Crash Course-Technique Tips for Note-Taking & Study Skills 5 Weeks (Join Anytime

Note-taking is an essential learning skill in high school, college and one day in the workplace. Memory can take in and hold information only until new information comes along to replace it. This means that meaningful, long term learning doesn’t occur in classes, but after and between classes as you study. Carefully organized notes give you a lasting record of a class and the opportunity to understand and learn what you have heard in an online or in-person class. This skill is very valuable, and is best learned early in the student's school journey.

In this flex class students will log in for lessons, discussion questions, example notes, and more on the class wall. This class is a flex class instead of a live class because it allows students the option to review the material again and again for greater comprehension. Many times in a live class, students will forget what is taught so the flex option allows for more success in note-taking. 

Week 1-2
Tips for Teaching Note Taking Strategies/Explaining The Relevance 
Students want to know why they should take notes. How does it benefit them both now and in the future? The now aspect is simple. In addition to the research proven benefits mentioned above, note taking will also help them to succeed in their classes. It’s easier to study with notes than without. It’s easier to stay organized with class material with notes than without. The first two weeks the group will watch and take notes on the Crash Course Note-Taking series. The series has 8 short videos that are between 7-10 minutes long. Students will watch the series over the weekly period, take notes, read about the importance of note-taking/study skills, and respond to questions (to help the student undertand the importance/relation to their life). Students will also learn and practice using Google Keep and Google Jamboard for study purposes. 

Week 3:
Encourage Color Coding/Adding Stationary Or Themed Paper
Research shows that color has brain benefits with memory. I encourage students to color code their notes to help them recall information. Colored pens, highlighters, and even colored paper can add some pizzazz to an otherwise mundane task.
Another success I’ve had with note taking is simple. One day, I found some stationary that had clouds on it. It had been sitting in my double door cabinet for a couple years, and I thought it might interest the students to use it. Their enthusiasm about taking notes on stationary was much greater than I had anticipated. Whenever I asked them to get out their cloud notes so that we could add to our Odyssey timelines, I never heard one groan. I wouldn’t recommend this fancy paper approach for the whole year, but it’s a fresh approach for a unit that’s heavy on note taking. 

Week 4:
Model Note-Taking
We’re talking metacognition now. Students need to know that there are different ways to take notes. They also need to understand that they have the power and responsibility to choose the mode that best fits the content being delivered. It’s also important to think aloud about why you are writing down some information but not others…why you are placing information in a specific area on your notes.
-Free Style: Free style notes (as I like to call them) are my favorite place to begin. I call them free style notes because students just write down all of the information they find important as they listen, not worrying about where they are putting it or what it relates to. This strategy is good for students who have a hard time listening while they are also trying to analyze and organize. However, it’s important to take free style notes a step further by teaching students how to reflect upon their notes and reorganize them. The following approaches can help students make meaning from their free style jottings.
-Linear Note-Taking:
Outlining: Outlining is beneficial because it doesn’t require students to do anything other than organize the information into headings and related information. Depending on how fancy your note taking expectations are, they can also prepare students to write an outline for an upcoming research paper. Double duty! 
-Cornell Notes: Cornell notes usually consist of three sections. I like to think of it as a glorified T chart. Students write key ideas or terms in the left column, and the right column, which is sizably larger, lists all of the important ideas related to the main ideas in the left column. The bottom portion of the Cornell Notes is a place for students to reflect on what they have learned. Typically, this space is used to summarize ideas, but teachers can easily ask students to synthesize ideas from multiple texts, to make connections, or to ask questions, among other options.

Week 5:
Visual Note-Taking Strategies
-Webs: Maybe students aren’t quite ready for the depth and complexity of sketch noting. Instead, showing students how to complete a simple cluster web graphic organizer is beneficial. This type of note taking can be done on the fly.
-Mind Mapping: With mind mapping, students write the topic in the center, and then subheadings branch off from it. Students then write more specific details around the heading and subheadings as needed. Mind maps help students to see the connections between related ideas. 
-Sketch Noting: Sketch notes are a form of note taking that combines text, layout, color, and imagery. It has powerful brain benefits, but it definitely lies in the realm of creativity. Many students who enjoy coloring, drawing, and thinking outside the box would love it. Because of its rising popularity, it’s worth at least introducing to students. Sketch noting is most beneficial when students already have a good grasp on the material.

This class is a beginner course on note-taking provided by a science and study skills instructor. Mrs. Collins help new homeschoolers and co-op families find the rhythm needed for homeschool success by learning important study skills and more. 

Interaction: Students must be willing to upload images and videos of their notes for teacher feedback. All feedback on the class wall will be positive, if students need to work on anything the instructor will message the student using the Outschool inbox with suggestions. 

Note-taking can be a very helpful to students, but they will get out of it what they are willing to put into it. Because of the nature of the class and because many students don't enjoy learning study skills parents are asked to partner with the instructor to check the class wall once a week to confirm the student is uploading work and practicing. 1-2 missing work reminders will be sent out only, so parent check ins will be helpful. This class will last 5 weeks so if the parent can commit to checking the student's work once a week for 5 weeks that would be wonderful and beneficial for the student in the end. 

Note-taking does take practice so material will need to be given to take notes on. Students will be given various topics in science using short video clips, science articles or notes to then summarize and follow various note taking skills provided. The science topics will be related to science for students in grades 5-10-Life Science, Earth Science, Physical Science, and Environmental Science for practice.