Give students the opportunity to reflect on their own note-taking strategies. What is easy about note-taking? What is difficult?
Have a class discussion in which students present their own note-taking strategies and questions.
Present students with the following annotation strategies:
- Abbreviate.
- Underline new vocabulary.
- Skip lines between new ideas.
- Draw lines between ideas or facts that connect with each other.
- Take notes using symbols and drawings, as well as words.
- Place a star next to main ideas. Place a question mark next to things you don’t understand.
- For literary or history lessons, use these categories: Important Quotations/Meaning of Quotations, Pro/Con Arguments, Facts/Opinions, Arguments/Supporting Evidence.
