CLASSROOM LESSON 1:
Taking Notes

BOOK TITLE: No Talking
AUTHOR: Andrew Clements
LESSON PLAN AUTHOR : Kelly Cochran

GRADE LEVEL: 4-5
LESSON DURATION: 30-45 Minutes

OBJECTIVE

• The students will apply concise note taking skills, using relevant information from informational text.

MATERIALS/MEDIA LIST

• Pencils

• Highlighters (one for each student)

• Scenario for phone call: Download PDF

• Note cards: Download PDF

• Informational text: Biography about Andrew Clements: Download PDF

• Notes page: Download PDF

• Note taking rubric: Download PDF

MOTIVATION/INTRODUCTION

Role play in front of the class the scenario for phone call

• The students will take a message. 

• Have the students get out a pencil and their note cards for the phone call.

• Students will write notes as you repeat the scenario

• Have the students turn to a neighbor and compare what they wrote for the message they took. 

• After they compare, ask the students…
  • “Did you write down every word the principal said?” (No) 
  • “Why not?” (It would take too long)
  • “What did you write?” (only the important details)
• Summarize by saying: “ If we take good notes, then we are able to communicate information to ourselves or others without writing the entire message."

NEW INFORMATION

• A note is a fact piece—a piece of information that will become a complete thought in the writing process."

• Notes are important because it is too much information to write down if you write complete sentences

• Discuss plagiarism

• Note taking tips
  • Don't write down everything that you read or hear.
  •  List main points. 
  • Notes should be key words or very short phrases. 
  • Use your own words, but don’t change the meaning. 
  • Take notes that will be help you remember when you look over them later.
  • Leave space for later additions.
  • Skip descriptions and full explanations.
  • Keep your notes short and to the point.
  • Don't worry about missing a detail.
  • Don't keep notes on oddly shaped pieces of paper. 
  • Keep notes in order.
  • Go back and add extra details (do not rewrite) to your notes. 
  • Review your notes often to accomplish greater memorization

MODELING/GUIDED PRACTICE

Use any piece of informational text or Andrew Clements’s Biography

• Decide how many paragraphs to use for guided practice.

• First read the text together as a class.

• Use an overhead to display the text and provide students with individual copies.

• Have students follow along and highlight the important information or facts. 

• Emphasize that whole sentences shouldn’t be highlighted, just the facts

PRACTICE/APPLICATION

• Students can then take their highlighted copies and create a page of notes from what they found was important.

CLOSURE

• Have students state the key points of note taking that they learned today

• Have students name several instances in which they could use these note taking skills

EVALUATION OF STUDENT LEARNING

Students will be evaluated on their ability to take concise notes using the note-taking rubric.

OTHER WEB SITES TO EXPLORE

Andrew Clements Home Page

Teaching How to Take Notes

Taking Notes-Shorthand Style

Fact Fragment Frenzy

Rubric Generator

NCTE STANDARD 4

Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.