Taking Note: Introducing Cornell Note-Taking to My A-level Students
Updated: Sep 11
Scaffolding note-taking with AI-generated templates.
A folder full of carefully copied notes can create the reassuring impression that learning has taken place. Conventional note-taking can encourage students to record information passively, then re-read it later without testing what they can actually remember or apply.
As students move into AS and A level study, that becomes increasingly inadequate. The content is more complex, and success depends on organising, retrieving and using knowledge rather than simply collecting it.
Each year, I introduce Cornell note-making as part of the study-skills guidance I share with my AS students. I explain how the method works and show them a short video demonstrating how to structure and use the notes.
This year, I went a step further by creating subject-specific templates to scaffold the process for my AS Biology and AS Nutrition and Food Science classes.
The aim was not simply to make their notes look more organised. I wanted to give students a structure that connects note-making with retrieval practice and gradually helps them develop more independent study habits.
What is Cornell note-taking?
The Cornell method divides a page into clearly defined sections:
a large area for the main notes
a smaller column for recall questions, keywords and prompts
a section for recalling the content from memory
a summary section at the bottom of the page
During the lesson, students use the main section to record explanations, examples, diagrams and other important information. They then add questions, keywords or prompts to the smaller cue column.
For example, a student might record an explanation of biological value in the main section and add the question, What determines the biological value of a protein? to the cue column.
Later, they can cover the main notes and try to answer the question from memory. The page therefore becomes a ready-made retrieval resource rather than something to be reread passively.
The summary section asks students to identify the main learning in their own words rather than treating every detail as equally important.
Creating the templates with ChatGPT
I used ChatGPT to generate two Cornell note-making templates: one for AS Biology and another for AS Nutrition and Food Science. I created them using GPT-5.6. I have Memory switched on and had previously asked ChatGPT to remember my preferred colour scheme. This meant I did not need to describe the colours again when creating each resource. If Memory is not available or switched on, a teacher can simply include the preferred colours in the prompt.
The basic layout was the same, but each template was designed for its particular subject and course. This made them feel more purposeful than a generic note-taking sheet while still giving students the same Cornell structure.
AI made the initial design process more manageable, but the teaching decisions remained mine. I selected the study method, decided on the layout and headings, and chose how the templates would be introduced and used with each class.
It was a simple and purposeful use of AI and it saved me a considerable amount of time. Anyone who has ever tried to get boxes, fonts, spacing and colours to behave in a document will know how quickly a simple template can become a surprisingly frustrating job. AI did all of that design work for me, leaving me to concentrate on lesson prep.
Adapt this prompt
Teachers can adapt this short prompt for any subject, course or unit:
Create a colourful, professional A4 portrait Cornell note-taking template for [level and subject], covering [unit or course title]. Include fields for Topic/Unit, Date, Lesson Focus and Specification Link; a narrow Cues and Key Terms column; a large Main Notes area; a smaller Recall from Memory box; and a full-width Summary of Notes section. Use [colour scheme], clear headings and a few small subject-related illustrations. Leave the writing areas blank and unlined, and make the finished template attractive, age-appropriate and suitable for printing.
The information in brackets can be changed to suit the class. A teacher could also upload an existing template or image if they wanted ChatGPT to follow a particular layout or visual style.
Introducing the method
Before asking students to use the templates, I showed this short YouTube video explaining how to make Cornell notes and the benefits of the method.
I did not want students to see the page as simply another worksheet containing boxes to fill. They needed to understand what each section was for and, importantly, what they should do with the notes afterwards.
We looked at how to:
select the most important information
record concise but accurate notes
turn content into useful recall questions
cover the main notes and retrieve the answers from memory
summarise the learning without copying it word for word
Providing the layout for their first attempts allowed students to concentrate on learning the method rather than measuring and drawing the layout themselves.
Using Cornell notes in Biology
My AS Biology students used the template to make notes on 'surface area to volume ratio'.
This worked well as an introduction because the topic includes definitions, calculations, comparisons and biological explanations. Students could record detailed content in the main section and create focused prompts such as:
What is meant by surface area?
How is surface area to volume ratio calculated?
Why do smaller organisms usually have a larger surface area to volume ratio?
Why do larger organisms require specialised exchange surfaces?
How does surface area to volume ratio affect the exchange of metabolites?
The main notes area also gave them enough space for diagrams and worked calculations.
Using Cornell notes in Nutrition and Food Science
My AS Nutrition and Food Science students used their templates to organise notes in the first lesson on:
the functions of protein
dispensable and indispensable amino acids
the biological value of protein
Detailed explanations and food examples went into the main section, while the cue column could contain questions such as:
What are the main functions of protein?
What is an indispensable amino acid?
How does a dispensable amino acid differ from an indispensable amino acid?
What is meant by the biological value of a protein?
Why are some proteins described as high biological value?
The structure helped students organise related ideas while still seeing the links between amino acid content and biological value.
How did the students respond?
I was pleased to see how quickly the students adopted the method and jotted down notes throughout the lessons. They also liked the attractive, professional appearance of the templates. That matters more than it might initially seem. A clear, inviting resource can make students more willing to engage with it and take care over their work.
The templates also gave them a consistent structure while they learned the method. I do not, however, intend for them to depend permanently on a printed page.
Once the layout becomes familiar, they can easily create their own Cornell pages on ordinary file paper using a ruler and pencil.
The template is scaffolding. The longer-term aim is for students to internalise the routine and eventually use it independently.
Turn notes into retrieval practice
A beautifully completed page does not automatically mean that learning has taken place.
The real value of Cornell note-making comes when students return to the page, cover the main notes and answer the cue questions from memory. They can then check their responses, identify gaps and correct misunderstandings.
Without that stage, the template risks becoming another attractive sheet stored in a folder and rarely revisited.
I will therefore continue to model how students should use the pages after the lesson. The aim is not simply to improve the appearance of their notes, but to establish a repeatable study routine:
record, organise, question, retrieve, check and revisit.
Was it worthwhile?
For my classes, this was a simple and worthwhile way to begin the AS year.
The templates worked across two different subjects, students responded positively and the method connected everyday note-making with retrieval practice. The only repair I had to do was changing the number of the unit from AS2 for Biology to AS1 for Nutrition and Food Science and once it was edited I had a reusable resource for future classes.
ChatGPT helped me produce the templates, but their value came from how they were introduced, modelled and then used by the students.
The next step is to see whether students continue using the method when the ready-made templates are no longer provided. That will be the real indication that it has developed into a useful study habit rather than remaining a one-off activity.
