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Note-Taking Guide: Metacognitive Notes

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Overview

• Encourage students to take structured notes while working through Penda Science activities to help them process information more effectively. 
• This process encourages students to engage with the content before, during, and after the activity, rather than passively reading. It helps students “think about their thinking.”
• Writing within the content area also supports ELA standards and has been shown to improve information retention.
• Using their notes, students can reflect on their learning, revisit key concepts, and attempt activities again to achieve higher scores. 

How to Use the Metacognitive Note-Taking Guide

1. Choose a Science Standard:

• Instead of using a separate guide for each activity, students should use one note-taking guide per science standard.

2. Complete the Guide While Working Through Penda Activities:

• Before: Think about the title of the Activity Title and write down anything that comes to mind that relates to the title. 
• During: Use the Objective to write the Main Idea. Jot down important details, key vocabulary words, and word choices. Reflect on the connections and inferences you make while completing the activity. Write any questions you have that were not answered in the activity.
• After: Summarize and evaluate the activity.

3. Review and Reflect:

• Before reattempting an activity, review the notes to reinforce understanding.
• Use the notes to identify gaps in knowledge.
• Discuss your notes with a teacher for deeper insights.

4. Apply Notes to Improve Scores:

• Use the notes when retaking activities to enhance accuracy and understanding.
• Adjust reasoning as needed based on new insights.

Tips for Maximizing Effectiveness

• Encourage students to highlight or underline key concepts and vocabulary.
• Have students discuss their notes in small groups to compare findings.
• Integrate this process into classroom discussions and assessments.
• Use completed guides as study tools for quizzes, tests, or projects.

Click the images below to view and download the resources. 

Teacher Guide for Metacognitive Notes	Sample of Completed Metacognitive Notes
Metacognitive Notes - Student Note-Taking Guide (Blank PDF)	Metacognitive Notes - Student Note-Taking Guide (Blank Editable Word Doc)