Ninja Mind Control:

1. Ninja Mind Control: Note-taking strategies and techniques for Reading: SQ3R

2. Why should Ninjas take notes while reading? • It is essential to develop effective note-taking skills to ensure that you get the most out of the the time you spend reading. • Good notes can help organize your ideas and keep you focused. • Good notes can help you easily locate information. • As reading requirements get more extensive, quality note-taking will save you time. • Work SMARTER, not harder.

3. Ninjas: Riddle me this... Imagine I were to give each of you a 500-piece puzzle. However, only ONE of you gets the puzzle in the original box. The rest of you get your puzzles in a brown paper bags. Who do you think will finish the puzzle first?

4. Of course, the person with the box! • If you pick up a textbook and just start reading, with no background information or previewing strategies, it is like you are trying to solve a puzzle without looking at the box!

5. What is SQ3R? • A Reading/Study formula designed to help increase the retention of written information. • It consists of 5 steps: Survey, Question, Read, Recite, and Review • Cognitive (Study mental processes) psychologists have found that we learn most effectively and efficiently when we: First: Build a framework that makes sense to us Second: Fill in the details • SQ3R structures our learning experiences so we do this

6. SQ3R Step 1: SURVEY Before you read, survey the text • This is the first step and it should help you to determine the "big picture" ideas. • Survey the text to learn about how the authors have structured the content to let us know what is important. • Read and look at: the table of contents, introduction, chapter summaries, titles, headings, and subheadings. • Review task/questions or teacher-made study guide.

7. SQ3R Step 2: Questions Ask questions while you are surveying • Why do we want to have questions as we read? - Questions create interest and make use active learners. - Questions facilitate long-term memory formation. • To form a memory, connections must be made. You can do this by: - Writing questions down. This signals the brain to remember the information. • Ask yourself: What did my teacher say about this chapter or subject? What do I already know about this subject?

8. SQ3R Step 3 & 4: READ & RECITE Actively read each section and recite • Read each naturally formed unit of the text. • Look for the answers to questions you initially raised. • Take note of all underlined, italicized, and bold printed words or phrases. • Say, in your own words, what you just read. If you can't, you did not adequately understand what you just read. Go back and re-read. If you still do not understand, ask your teacher or a classmate for help.

9. SQ3R Step 5: REVIEW After reading and reciting all of the text: • Take the time to do a quick review. • This is valuable because you can look at the big picture while sorting facts into place on your outline. • Day One: Write important questions in the left-hand margin. Highlight important information. • Day Two: Re-read important information. Develop a mnemonic device for information that needs to be memorized. • Days Three, Four, and Five: Make flash cards. Alternate between your flash cards and your notes to test yourself on the questions in the margin. Make additional flash cards if necessary. • Weekend: Make Study Sheets or Mind Maps. Review the information.

10. Steps to getting started... • Survey the text. • Ask questions and write them down. • Actively read the text and review each section. • Review the entire text when you are done. Add to your notes if needed.

11. NINJA: GO! • Time to try SQ3R! • Take a SQ3R Study Guide sheet and try theSQ3R method while reading this article: Get More Out of Google. • Hint: This is the Ninja trick we will be learning today! How to be NINJA GOOGLERS! • Lastly, please complete the Study Skills checklist. Reminder: Bring snacks next week