Phase 1: Taking Notes
This structured note format has a notes area, a left-hand cue column, and a bottom summary area; it's commonly taught in AVID.
Cornell Notes.
Give one marking strategy used in processing notes.
Underlining. (Also acceptable: highlighting, circling.)
Name one type of “wonderment” question students should ask in Phase 3.
Prediction. (Also acceptable: comprehension, application, anomaly detection.)
What are the two main actions students do in Phase 4?
Summarize and reflect.
What is the main goal of Phase 5?
To use notes to demonstrate or apply what you've learned.
Name two strategies listed for organizing notes while writing.
Indentation and bullets. (Also acceptable: outlines, skipping lines, color-coding.)
What does the slide suggest you should do when you find missing information during processing with a partner?
Add missing information and fill in the gaps.
According to Costa’s Levels, which level asks students to compare, contrast, and analyze?
Level 2 – Processing.
Complete this slide prompt: “What have I learned?” — Explain in one sentence how a summary differs from a reflection.
A summary concisely states main learning points; a reflection explains personal usefulness and next steps.
What should you do to prepare for class to take the best notes?
When taking notes from a lecture, what two actions should you do instead of copying word-for-word?
Select/paraphrase important ideas and arrange them thoughtfully (put it in your own words).
List the hierarchical structure suggested for organizing ideas during processing (from main ideas to details).
Main ideas → less important ideas → details.
What are the three levels of Costa's levels of thinking?
Level 1: On the page (Basic/Gathering)
Level 2: Book and Brain (Processing)
Level 3: From the Brain(Creating/Applying)
The slides suggest using different media for summaries. Name two non-written summary formats suggested.
Video and audio recording. (Also acceptable: infographic, podcast.)
Choose the best note format for comparing two concepts visually; explain why that format fits the purpose.
Venn diagram — it visually shows similarities and differences between two concepts.
Explain the difference between “deleting → adding” as shown in Phase 2 guidance and why it matters for learning.
Instead of erasing or removing thinking, revise by adding improved information so thinking remains visible and shows growth.
Give an example of an “original thinking” connection a student could add to their notes relating content to their own life.
Connecting a physics concept to a part-time job where forces are relevant (e.g., lifting boxes), explaining how the concept applies.
Give a short example (1–2 sentences) of a reflection that answers “How will this be useful?” about focused note-taking.
This will help me study more efficiently because my notes highlight main ideas and include questions I can use for review.
What should you do AFTER class to process?
State the “purpose and objective” rule for phase 1 and write the Essential Question used in the slides.
Establish a purpose and objective for note-taking
Essential Question: "How can focused note-taking support my current and future academic and career success?"
Provide three specific digital processing techniques recommended for cloud-based notes.
Use underline for weblinks, bold key terms, italicize ideas to research (also: group similar ideas and use comments/peer editing).
Using Costa’s Levels, create one Level 1, one Level 2, and one Level 3 question about focused note-taking.
Level 1: Define focused note-taking.
Level 2: Compare Cornell Notes and mind maps.
Level 3: Predict how using focused notes over a semester would change your study results and justify your prediction.
Craft a concise but complete collaborative summary for a Cornell notes page about focused note-taking.
Summary (2–3 sentences): Focused note-taking is a five‑phase process—Taking Notes, Processing Notes, Connecting Thinking, Summarizing & Reflecting, and Applying Learning which that helps students capture main ideas, organize and deepen understanding, and prepare knowledge for future use. Using a chosen format (like Cornell), students record key ideas during instruction, revise and highlight important points, and add questions and connections that promote deeper thinking.
What should you include in the Connecting thinking & summary (bottom)