Skilled+Labor+->+Note+Taking+&+Study+Skills

Study and note taking skills will enhance your learning in my classroom and many others. We will work in class on sharing different note taking methods and study skills that your fellow classmates have found useful. We will also actively use some of these methods in class.

//Why:// Power Notes will help you to organize your reading and create a quick outline of the main points and supporting information. Power notes is a useful organizational tool and the notes can be expanded to the desired level of detail. In the end, you will have a visual key to the main ideas of the material you have read, along with clear supportive information in an outline form. //How:// **//Power notes separate the main ideas out into categories based on their importance or power. The Power 1 idea has the most power, while powers 2 - 4 expand upon power 1 to more detailed levels.//
 * Power Notes

//Why:// In texts that allow you to highlight, it's important to select key phrases or ideas and mark them so that you can return to your thoughts and ideas later. This is called //holding your thinking//. Obviously, if you mark every other sentence, it's hard to decifer which is the most important. Be selective and choose wisely. While you're at it, in the margin next to the highlighted text, share your thoughts (perhaps you have a question, suggestion, idea, etc). This is especially useful for texts, such as accounting or business law, where the reading can be difficult and boring.
 * Mark-it Up and Respond

//How:// Read the text and ** highlight or mark one quote. In the margin next to your marking, write briefly your thoughts. Get together with a partner and share your quote, your thoughts and listen to your partner's response.

//Why:// Being an insightful reader involves questioning the material as you preview the material and as you read. You may question whether content is indeed facts or perhaps just an opinion of the author. You may read a passage and want to know more. It is also helpful as you read material to write down the highlights of your reading, as a reference and review tool.
 * Questioning the text

//How:// In class we will use the following worksheet to record your thinking during your reading assignments.

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Resources: Text Highlight Strategy by Chris Tovani Power Notes