How to Teach Kids to Write Jot Notes
You ask your students to take notes on ladybugs. Ten minutes later, you walk around the room. One child has copied the whole page word for word. Another has written, "red." That's it. Just "red."
If this happens in your classroom, you're not alone.
Jot notes are one of the hardest parts of report writing for young kids. They're also one of the most important. When students learn to write jot notes, they stop copying and start thinking about what they read.
In my 33 years of teaching, I found that kids can learn this skill in 1st grade. Are you ready to learn how to teach kids to write jot notes using a simple process? Kids just need it broken into small, clear steps. Here's how I teach it.
What Are Jot Notes?
Jot notes are short notes that capture the most important facts. They use key words instead of full sentences.
Here's an example.
The sentence in the book:
Ladybugs have six legs and a hard red shell with black spots.
The jot notes:
6 legs
hard red shell
black spots
The jot notes keep the facts but drop the extra words. Later, students use these notes to write their own sentences.
Why Kids Copy Instead of Taking Notes
Kids don't copy because they're being lazy. They copy because they don't yet know what's important. Every word in the book seems important.
Copying also feels safe. If they write down everything, they can't miss anything.
That's why you need to teach jot notes on purpose. Kids need to see it, try it with you, and practice it many times before they can do it alone.
How to Teach Kids to Write Jot Notes in 6 Steps
Step 1: Show the Difference
Start by showing a sentence and a jot note side by side. Ask your class: "What's the same? What's different?"
Kids quickly notice that the jot note is shorter. Then point out that it still has the facts.
Step 2: Teach Key Words
Key words carry the facts. Little words like "the," "and," and "have" usually aren't key words.
Try this: write a sentence on the board. Have students help you cross out the little words. What's left is often a great jot note.
Antsliveinbiggroupscalledcolonies.
Jot note: big groups called colonies
Step 3: Use Questions and Categories
Young kids need to know what they're looking for. Give them categories with simple questions.
For an insect report, you might use:
Appearance: What does it look like?
Habitat: Where does it live?
Diet: What does it eat?
Life cycle: How does it grow and change?
Predators and protection: What eats it? How does it stay safe?
Interesting facts: What surprised you?
When kids read with one question in mind, the important facts start to stand out.
Step 4: Model It Out Loud
Read a short paragraph about an insect. Then think out loud as you take notes.
You might say: "I'm looking for what a bee eats. Here it says bees drink nectar from flowers. My key words are nectar and flowers. I'll write: drinks nectar from flowers."
Kids need to hear how you decide. This is the part they can't see on their own.
Step 5: Practice Together
Read another short paragraph as a class. This time, students tell you the jot notes and you write them down.
Then move to partners. One partner reads a sentence. The other partner says the key words. They write the jot note together.
Step 6: Try It on Their Own
When students are ready, give them a jot notes page with their categories. Start small. One fact per category is a great first goal.
A Simple Jot Notes Rule Kids Can Remember
Teach your students this three part rule:
Read it. Read one or two sentences.
Cover it. Cover the words with your hand or close the book.
Jot it. Write the key words you remember.
Covering the words makes copying almost impossible. It also helps kids put facts in their own words.
Another easy reminder: a jot note is usually 2 to 5 words long. If it's a whole sentence, it's too long. If it's one word, it may be too short to make sense later.
Common Jot Notes Problems and How to Fix Them
Problem: Students copy whole sentences.
Fix: Use the Read it, Cover it, Jot it rule. Cross out little words together.
Problem: Notes are too short to make sense.
Fix: Ask, "Will you know what this means tomorrow?" Change "red" to "red shell."
Problem: Facts end up in the wrong category.
Fix: Read the category question out loud before writing. Ask, "Does this fact answer the question?"
Problem: Students write too many facts.
Fix: Set a clear number for each category. Choosing the best facts is part of the skill.
How to Differentiate Jot Notes
Every class has a range of writers. Jot notes are easy to adjust.
More support: guiding questions, space for one fact per category, and room to draw a picture beside each note.
Middle ground: guiding questions with space for two facts per category.
More challenge: a blank page with room for three or more facts per category.
For more ideas, read How to Differentiate Report Writing With Kids.
From Jot Notes to Sentences
Once students have their jot notes, the next step is the draft. Show them how to turn each note back into a sentence in their own words.
Jot note: 6 legs
Sentence: A ladybug has six legs.
This is where kids see why jot notes matter. Their notes become the building blocks of their report. You can see how this fits into the whole process in my simple 7 step report writing process.
Why Insects Are Perfect for a First Try
Insects make a great first jot notes topic. Kids already know a little about bees, ants, and butterflies. The facts are short and easy to find. And most kids are curious about bugs.
If your students are new to jot notes, my Insect Report for Beginners is a gentle place to start. It includes simple jot notes pages with guiding questions, so students know exactly what to look for. From there, they move through drafts and a final copy with plenty of support.
Want to see the full insect report process? Read How to Write an Insect Report.
Free Jot Notes Templates and Teacher Guide
Want to try jot notes with your class this week? I put together a free set of jot notes templates, plus a teacher guide that shows you exactly how to use them.
What's inside:
8 jot notes templates: each card has a heading line and three bulleted note spaces. There are 4 cards on each page, each with a different border.
A 3 page teacher guide: simple steps for teaching jot notes, sample notes, options, extension ideas, and ways to differentiate.
How to use them:
Write a category or question on the heading line, like Appearance or "What does it eat?"
Model one card together using a short paragraph from a book.
Students fill in up to three facts, using key words only.
Keep each page whole for four categories, or cut the cards apart.
When it's time to draft, each card becomes one paragraph.
Make it work for every writer: ask for one fact per card to start, fill in the heading lines ahead of time, or let students draw a small picture beside each note.
