Note-taking

Note-taking is where a student records information in class.
The worst classes I experienced as a student was where the teacher rambled off notes on the chalkboard that had to copied into our notebooks. We had no time to think about what we were doing let alone actually learn during that class time. Writing notes is a skill that students need to develop but not the only skill.

The note-taking my students do model Leonardo da Vinci's methods. Leonardo da Vinci was a painter, sculptor, architect, musician, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartography, botanist, and writer. His journals reflected these facets. His journals included illustrations, mathematics, models, his thinking, as well as the written word.

Here is note-taking involving writing and simple illustrations. Previously, the students had learned about how Sedimentary Rock formed. The students were looking at how rock age was determined through Sedimentary rock layers. S ince a picture is worth a 1000 words, I can limit the amount of unnecessary writing through illustrations so students have time to think and reflect.

This Rock Cycle page was desktop published with the rock types (Igneous, Sedimentary, & Metamorphic) and their formation processes (with ESL translations). The students had written the rock names and processes in prior classes, so I provided this information to save class time. The students were to use markers to fill-in/illustrate the rock types and their formation processes through my modeling to the class.

Generally, I do not like my students to copy pictures. Copying requires no thinking. Early scientists like Leonardo did not have access to cameras, so needed to sketch/draw their objectives. I want my students to learn to struggle and persevere in illustrating. The illustrations below were from actual pictures provided to the students to see but not copy over. Art paper was provided for students to identify the shapes involved in the animals through sketching. Sketching is were mistakes are allowed. I model myself making mistakes in shapes and ask students how to correct my own sketch. Once all the shape's characteristics (size, orientation, etc) are portrayed, the students are allowed to draw over the lines they want to keep as a final drawing. Tracing is then allowed of their "original" work. Students were then required to identify in writing the __physical__ adaptations the animals had that allowed them to meet their Basic Needs.