1. Drawing What You Read: Using Visual Notetaking in the ELA Classroom
Sandra Burgess

2. The Idea (Or Just Trying to Find Something New)
Looking for ways to improve:
Differentiation
The ‘doodlers’
Assessing reading comprehension
The ‘skimmers’
The ‘sparknoters’
Realizing students images, animation

3. What is Visual Notetaking? (VNT)
Definition
A notetaking system which combines hand drawn images, symbols, and word art to represent ideas
Includes images, symbols YOU can draw
Represents YOUR understanding of material
Aids in recall

4. Using VNT in the ELA Classroom
Bloom’s Taxonomy: Synthesis and Evaluation
Interactive Student Notebooks: Made to Go Together
Student-Led Lessons
Think, Pair, Draw
Content Lessons
Constructing Anchor Charts

5. Using VNT for Reading Assessment
Differentiation and Rethinking Assessment
Benefits of Methodology
Steps
Introduce VNT
Model VNT
Give Guidelines and Requirements
Allow In and Out of Class Practice
Start Small
Final Reading Assessment
Make it Your Own; Let them Make it Their Own
Quick 3 Minute Video

6. Examples of Student Work
This student has to use speech to text software for writing, so he still found significant quotes and then drew images that helped him remember the main point of those quotes.
This student used capital letters to designate figurative language, characterization, theme, and text connections.

7. Examples of Student Work
This student used stick people for characterization! I can see how she ‘saw’ each of these characters from Merchant of Venice.
The same student used shapes to categorize figurative elements she thought were significant to the play.

8. Examples of Student Work
This student used emojis for her character analysis! She also used character initials to mark specific quotes which reflected the characters themselves. On the right, she mapped out Act I, Scene I of Merchant of Venice using emojis.

9. Examples of Student Work
You can see his ‘word art’ for theme here. It is clear that he understand the main themes of the play.
This student was my doodler. His love of drawing can be seen in his characterization of Lancelot and Jessica of Merchant of Venice.

10. More Ideas For Students, VNT For Teachers, VNT
Is Adaptable and Personal
Represents New Way to Take Notes
Can Be Used in Many Disciplines
For Teachers, VNT
Can Be Shared Methodology
Aid in Creating Cross-Curricular Assignments

11. Bibliography and Further Reading
Pillars, Wendy. Visual Note-taking For Educators. Norton: New York, 2016.
Rohde, Mike. The Sketchnote Handbook. Peachpitt Press: Berkley, 2012.
Shrock, Kathy. “Sketchnoting in the Classroom.” Kathy Shrock’s Guide to Everything. 10 July Web. 2 October 2016.

12. Contact and Collaboration
Sandra Burgess
Curriculum Leader, English
7th and 8th Grade English, Creative Writing, Journalism
Morgan Park Academy
Chicago, IL 60643
Send me pics of your students trying this out and let me know what you find as you make it your own!

13. Professional Learning Hours Professional Learning Code:
Session Evaluation
Let us know what you thought of this session. Complete an evaluation electronically on the conference app, or complete the paper evaluation located in the program book.
Professional Learning Hours
Earn professional learning contact hours to maintain your teaching certification. Write down the code for every session you attend on the card located in the program book.
Professional Learning Code:
QC-94