Taking effective notes is key for learning and recall, but how to do it without stress? Try this Cornell notes template and lesson plan from teacher Matthew Lane…
Sometimes we need children to see and internalise new content upon which to base later learning. This might be as background, or to inform later writing or other work.
This learning might be from a PowerPoint, a video or researching on a website – and that means note-taking. But how do we help children to craft notes that are purposeful, logically structured, and easily interrogated at a later date?
At my school, we have successfully implemented using Cornell Notes – developed at Cornell University – to support children in this process.
Cornell notes template
Our printable Cornell notes template PDF contains a variety of different templates, with space for:
- Keywords
- Notes
- Summary
- Things to remember
- Pictures
What they’ll learn
- Independence and confidence in making notes
- That learning is a process, not achieved in a single lesson
- How to identify relevant information
- Why summarising – rather than copying – helps learning
- That quantity doesn’t equal quality in our learning
Matthew Lane is a primary teacher in Norfolk. He implemented Cornell Notes as part of research into generative learning.
