4 Reasons You Need to Use Doodle Notes in Your Biology Lessons

Doodle Notes are a unique and effective way to encourage students in biology.

If you’re a regular visitor to my blog, you know I LOVE using Doodle Notes in my classroom.

And if you’re new to my blog – welcome! In case you hadn’t already guessed, Doodle Notes are a passion of mine, and their benefits in the classroom are endless.

Just sit back and relax while I take you on a journey about my love for Doodle Notes and why you should use them in your biology classroom!

An image of a completed set of Doodle Notes. The Doodle Notes shows a completed pedigree with fill-in-the-blank notes.

1 – Doodle Notes increase engagement

I hear time and time again that students LOVE using Doodle Notes.

Need the proof?

Here are some reviews from teachers about my Doodle Notes:

Yep, it’s confirmed – students and teachers love Doodle Notes!

These types of notes allow students to use their creativity in the learning process, engaging with the material in a more interactive way. When students use Doodle Notes, they are encouraged to draw, color, and create visual representations of the information.

This can be beneficial for students who may struggle to stay engaged in a lecture-style classroom. And in general, they break up the monotony of traditional note-taking, which helps students stay interested in the material!

I’ve seen this myself – anytime I use Doodle Notes, my students switch on! It’s not just another boring worksheet, with big blocks of text. It’s FUN and EXCITING!

Suddenly students are getting their colored pencils out!

They’ve started completing the notes, without any prompting from me!

They’re asking each other, “What did you write here?”!

The use of Doodle Notes provides a more dynamic and engaging learning environment. Our students are more likely to stay focused and enjoy learning – yay!

An engaged student taking notes in class. She has long dark hair and is wearing a pink knitted sweater.

2 – They are easy to differentiate

Doodle Notes provide a great differentiation tool for your classroom.

They can be adapted easily to meet the needs of different learners. I have written an entire blog post on how you can differentiate Doodle Notes for students!

Here are some quick ideas!

You can use open response and scaffolded versions to vary the level of support.

Open response = a higher level of challenge
Fill-in-the-blanks = more supportive

Use digital versions of the notes for students who need support with their motor skills. These are also good for students who are overwhelmed by too much information at once (they can zoom into each section).

The digital versions are also in full color, which is great for when you are short on time, or for students who don’t enjoy coloring in.

You can read more about using digital Doodle Notes here.

These are just some quick ideas on how to differentiate Doodle Notes – but as you can see, it is easy to differentiate Doodle Notes for your students!

A set of Doodle Notes in two versions. The set on top has fill-in-the-blank sentences, while the set below has more open space for students to add their own notes. They are about the stages of meiosis.

3 – Doodle Notes encourage active learning

Can you tell that I love Doodle Notes yet?!

Well… I’m not done – let’s keep going!

In addition to engagement and differentiation, Doodle Notes encourage active learning within your biology classroom.

When students are creating Doodle Notes, they are actively processing the information they are encountering. They must pay attention to you, the teacher, or the associated reading and create visual representations of those learned concepts. This requires students to think critically about the material and personalize it to their own learning needs.

In addition, students are encouraged to make Doodle Notes their own masterpiece to master the concepts. By using their own unique style and approach, students are more likely to engage with the material and take ownership of their learning.

If you are using the Doodle Notes as a review, students can work independently through them – this is a great way for them to see how much they’ve actually understood from the lesson.

Of course, it is important to go through the notes together at the end, so they can fill in any gaps in their notes (and knowledge!).

A group of high school students are sitting at desks in a classroom and working independently on their notes.

4 – They improve retention of information

Doodle Notes are wonderful for helping students retain important information.

When students take Doodle Notes, they are processing visual information, which increases their likelihood of remembering it.

They are organizing the content in a way that is easier to remember. When students create visual aids, they are better able to see the connections between various concepts. This can help the students remember the information more easily and recall it later.

Examples of this organization include using symbols or images to represent a concept, as opposed to a long string of words. Doodle Notes also provide students with the ability to color code different pieces of information, which helps to organize their thoughts.

It is also worth noting that Doodle Notes are fun and engaging for students. When students enjoy what they are doing, they are more likely to remember the information!

When students enjoy an activity, dopamine is released from their brain. Dopamine is a chemical associated with pleasure and reward, which helps to reinforce the learning process.

Happy students + increased retention = win-win!

A photograph of a completed set of Doodle Notes for biogeochemical cycles. On top, it shows a diagram of the carbon cycle. The pages are set against green card, with colored pencils and mini post-its and a plant around them.

You NEED to try using Doodle Notes!

Overall, Doodle Notes are a great tool for your biology classroom. They are excellent for increasing engagement, improving retention, encouraging active learning, and appealing to different learning styles.

They are a fun and creative way to enhance learning and make biology lessons more interesting and enjoyable for students.

Try incorporating Doodle Note into your next biology lesson and see how your students respond!

I’ve got a FREE set of Doodle Notes for you to download and use!

Get these free Symbiotic Relationships Doodle Notes

A completed set of symbiotic relationships Doodle Notes on a wooden background with colored pencils and mini post-it notes around them.

Before we part ways…. Would you like to know a secret?

I have created a plethora of Doodle Notes that are ready for you to use in your classroom. My students love these and I know yours will, too!

Have a look and see if there are any for your up-coming lesson!

Shop all Doodle Notes

I hope you have a wonderful day,

P.S. Don’t forget to get your freebie Doodle Notes, these are a great way to try using Doodle Notes in your classroom and see if you like using them!