Aim/Objectives: Three ways to help little kids “take notes.”
Audience/Grade Level: Grades K-5

1. Big6 Buddies:
Students in grade 5 pair up with the little ones to help them with Big6 Three and Four. I prepare the older students in advance about the expectations.

The first and second grades classes work through Big6 One and Two, and concentrate mostly on Big6 One. Then the older students join us to help the young ones locate materials and to read and take notes for them. The older students are instructed to talk to the younger students about every step they are doing and to have the younger students listen for “answers” to questions that were developed in Big6 One. This gives the young students help in the note taking and gets them to listen critically for information. The older students read aloud the passages that have information, while the younger students listen for the “answers.” The older students write the notes on the data chart or other organizer.

2. Parent Buddies (and other adult helpers):
Works the same as 5th grade Big6 Buddies, except uses parents. We get them involved from the start so that they learn the process, too!

3. Note-Taking Triad:
For B6 Four–I read, students critically listen for “answers” to questions determined in Big6 One, and teacher takes notes on chart paper. Then the class or individual students use those notes for their project. If the librarian is not available for the lesson, it can be a note taking duo, wherein the teacher reads and takes notes.

If the students do not recognize the information that answers the questions, the buddy stops and tells why that passage answers the question.