How to Take Cornell Notes

First, open your binder to the next blank page in notes section

Then, write your heading in the top right corner of the paper.

Name

Date

Period

Next, write the title of the notes on the top line next to the left margin.

Title

NameDate Per .

Then, draw a line about 1 ½ to 2 inches to the right of the red margin.

NameDate Per,

Title

Now you are ready to take notes.

NameDate Per,

Title

Follow the presentation by taking notes to the right of the line that you have just drawn.

•Take notes on this side.

•You may use bullet points if you like

•Make sure you leave a blank line between your entries.

NameDate Per,

Title

After you have finished your notes, go back and see if you can ask a question that is answered by your notes. This is written to the left of the red line. (**Most of the time you will be using a vocabulary term in your question.) This provides a review of the material.

•Take notes on this side.

•You may use bullet points if you like

•Make sure you leave a blank line between your entries.

How do I take Cornell Notes

In some classes you will write the questions and notes at the same time. In the future, when you use Cornell Notes on your own, you will also write the questions and notes at the same time. However, in this class we will always use the questions as a review!!!!

You have finished the first half of Cornell Notes!

Now, flip your paper over and create a graphic organizer to help organize your thoughts to write a summary paragraph about the information provided in the notes.

In this class, we will be using a graphic organizer called a mind map or a cluster diagram.

The topic of your paragraph goes here!

Detail about your topic

Detail about your topic

Detail about your topic

Specifics

ExamplesFurther Details

After you have finished your mind map, you are ready to start writing your summary paragraph.

Start by writing your introduction sentence about your topic presented in

the center box of your mind map. To start the body of your paragraph, use a yellow

detail from your mind map. If that yellow bubble had a red specific connected to it,

you follow the yellow with the red specific detail. You may even have more than one

red detail to explain. Next, provide another yellow detail from your mind map. If the

last yellow had no red specific detail connected to it, you may finish with your last

yellow detail. Include any red examples or further details connected to the last detail

you wrote about. To conclude, wrap up your paragraph by restating your topic in a

conclusion sentence.

Congratulations!

You have just learned how to take Cornell Notes which have been proven to be a successful strategy for learning.

The reasons for this success include:

•Writing of the Information

•Review of the Important Terms

•Restructuring Information into a New Format

•Summarizing Into Your Own Words

This process should help you learn and understand the content!

Make sure you review this Powerpoint presentation if you forget any part of this process throughout the year!