Doodle Notes: Ending the Year with Creativity

It is mid May and we are deep into testing. My students took the AP Calculus exam on May 9th. Most of them are also taking other AP exams. I am also missing class to proctor exams. With everyone missing classes throughout the month of May, the consistency of our daily routine has been lost. So, I am faced with what to do after I have completed the curriculum and so many students are missing class.

After considering a variety of options such as creating tutorial videos and interactive bulletin boards, I decided my best plan would be to give students a Doodle Notes project that they could work on independently and at their own pace. The project requires students to demonstrate their creativity and their understanding of one of the units we studied.

Doodle notes are a visual note-taking method with built-in features that increase focus and memory. They also allow students to relax and enjoy the process of coloring and drawing while reinforcing their learning and making connections between concepts. For resources on creating and utilizing Doodle notes, check out Math Giraffe.

The project begins with students researching what Doodle Notes are. They explore some examples and determine the purpose of Doodle notes.

After the students have viewed some Doodle note examples, they then choose a unit of study and 3 particular topics in the unit for the focus of their Doodle notes. They submit their selected topics through a Google Form. The project requires students to create 7 Doodle note pages. They must create an overview of the unit, 3 topic pages, an interactive page, and a resource page. The requirements are listed below.

Throughout the project students have checkpoints where they upload their initial drafts of their Doodle note pages. They are also provided with the project scoring tool and my feedback throughout the project. Prior to turning in their final drafts, they will complete a peer review.

So far, the students have been very engaged in creating their Doodle note pages. They have been asking for feedback and my suggestions as they work. I’ve enjoyed seeing my students working on a project that showcases their creativity along with what they have learned in calculus. I am also looking forward to using some of their Doodle notes with next year’s calculus students.