How to Take Cornell Notes

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How to Take Cornell Notes

• Staff Development
• August 24th, 2007

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Why Cornell Notes?

• Cornell notes encourage organization.
• Cornell notes ensure students revisit notes
  several times.
• Cornell notes are good for test preparation.
• Cornell notes are a cornerstone of AVID.
• Cornell notes encourage active thinking.

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Some reminders

• Cornell notes are expected for ALL note-taking in
  AVID students classes.
• Notes will be collected and graded weekly in the
  AVID elective to ensure that students are taking
  notes correctly.
• Cornell notes may seem different at first but
  will eventually become a powerful learning tool,
  and students will wonder why they werent already
  using them!

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How to take Cornell notes
Then divide the paper about one third of the way
from the left edge. Again, fold the paper or
draw a line.
First, divide the paper so that you leave about
the last 4-5 lines free at the bottom. Fold the
paper or draw a line.
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How to take Cornell notes
At the top of the left section, students write
the topic of the notes, for example, Plot
structure.
Plot structure
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How to take Cornell notes
At the top of the right section, students write
their name, the class, the period, and the date.
This is a proper Cornell notes heading.
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How to take Cornell notes

• PLOT
• Series of related events that make up a story.
• EXPOSITION
• Tells about characters/setting/conflict.
• SETTING
• Where/when story takes place.
• Ex 300 Sparta, 400s B.C.
• CONFLICT
• Main problem in story.
• Ex Aladdin Aladdin wants to be prince/marry
  Jasmine, but Jafar wants him dead.
• Plot twists/turns that work out conflict.
• CLIMAX
• Most emotional/suspenseful part.
• Ex Lion King fight w/ Scar.

All notes will go in this section. Notes are to
be in bullet form, not long paragraphs. Obviously,
their notes should be within the lines. ?
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How to take Cornell notes
This section will be for questions. Students are
required to write several thoughtful questions
per page. This may be done as homework or in
class if there is time. These questions can be
guesses as to what the teacher may put on a
test. This is the second time students have
visited their notes.
What is plot? How is exposition different from
setting? How does plot relate to
conflict? What is the purpose of climax? What is
the climax of The Giver?
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How to take Cornell notes

• Students should write questions from each of
  Costas 3 levels of questioning
• Its Right There
• Define
• Search Find It
• Analyze
• Out There on Your Own
• Apply

What is plot? How is exposition different from
setting? How does plot relate to
conflict? What is the purpose of climax? What is
the climax of The Giver?
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How to take Cornell notes
This bottom section is for a summary of that
pages notes. Each page should have a summary.
This may be done as homework or in class if there
is time. This is the third time students have
visited their notes.
Plot is a series of events that make up a story.
Exposition introduces characters/setting/conflict.
Setting where/when. Conflict main problem
worked out by plot. Climax most exciting part.
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How to take Cornell notes
Students are encouraged to collaborate at some
point and compare notes in case they missed
anything or were unsure of a certain
meaning. This could constitute a fourth
interaction with the notes.
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How to take Cornell notes
What happens if a student misses part of the
notes? Highlight, circle, or in some way set
aside this part of the page. Put a ? in the left
column in a different color. When students
collaborate later, the student can fill in the
missing notes.
What is plot? What is exposition? ? Missed
this ? How does plot relate to
conflict? What is the purpose of climax? What is
the climax of The Giver?

• Where/when story takes place.
• Ex 300 Sparta, 400s B.C.

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How to take Cornell notes
Now students may use each page of notes as
flashcards by covering the notes and asking
themselves their questions. This is the fifth
time students have visited their notes.
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How to take Cornell notes
It is a good idea for students to have
highlighters or colored pens nearby, so that they
can check their progress. Green could equal I
know this, yellow could equal I am close to
knowing this, and red could equal I dont get
this yet. (Or some such system)
What is plot? How is exposition different from
setting? How does plot relate to
conflict? What is the purpose of climax? What is
the climax of The Giver?
Plot is a series of events that make up a story.
Exposition introduces characters/setting/conflict.
Setting where/when. Conflict main problem
worked out by plot. Climax most exciting part.
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How to take Cornell notes
Students can remove and recover their notes as
many times as they need, revisiting their notes
over and over again.
Plot is a series of events that make up a story.
Exposition introduces characters/setting/conflict.
Setting where/when. Conflict main problem
worked out by plot. Climax most exciting part.
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How to take Cornell notes

• AVID students will be provided pre-made Cornell
  note paper, color-coordinated according to
  subject area as follows
• Science Green
• Social Studies Blue
• Math White
• English Buff/Beige

Plot is a series of events that make up a story.
Exposition introduces characters/setting/conflict.
Setting where/when. Conflict main problem
worked out by plot. Climax most exciting part.