Learn to Take Notes! - The Outline Method

Students will learn how to take notes using the Outlining Method. This is a very traditional style of note-taking that is often used in schools, but over the years that I have been teaching note-taking, I have learned that often it is a required or expected skill, but it is rarely taught to students. We will cover many different tips and tricks to complete Outlined Notes to help them understand the text better through close reading, discussion, and analysis. We will spend time in class examining information as a student might see in a classroom setting (through the use of printed text and PowerPoint Presentations). After looking at this information, we will practice the steps to completing a set of notes by taking notes by hand and modifying a typed version of outlined notes (developed and provided by the teacher). We will complete a step-by-step walk-through together while the teacher models the note-taking process and students complete their own notes. This means the teacher will show how it is done, but the thoughts and products that the students will have at the end of the class will all be in their own words. This helps students learn how to do this more effectively. 

Throughout the course, students will engage in a conversation about WHY - Why does this information go here? Why is this step a helpful or useful resource? Why put information in this order specifically? Etc. When students leave, they will know how to complete Outlined Notes and why completing them is so valuable. They will know the purpose of the Outlined Notes steps and learn how to modify different steps based on their needs, interests, and struggles. 

The teacher will be completing their own version of the assignment as the students are so that they can be compared and discussed as part of the class. These will be uploaded into the classroom after class so that students have a mentor example of completed notes.