Y7-13 Note-taking & Organization

Boxes and Bullet Points is taught in Y6 at CIS. 

Boxes and Bullets is a structured method for organizing information, particularly useful in writing and note-taking. Here's a breakdown of its key components:

Overview

• Visual Structure: The method uses a graphic organizer where main ideas are represented as "boxes" and supporting details or examples are represented as "bullets" underneath each box. This visual layout helps students clearly see the relationships between ideas.

Components

1. Main Idea (Box):

   • Each box represents a central concept or argument. This is typically a topic sentence, a thesis statement or a focusing question that encapsulates the primary focus of the writing or note.

2. Supporting Details (Bullets):

   • Under each main idea box, bullet points are used to list supporting details, examples, or evidence. In primary school these are generally supporting details that reinforce the main idea. (See examples)

Benefits

• Clarity and Organization: It helps students organize their thoughts clearly and logically, making it easier to understand complex information.
• Focus on Structure: Encourages students to think critically about how their ideas connect and what evidence supports them.
• Facilitates Revision: The organized format makes it simpler for students to review and revise their work, as they can easily identify where more information or clarification may be needed.

Application in Writing

• Drafting: Students can use the Boxes and Bullets format while drafting essays or reports, ensuring their writing is coherent and well-structured.
• Note-taking: During lectures or while reading, students can jot down main ideas in boxes and supporting details in bullets, enhancing comprehension and retention.

Y4/5 Boxes and Bullets English Exemplars

Y6 Boxes and Bullet English Exemplars

"A mind map is a simple but powerful diagram that outlines your ideas in a visual format. 

Mind maps usually contain a central idea placed in the middle of the diagram, which you can break down and expand on using branches — typically represented by lines. 

What makes [mind maps] so effective? Simply put: the way a mind map is structured mirrors how the human brain works. Every time a piece of information enters your brain, it gets added to a complex neural network made up of central nodes connected by smaller branches.

Unlike note-taking, for example, which requires you to list your thoughts out linearly, mind mapping makes it easy to process your thoughts holistically — just as your brain does. It allows you to identify multiple thoughts at once and instantly draw connections between them, making it ideal for activities like brainstorming and ideation."

("What is a mind map?")

Recommended Mind map tools

Miro

Mindmeister

Coggle

Don’t use: MindMup as many students have reported they lose all their work. 

Here is an example of a student who used the annotation field in a source to complete a source SI analysis (explanation of the research a student has done to determine if and why a source is trustworthy and credible):

NoodleTools notecards afford you space to think as you gather facts, opinions, and evidence. Besides giving your notecard a short, descriptive title and identifying the source it comes from, you will work with three primary fields:

• Direct quotation (“A”): Store source material for future reference. Highlight and annotate to ensure close reading.
• Paraphrase or summary (“B”): Explain the source material in your own words. Check your understanding.
• My ideas (“C”): Reflect and engage. Articulate ideas, assumptions and questions. What do I wonder? How does it fit with what I know? How should I follow up?

Find more information about sketchnoting

Use the following headings to organize information on a print or digital page.

• Date
• Title
• Subtitle
• Questions
• Summary

For Chinese, use the following headings to organize information on a print page. 

• Date
• Title
• Key information
• Vocabulary accumulation