Cornell Notes and cells

[Mary Henton]

Hi,

Anyone using Cornell Notes? MSP2 member Vivian Barker is looking for ideas about using Cornell Notes with cells--I'm assuming the study of cells, as opposed to cells using the Cornell Notes! : - )

M

[Richard Batts]

Cornell Notes is a way to taking notes in science class.  So I figure it is cells using Cornell Notes. 

 

Here are two links that describe it:

http://coe.jmu.edu/LearningToolbox/cornellnotes.html

http://lsc.sas.cornell.edu/Sidebars/Study_Skills_Resources/cornells...

 

 

[Paul D. Boyer, Ph.D.]

I really push this technique with my at-risk kids. Unless they come to me with their own method of note-taking, this is what they learn. Here's a tool for students to print out personalized Cornell Notes PDF forms:  http://www.eleven21.com/notetaker/

 

I'd also like to point out the need to be sure students know how to summarize well to condense the flow of information into manageable bites.

 

[Mary Henton]

Thanks, Paul. I'm curious....what is it about this method that you find especially helpful for your at-risk kids?

Paul D. Boyer, Ph.D. said:

I really push this technique with my at-risk kids. Unless they come to me with their own method of note-taking, this is what they learn. Here's a tool for students to print out personalized Cornell Notes PDF forms:  http://www.eleven21.com/notetaker/

 

I'd also like to point out the need to be sure students know how to summarize well to condense the flow of information into manageable bites.

 

[Paul D. Boyer, Ph.D.]

Of course any form of notes that students find useful is great. I believe one of the more important roles of middle school is preparation for high school. Students who aren't well prepared are prime candidates for dropping out of high school.

I already mentioned the value of this format's focus on summarization. That said, condensing what the teacher is saying into telegraphic sentences is an important skill. For most students, the simple task of choosing a short description of a note to write in the left section is a great challenge. The Cornell format provides frequent opportunities for students to condense what I've been saying into the header (or question) on the left. It's several weeks into the quarter before many feel comfortable choosing their own wording rather than calling out, "What goes on the left side?" I wean them into independence by re-reading the notes and asking what is common to that small group of notes. The ability to write telegraphic sentences will be most valuable in the traditional high school science classroom, where teachers fill slides with bullet points and move rapidly through them.

Even so, I don't spend much time on the summaries at the bottom. These are the responsibility of students, and I find there are so few who even look at there notes before a test. That's another issue altogether!