Elem. more note taking

["M. Ellen Jay" <mejay@UMD5.UMD.EDU>]

Rita McKillip requested I post to list as she thought ideas in my response
to her might be helpful to others.

Ellen Jay
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Sun, 2 Feb 1997 13:53:22 -0500 (EST)
From: "M. Ellen Jay" <mejay@umd5.umd.edu>
To: "Rita J. McKillip" <MCKILLRJ@MAIL.MILWAUKEE.K12.WI.US>
Subject: Re: Needed: Ideas AND Nonprint Sources to Teach Note-taking (Elem .)

Hi,
I don't think looking for a perfect tool for teaching note taking is the
best solution.  What I find works is for kids to have a meaningful
information need so the note taking has a purpose.  Like any other skill
isolated drill and practice is not as effective as application in context
of classroom content.  You can not tell kids "write down all the important
facts", because it is only an important fact if it meets your information
need.  I introduce primary grade children to note taking by having them
select an easy to read non-fiction book.  I give them a page with about 6
to 10 puzzle shaped sections drawn on it. (Interlocking jig saw puzzle
shaped sections.)  I ask them to put one fact in each section as they read
their book.  Next we work with their facts and organize them. (Any that
hold hands -- are on same topic) we code with the same symbol +, *, =
whatever.  Next we number the facts in the sequence the student wants to
use them in their piece of writing.  We discuss the need to put all the
facts that have the same code together.  Before asking individuals to do
this I have modeled the process several times with total class by reading
aloud a non-fiction book, putting facts on a chart, adding the symbols and
drafting the "report".  By 4th and 5th gd. they have had considerable
practice with the process.  We focus on putting the facts on cards or
paper by topic so the organization process is simplified.  Frequently I
develop a graphic organizer for them to take notes on to facilitate this
part of the process. All they really need to sequence are the major
topics.  For groups having trouble with the process I have developed
overheads with sets of facts and have the students code them and identify
a sequence for the finished piece.  We share these and discuss the concept
that there is no one correct sequence, but rather the reader must be able
to follow your line of thought and you can not jump all around with out
confusing your audience.
Sample activities:
3rd gd. endangered animals:  Graphic organizer is labeled by geographic
region (arctic, desert, grasslands etc.) or type of animal (bird, mammal,
fish etc.)  and sections on the page are labeled with sub topics such as:
animal, food, shelter, enemies, reason endangered, efforts to save.  As
kids locate appropriate information they write it in the appropriate
section.  Product was a class coloring book of endangered animals (line
drawing picture with short paragraph of text for each student.  They
selected one of the animals they had researched.  Coloring book was then
"published" and sold through out the building.
6th gd. regions project:  create a poster (directions for layout given to
kids to integrate some math/measurement) which has a visual in the center
surrounded by six sections: animals, plants, where in the world, climate,
human interactions, and other interesting information.  We divide the
class into six groups and they produce a group poster describing their
assigned region.  This is basically a one class period activity (45 mins
to an hr.)  It is supposed to be a review of content covered in 3rd gd. but
needed for follow-up discussions of why civilizations began where they did
on the planet.
4th gd. Bay activity:  working in groups kids researched the life cycle,
place in food chain, uses by man and effects of pollution/conservation
efforts of one of the major creatures harvested from the Chesapeake Bay.
They selected information to support their Kid Pix slide show (one frame
and narration for each sub-topic, each student did one slide of the 4
slide gp. product).

I would suggest many short search/note taking activities rather than one
big report.  In this way students go through the process multiple times
not just once a yr. If you do a big report have the kids go through the
process (taking notes, rough draft and finished draft for each Roman
numeral on the outline before going on to the next.  This way the
process is practiced a number of times, the total pile of notes is not
so intimidating when it comes to organizing it to write the draft and the
project is done in manageable bits not left for the night before it is due.
We sometimes do a non-fiction book report in which kids identify the who,
what, where, when, why and how of their book's topic. They create a poster
with the same layout as described in the 6th gd. regions activity. Any
exposition article in a magazine or section in a book can be analyzed for
this information.  By focusing on meaningful note taking to find needed
information kids grasp the process much more readily than sitting through
isolated skill instruction which they are then to transfer at a later
date.

This got a bit more involved than I intended, but this is an area I feel
very strongly about and can't help trying to share my point of view.

Ellen Jay