Sketchnoting in the Classroom: A Practical Guide to Deepen Student Learning

Dedication

TO MY FAMILY; BRIAN, MOLLY, BRAD, AND NANCY, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND GUIDANCE ON THIS PROJECT. BRAD AND NANCY, THANK YOU FOR INSTILLING IN ME A HARD-WORK ETHIC AND THE POWER TO BELIEVE IN MYSELF. BRIAN AND MOLLY, YOU GUYS ARE THE REASON I WORK SO HARD. I AM PRETTY PROUD OF THIS, AND I HOPE YOU ARE TOO.

Sketchnoting in the Classroom

A Practical Guide to Deepen Student Learning

Nichole Carter

© 2019 International Society for Technology in Education

World rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means–electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system–without prior written permission from the publisher. Contact Permission Editor: iste.org/about/permissions-and-reprints; [email protected]; fax: 1.541.302.3780.

SENIOR ACQUISITIONS EDITOR: Valerie Witte

DEVELOPMENTAL AND COPY EDITOR: Linda Laflamme

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INDEXER: Valerie Haynes Perry

BOOK DESIGN AND PRODUCTION: Danielle Foster

COVER DESIGN: Edwin Ouellette

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGING-IN-PUBLICATION DATA AVAILABLE

FIRST EDITION

ISBN: 978-1-56484-777-5

Ebook version available

Printed in the United States of America

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ABOUT ISTE

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) is a nonprofit organization that works with the global education community to accelerate the use of technology to solve tough problems and inspire innovation. Our worldwide network believes in the potential technology holds to transform teaching and learning.

ISTE sets a bold vision for education transformation through the ISTE Standards, a framework for students, educators, administrators, coaches and computer science educators to rethink education and create innovative learning environments. ISTE hosts the annual ISTE Conference & Expo, one of the world’s most influential edtech events. The organization’s professional learning offerings include online courses, professional networks, year-round academies, peer-reviewed journals and other publications. ISTE is also the leading publisher of books focused on technology in education. For more information or to become an ISTE member, visit iste.org. Subscribe to ISTE’s YouTube channel and connect with ISTE on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Related ISTE Titles

Stretch Yourself: A Personalized Journey to Deepen Your Teaching Practice

Caitlin McLemore and Fanny Passeport

To see all books available from ISTE, please visit iste.org/resources.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Nichole Carter has been in education since 2004. She has taught everything from geography to U.S. history to reading intervention to eighth-grade English. After teaching English with a ton of tech integration, Nichole changed districts and has been an innovation strategist working with K–12 classrooms on all things instructionally innovative.

In 2015, Nichole decided to start researching how to sketchnote. After trying it for awhile herself, she proceeded to train her district’s entire multilingual department of 220 educators, and then began teaching an introductory class. To date, she has taught more than 100 sessions on sketchnoting in education.

Professionally and personally, Nichole believes in the power of creating, whether it is sketchnotes, art, videos, or even a great plate of pasta. Inspiring other people to create and make is a big part of her educational pedagogy.

Nichole lives with her husband Brian, her daughter Molly, and two Wheaten Terriers (Winston and Stewart), just outside of Portland, Oregon. She loves reading, music, cooking, and creating art.

For resources on sketchnoting and more, visit her at mrscarterhla.com.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Brian, thank you for your support on weekends even when all you wanted to do was ride. I know it was hard in the beginning, but we found a way to adjust towards the end and it meant a lot to me.

Jon Samuelson, thank you for always being willing to give me advice and to reach out to your vast network to find me answers when we couldn’t figure it out on our own. I value your advice.

Jon Peplinski, thank you for being a great leader, for encouraging me to pursue something I was interested in, and giving me the materials to get started.

Nancy Anderson, thank you for helping me through the initial stages and guidance through the book contract phase. You helped me lean in and know my worth.

Valerie Witte, thank you for approaching me to write this book, pitching it to your team, and being patient with my silly questions and anxious to-do lists.

Linda Laflamme, thank you so much for being such a great editor. I knew that when I put my thoughts on the page that you would come back through with guidance and a perspective that always made sense. I appreciate the process with you.

Danielle Foster, thank you for taking my rough draft and making it a reality. I know I didn’t always understand the process, but thank you for staying with me.

Featured Classroom Voices: Leah LaCrosse, Bettina Curl, Heather Hoxie, Cynthia Nixon, Misty Kluesner, Manuel Herrera, thank you for your support, contributions, and help through this process. You are amazing educators and I am so glad to call you friends and colleagues.

