Math "Doodle Notes" for Brain-Based Benefits

After learning more and more about the research behind cross-lateral exercises for the brain, I've become convinced that our students need to be activating the right hemisphere of the brain in math class.

The proven benefits of communication between the two hemispheres of the brain include focus, learning, memory / retention, and even relaxation.

Doodling and coloring in a left-brain oriented class like math encourages this communication across the corpus callosum, the bundle of nerve fibers that divides the two hemispheres of the brain.

An added bonus is relaxation.  Just like in the new adult coloring book therapy trend, these doodle notes can help to decrease math anxiety.

A recent study proved that doodling actually INCREASES focus and the ability to recall new information.  With these color-it-in, doodle-friendly note methods, your students can use their colored pencils and the right side of their brains, and then remember key vocabulary, math examples, and new concepts more easily.

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Benefits of the "Doodle Note" Strategy:

Students are so engaged with these, and they love this structure.  It's so neat to see and hear the connections that stick in their brains.  You can truly see the learning and memory benefits at work when students say, "Yeah!  I remember when you said that as I was doing little dots around the word "midpoint" and I wrote that formula right in the corner with my orange pen!  That's how I remembered it on the test!"

Added bonuses include:
- relaxation and decreased math anxiety 
- super engaged students
- excitement about "customizing" the page (They LOVE doodle days!)
- an end result that they want to pull out, show off, and reference as a study tool as much as possible because they are so proud of it
- stronger retention, leading to higher test scores
- brain boosts in other areas, such as creativity & problem solving

I've got free downloads for you to try to see how amazing these are at keeping students focused and engaged.  The right brain / left brain crossover is so important in math class!

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Why Visual Note-Taking Works:

The student brain processes text information separately from visual input.  When we can combine the two, we activate the neural pathways that allow new information to more easily be transferred into long-term memory.

This principle is called Dual Coding Theory, and is one of the biggest reasons that the doodle note strategy leads to stronger retention of lesson material.

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Learn More About the Brain Benefits:

These additional articles and downloads will guide you through getting started with doodle notes!  There are more free resources, tips for implementation, and more!

First, check out these two articles on Dual Coding theory, which supports this approach to teaching by blending text and images through visual note taking.  It turns out that this is a more accurate theory than the popular "learning styles" philosophy.  

Dive in to learn about why learning styles are not actually such a valid theory to teach from, and how to use dual coding, which brain research points to as a stronger model of how student brains process information:

Then, explore more articles, a free handbook for getting started with doodle notes in your own classroom.  If you teach math, you can also shop for pre-made doodle note sets for math concepts.

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For more about the brain benefits and research, be sure to check out doodlenotes.org as well!

Want to hear from teacher who are using the doodle note strategy each day in their own classrooms?  Head to the "in the classroom" page that I have compiled there to read firsthand testimonials, tips, and tricks for implementing this method successfully.

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Getting Started:

If you are hoping to dive right in, there are a lot of options.  You can get pre-made math sets here in my printables shop, or you can learn to create your own with training, templates, and graphics provided for you in the Doodle Note Club.  If you want to keep it simple, just try some templates or DIY sticker sets for a low-prep quick start.

Enter your email in the box below to receive the free doodle note set on quadrilaterals.  Give it a try in your classroom.  (Or, if you teach another subject, head to my TPT shop to check out the free DIY doodle note sticker set - they work for any lesson and allow students to convert any blank notebook page into a doodle note page easily!)