Same Study skills › Taking notes › Margin notes and sticky-note codes
Why does my child put sticky notes in the textbook?
Kids are taught to “talk back” to what they read by marking it: a star for something important, an exclamation point for something surprising, a question mark for something confusing, and a check for something they already knew. In books they can't write in, the marks go on sticky notes.
- ★ Important: a main idea or key fact.
- ! Surprising and ? Confusing: reactions and questions.
- ✓ Known: connects to what they already learned.
Why schools teach it
Marking the text keeps kids thinking while they read
Students are asked to refer to details in the text and cite what it says (RI.4.1, RI.6.1). Codes make them stop and react as they read, so the important parts are easy to find later for homework or a test.
The question mark is the most useful code. It shows exactly what to ask the teacher, or what to reread. Our close reading guide covers marking up short passages in more depth.
At the kitchen table
What to say, and what to skip
Say this
What's one part that deserves a star?
ImportantDid anything surprise you?
!Where did you get confused? Mark it.
?Read me your sticky notes. What do they add up to?
Skip this
- A sticky note on every paragraph.Three to five notes per section is plenty.
- Highlighting whole pages.If everything is marked, nothing stands out.
- Treating question marks as failure.Noticing confusion is the skill.
See it in action
Marking a page about bats
★ Important
Bats use echolocation to find insects.! Surprising
Bats aren't blind; many see quite well.? Question
How do bats tell an insect's echo from a leaf's?
Many teachers use the same four codes, but some use their own. Check the class chart.
Free practice sheet
Make a sticky-note codes sheet
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Parents: tell your child's teacher about this guide
Parents also ask
What codes do schools use?
Common ones are ★ important, ! surprising, ? confusing and ✓ I knew this. Some add a heart for a favorite part or an arrow for a connection.
Is this the same as annotating?
Yes. Annotating is the general name for marking up a text.
What happens to the sticky notes afterward?
Kids often move them to their notebook or use them to answer questions.
Are digital highlights okay?
Yes, if the reading is online. The codes work the same way.