1. Close your notes and your book
Summarize the section in twenty or fewer words. What was the main idea?
What’s imperialism?
What motivated the US to imperialize?
What’s the significance of Alfred T. Mahan?
What’s Seward’s folly?
Why did we take over Hawaii?

2. So let’s learn to be EFFECTIVE NOTE TAKERS who READ FOR RETENTION!
NOTE-TAKING
Is the best and also important and also you will do it throughout your entire life.
So let’s learn to be EFFECTIVE NOTE TAKERS who READ FOR RETENTION!

3. First off, let’s examine yesterday’s notes.
Did you:
Write the title of the chapter?
Write the title of the section?
Write the title of each smaller section?
Write the vocabulary terms?

4. First off, let’s examine yesterday’s notes.
Did you:
Copy down text straight from the book?
Write down things that you now think are unimportant in the greater context of the section?
Retain content knowledge from what you read?

5. HOW TO BE AN EFFECTIVE READER AND NOTE-TAKER
Step 1:
Don’t have your pencil in your hand when you read through a section. Why? Because you write down things that are unimportant.
Skim the section – look at the titles. Get an idea of where you’re going. It will help organize your thoughts even before you start reading.

6. HOW TO BE AN EFFECTIVE READER AND NOTE-TAKER
Step 2:
Start reading. With your pencil down. Just read it. One big section (the blue headings) at a time.

7. HOW TO BE AN EFFECTIVE READER AND NOTE-TAKER
Step 3:
Summarize, in your brain, what you just read in YOUR OWN WORDS.

8. HOW TO BE AN EFFECTIVE READER AND NOTE-TAKER
Step 4:
Pick up your pencil.
Take some notes. IN YOUR OWN WORDS. Don’t copy down things from the book. That doesn’t show learning. That shows that you’re an effective copier.
Writing it in your own words (or drawing pictures) helps you synthesize the information, which shows understanding
GISTS are really helpful. Twenty or fewer words summarizing the main point.

9. HOW TO BE AN EFFECTIVE READER AND NOTE-TAKER
Step 5:
Repeat.

10. UGH BUT MRS. POOL THIS IS GOING TO TAKE FOREVER
Yes, it will, but only to begin with. How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice.
And, also, it in theory will save you time. Because you’re actually learning information. Not just copying down information. Which means you don’t need to study as much. Which saves you time. You’re welcome.

11. MORE STRATEGIES! Drawing. Seriously. Pictures. Draw them.
Connections between ideas.
Cornell notes/outline notes/thinking map notes – up to you.

12. Implement one of those strategies as you read section 2.
Page 552
Strategies:
Gist (summarize)
Read without your pencil in your hand
Skim the section before you start reading to know where you’re going
Write down the section titles
Draw pictures/symbols
Draw connections/arrows
Use colors/bold words
Cornell notes
Outline notes
Thinking map notes

13. LET’S SEE WHAT YOU RETAINED 