Teammates, thank you for your support and your interest in how the process was going for me. I appreciated any and all guidance and support during the creation of my first solo book.

CONTENTS

WHO IS THIS BOOK FOR?

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

SECTION I: THE WHAT & WHY OF SKETCHNOTES

CHAPTER 1   SKETCHNOTE BEGINNINGS

The History of Modern Sketchnotes

Yes, You Can Draw!

Let’s Play a Doodle Game

CHAPTER 2   THE BRAIN RESEARCH BEHIND SKETCHNOTES

Building Your Visual Vocabulary

Dual Coding Theory

Temple Grandin

CHAPTER 3   STANDARDS, METACOGNITION & FOCUS

ISTE, NCTE & Common Core Standards

Metacognition

Drawing Break: How to Make Toast

Focus & Categorization or Synthesis

CHAPTER 4   INTRODUCING SKETCHNOTES IN A CLASS

Visual Vocabulary

Sketchnote Structure

Implementation of Sketchnote Basics

CHAPTER 5   ANALOG VERSUS DIGITAL

Exploring Sketchnoting Styles

Analog Tools

Digital Tools

Analog versus Digital Quiz

CHAPTER 6   REAL-TIME VERSUS REVISITED STRATEGIES

Which Version Should You Start with in Class?

Listening Comprehension Strategies

Strategies to Build Speed During Real-Time Sketchnotes

The Four Cs of 21st Century Learning

SECTION II: SKETCHNOTES ACROSS CONTENT AREAS

CHAPTER 7   SKETCHNOTES IN SCIENCE CLASS

Lab Write-Ups

Lab Rules

End-of-Unit Review

CHAPTER 8   SKETCHNOTES IN SOCIAL STUDIES

Current Events

Timelines

Cause & Effect

Sketchnotes During Speeches

CHAPTER 9   SKETCHNOTES IN ELA

Sketchnote a Plotline of a Story

Readers & Writers Workshop (Mini-Lessons)

Podcasts

Read-Alouds

Journal Prompts

CHAPTER 10 SKETCHNOTES IN MATH

Sketchnote a Story Problem

Vocab Review

Explain a Formula or Current Content

CHAPTER 11 ASSESSMENT & EVALUATION

Setting Up Students for Success

Quick Grading Tips & Tricks

Feedback from Structure & Partner Work

JOIN AN ONLINE COMMUNITY

Online Challenges & Prompts

People to Follow

Go Practice Sketchnotes

REFERENCES

INDEX

BONUS MATERIAL

BONUS CHAPTER 12   Sketchnotes in Project Design

BONUS CHAPTER 13   Sketchnotes for Your Own Professional Development

BONUS APPENDIX A   More How-To Sketches to Get Started

BONUS APPENDIX B   Glossary

This is a book for educators, educators that strive to give all the tools possible to their students to be successful in their learning. Sketchnotes are a form of note taking and as such work great for students in grades 3–12. Sketchnotes aren’t about making art in its truest sense; they are about learning and retention. This book is about tapping into something that our brains are inherently used to. So, if you are sitting there thinking, I can’t draw, have no fear: By the end of this book, I will give you the tools to feel successful on starting your journey of visual note taking.

This book is meant to be marked up, drawn on, doodled in, and actively participated with. Please draw in any of the blank spaces, and try out the activities as you go. You will find QR codes to scan along the way for additional content. Plus, the book’s companion website is packed with two bonus chapters, tutorial videos, how-to drawings, monthly challenges and prompts to keep you going, as well as lesson plans.

SECTION I

THE WHAT & WHY OF SKETCHNOTES

CHAPTER 1   Sketchnote Beginnings

CHAPTER 2   The Brain Research Behind Sketchnotes

CHAPTER 3   Standards, Metacognition & Focus

CHAPTER 4   Introducing Sketchnotes in a Class

CHAPTER 5   Analog versus Digital

CHAPTER 6   Real-Time versus Revisited Strategies

CHAPTER 1

SKETCHNOTE BEGINNINGS

Sketchnotes are a form of note taking. What is special about sketchnoting is that it teaches the best forms of strategic note taking, listening comprehension, synthesis, Dual Coding Theory, and note hierarchy. Plus, it allows note takers to personalize the experience based on their own past knowledge and, to some extent, their emotional connection to the new information they are learning.

The History of Modern Sketchnotes

Although the story of modern sketchnotes