What: A structured, multi-step process for engaging with content, questioning, summarizing, and reflecting to deepen understanding. Includes organizing notes and revisiting them to build long-term learning.

Directions: 5 step process of Focused Note Taking [Taking Notes, Processing Notes, Connecting Thinking, Summarizing and Reflecting, Applying Learning]

Templates/Resources: 

• Overview of Process

• Digital Templates 

• Google Slide Templates

• How to Select a Style of Notes Handout

• Note Organization Ideas and Annotation

Scaffolds:

• Provide a note-taking template (Cornell, Two-Column, Concept Map)

• Offer sample higher-level questions for the left column

• Sentence stems for summaries (“The big idea is…” “This connects to…”)

• Highlighting or color-coding cues

• Model a full FNT cycle before students practice

What: A GIST summary helps students convey the meaning of a concept, topic, article, or discussion, without including all of the details. When a student can summarize the main points in their own words, they are one step closer to mastery.

Directions: 

1. Identify the Details: As you read, look for the "5 Ws and H" (Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How). Fill these in on the chart below to capture the most important facts.

2. Draft Your Summary: Use your notes from Step 1 to create a one-sentence summary of the article. Focus only on the most essential information.

3. Refine to 20 Words: Rewrite your summary so that it is exactly 20 words, no more, no less. Place one word in each box of the GIST grid. If you have too many words, delete the fluff; if you have too few, add more specific details!

Template/Resource: 

• Google Doc Template

• Other ideas to make your own 

• GIST Log for a longer reading or topic (pdf)

Scaffolds:

• Ignore the "fluff": Leave out minor details like what people were wearing or exact dates unless they are vital to the story.

• Combine ideas: Use strong verbs to help you say more with fewer words.

• The "Goldilocks" Rule: Your GIST shouldn't be a tiny fragment or a giant paragraph; it should be just one solid, 20-word sentence.

• If students are staring at the 20-word grid with writer's block, give them a "starter" sentence to help them frame their thoughts:

  • For Informational Texts: "[Person/Group] [did what action] in [Location] because [Reason], which resulted in [Effect]."

  • For Narrative/History: "After [Event], [Who] decided to [Action] so that [Outcome] would happen for the community."

  • For Argumentative: "The author argues that [Topic] is [Opinion] because [Reason 1] and [Reason 2]."

What: Ongoing written reflections where students make sense of learning, track growth, and identify questions or next steps.

Directions:

1. Read the question or prompt your teacher gives you.

2. Think about what you learned during the lesson or activity.

3. Write in complete thoughts.

4. Use details or examples when you can.

5. This is about your thinking—not being perfect.

Template/Resource: 

• GoogleDoc Template

Scaffolds:

• Reflection prompts

• Sentence stems (“I realized…” “I am still confused about…”)

• Choice board of reflection types (chart, paragraph, sketch-note)

• Model reflection entries

• Provide time in class to write

What: Students will use templates to improve their ability to write effectively in different modes, using academic language.  

Directions:

1. Determine the level of scaffolding necessary for students. The teacher should decide if students should begin with sentence frames and then work to using the templates as they become more proficient in writing.

2. Select a text and set a purpose for the template. Are students going to summarize the text? Will they be asked to analyze the theme of the poem?

3. Create the template and provide enough space for students to write their ideas.

4. Provide starter language to guide students in what to think and how to express those thoughts.

5. Begin the template with spaces to introduce the text, author, and genre. Many students need guidance in documenting this information.

6. Explain to students how templates are designed to support and guide their writing of academic texts.

7. Model for students the process of completing an essay using a template. Talk them through the process as you compose the essay.

8. Provide another template for students to complete in pairs or small groups. Students can work with others as they practice the rhetorical moves common in academic writing.

9. Continue providing templates, gradually removing more of the support each time. This strategic approach helps students progress in their writing so they become proficient in structuring their essays and using academic language.

Template/Resource: 

• Resources for: Elaboration/Description, Cause and Effect, Compare and Contrast, Sequence, Claim and Evidence

Scaffolds:

• Introduce sentence frames first so that students can practice with shorter segments of writing. Sentence frames are used initially as a template where the teacher selects the frames and students use them, and later students have a menu of sample sentence frames to choose from; the ultimate goal is to take away sentence frames altogether.

• Use paragraph frames with signal words to help guide the student in drafting multi-sentence paragraphs.

• Provide templates that are full of guiding language, academic vocabulary, and sentence starters.

• Create daily opportunities throughout the year for students to practice using sentence frames and templates.

• Assign templates that vary in length, sophistication, and purpose.

What: Use Emojis to creatively summarize writing, and sequence events in stories.  

Directions: 

1. Write Two Sentences – Create an emoji sentence and a written sentence that matches.

2. Find Emojis – Choose emojis that represent key parts of your sentence using one of these methods:

   • On your Chromebook Press Search + Shift + Space (& on a Mac Press Windows + Period (.)) to open the emoji keyboard.

   • Search Emojipedia.org, copy, and paste the emoji.

   • Use Insert → Special Characters in Google Slides.

3. Be Creative – Some words may not have exact emoji matches, so use symbols that convey the meaning.

4. Resize Emojis – Emojis are treated like text and can be resized:

   • Highlight all emojis and use the font size increase button.

   • Resize individual emojis for emphasis.

5. Format for Readability – Organize (put them in order) emojis to match sentence structure for clarity.

6. Preview Your Work – Click the Present button to view your emoji summary full screen. 

Template/Resource: 

• Google Slide Template

Scaffolds:

• The "Parts of Speech" Emoji Bank: provide a small "cheat sheet" of emojis categorized by how they function in a sentence.

• • Verbs (Actions): 🏃 (run), 💭 (think), 🗣️ (talk), ❤️ (love/like), 🏗️ (build).

  • Adjectives (Feelings/Traits): 🧠 (smart), ⚡ (fast/energetic), 💎 (expensive/valuable), 🧊 (cold/unfriendly).

  • Transition Words: 🔜 (next), 🔚 (finally), ➕ (and), ❓ (why/if).

2.  Sentence Stem Templates

• For students who struggle with syntax, provide a visual "fill-in-the-blank" template. This helps them understand that emojis should follow a logical order.

• Template: [Character/Subject] + [Action/Verb] + [Setting/Object].

3. Reverse Engineering (The "Warm-Up")

• Before asking them to create their own, provide 3 "Mystery Emoji Sentences" on the board.

• Example: 👁️ ❤️ 🍕 (I love pizza).

• Example: 🐈 🪜 🌳 (The cat climbed the tree).

• By decoding your examples first, they build the "mental muscle" needed to encode their own.