Subject: Study Skills
1. Topic-
Active Listening
Note Taking
 
2. Content-
FACT (focus, ask questions, connect, try to picture)
 
3. Goals: Aims/Outcomes-
1. To improve listening skills.

2. To improve note taking skills.
 
4. Objectives-
1. Students will practice and apply the F.A.C.T. Listening model.
2. Students will practice and apply the "pictures in your mind" strategy
3. Students will gain a better understanding of main idea.
 
5. Materials and Aids-
Audio for To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, The Listening Game from Study Skills Porgram (Level 1), Instructions for using F.A.C.T., Tuning Into Directions handout, Directions for "Picture In Your Mind," various questions about To Kill a Mockingbird, crayons, paper, pencils
 
6. Procedures/Methods-

A. Introduction-

1. Discuss note taking with students.
2. Discuss components of listening with students.
3. Collect baseline data on students. Allow students to use any method they choose to listen effectively to a segment of To Kill a Mockingbird. After listening to the segment, students will be asked to answer 5 questions.
 

B. Development-

1. Ways to listen: "The Listening Game."� Break into small groups and designate a reader. Have reader read passage just once and allow students to discuss with each other after (approx. 5 min). Have reader switch groups and become reporter. Reporter will tell class what they were told. Write differences on the board.
2. Ways to listen: Instruct students on F.A.C.T. "The Listening Game"� Try the game again with two different passages. Have students use F.A.C.T. Have them retell story as before...how much better did they do?

3. Ways to take notes:

OUTLINE METHOD
MAPPING METHOD

Bing an active listening requires you to make sense of what the speaker is saying. Figure out what the main ideas are and write them down in words and phrases. Remember: The notes are for you; take notes that make sense to you!

4. Active Listening:

Students will be instructed on "what does my teacher want me to know?"� and how to take notes by answering that question.

5. Active Listening:

Students will be instructed on how to ask: Who, What, When, Where, and Why, when taking notes during active listening. Who is involved, What is being talked about, Where is it taking place, When is it taking place, and Why did the situation happen.
 

C. Practice-

1. Ways to listen: Applied to "To Kill A Mockingbird"� Students will try to apply what they have learned from the listening game to the book on CD. Students will be assessed what they have remembered from a passage by answering 5 questions about the passage from TKM.

2. Listening and Taking Notes:
Students will be read a set of directions and instructed to take notes if they wish. They will be introduced to "Pictures in your mind: Active Listening"�
I will then read them a story and ask them to picture the scene in their "mind's eye."� Students will then be asked to answer 10 questions about the story and what they pictured the scene to look like. The students will then be asked to relate it to a scene in "To Kill A Mockingbird"� where they picture the town.
 

D. Independent Practice-

1. Tuning Into Directions:
Student's will be given a handout which they must color, following directions. They will be asked to listen to all directions before starting. Students will then listen to the set of directions. They will then read a different set of directions and then listen to the original directions repeated. They may then color the picture. The correct response will be LIT, the incorrect response will be LISTEN (if they did not listen and follow the directions).
Students will then be asked to create a map and direct their partner to redraw the map while they give oral directions to them. Then they must compare maps.

2. Active Listening: Students will then listen to a teacher give a short lecture on "Social Thinking"� and take notes.

Student's will then be read 10 questions that they will have to answer about a passage and then listen to a passage from "To Kill A Mockingbird"� while using: who, what, when, where, why...while taking notes.
 

F. Checking for understanding-

Student's will then be read 10 questions that they will have to answer about a passage and then listen to a passage from "To Kill A Mockingbird"� while using: who, what, when, where, why...while taking notes.
 

G. Closure-

1. As a groups, compare and contrast listening skills before with current listening skills.
2. Discuss how the student's note taking has changed from before this lesson until now.
 

This Lesson Plan is available at (www.teacherjet.com)