[LM_NET] HIT: Fun note-taking exercises

[Ilana Locker <lockeri@CICCARACAS.COM.VE>]

Hi,

I just realized that I never posted a HIT on my Target for fun note-taking
exercises for a sixth grade class. I was looking for activities that can be
done in pairs or small groups of students with a focus of looking for
keywords, highlighting important texts, etc.

The responses I received are below. What I ended up doing was a short
activity on key words, taken from the Reading and Study Guide that came with
our purchase of The New Book of Knowledge last year. Then, because it was
the week of Valentine's day, I gave the class an 8-paragraph history of
Valentine's Day. We did the first paragraph in class - where the students,
in pairs, had to take notes on the paragraph on note cards. Then I took the
complete history away and they had to rewrite the paragraph on another note
card and we read their new paragraphs aloud. They saw how hard it was to
rewrite something if your notes are bad. The history was handed back and
each pair then was assigned another paragraph to take notes on. The history
was taken away again, and for homework, they had to rewrite their
paragraphs, using just  their notes, on their blogs (this was done in
collaboration with their technology class). It seemed to work pretty well. I
wanted to tie it in with something they were doing in class but for that
week, it just didn't work out with either their social studies or science
classes.

Responses I received are below:

Ilana Locker
Librarian
Colegio Internacional de Caracas
Caracas, Venezuela
lockeri@ciccaracas.com.ve
http://www.ciccaracas.com.ve/elementarylibrary/

***************
Here's a lesson you can use: http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art867.asp

*************
You have to try trash-n-treasure.  You can find it at the www.Big6.com web
site.

************
After our lessons on note taking I like to do this activity.
The one I like to do is give them a short article.  Or short chapter from a
book.  Tie it to something that is happening in the classroom, history or
science.

I ask them to take notes from this chapter using the skills we've been
working on.

One fact per line
Short and concise - no sentences
In your own words

This has worked either way, if your library time is short, at the end of the
time for this activity collect their notes and let them check out. The
following week, hand them back their papers and ask them to write a
paragraph.  Usually I say write as if the paragraph was going to appear
in the school newspaper. So, an informative piece. The kids have a lot of
trouble with this; they have usually taken really bad notes and find out
right away that they can't write their paragraph.

I have also in the same time period, because of longer class periods, taken
away the articles and asked the students to write the paragraph. At this age
it works, they really do not retain a lot of the information in their heads
so have trouble writing the paragraph.

The next week we do another, again writing a paragraph.  They do much
better.  They start to SEE the information they will need.

**************
In the past, I have read "Salt in His Shoes" a biography about Michael
Jordan. This picture book was written by his mother. I have the students
take notes of the important details in the story. Then I give them a quiz on
the book, allowing them to use their notes to answer the questions. This has
worked well for my 6th graders.
***********

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