guide.
Teachers should coach students to develop questions around main ideas.
The use of inquiry in the left column makes Cornell notes a tool to develop critical thinking skills.
Critical Questions: What is more engaging for the learner, to read their notes or to generate questions about their notes? Why? (because you have to analyze your notes more carefully to generate questions)
This step also encourages students to develop as independent learners by creating their own questions based on their own notes.
Tie in to Baldrige Strategies

9. Brief Review of Bloom's Taxonomy
1. KNOWLEDGE: recalling information
2. COMPREHENSION: understanding meaning
3. APPLICATION: using learning in new situations
4. ANALYSIS: ability to see parts & relationships
5. SYNTHESIS: use parts to create a new whole
6. EVALUATION: judgment based on criteria
In table groups, use Bloom’s model to identify and discuss the levels of questions generated in your notes.

10. Complete a 3-4 sentence summary of your notes.
Step 3: Summarize
Complete a 3-4 sentence summary of your notes.
The summary can be at the end of each page or at the end
of the note taking session.
The goal of the summary is to give students practice in making connections between main ideas and/or concepts. This allows students to build meaning about the concepts covered in their notes.
Teachers should push students to re-read notes prior to, and as they are writing summary.
Possible Summary Prompt for students: “Identify 2 or more main ideas in your notes and discuss how they relate to each other.”

11. Step 4: Develop GBQs
Pick two activities from list (2 different activities)
Label the activity
Each activity is a minimum of one paragraph.