What is a Learning Log? How do I write one?

Learning Logs are reflections, not summaries. They are designed to help you reflect on your learning and push your thinking forward. You may write them in paragraph form or you may complete them as a graphic organizer. 

There are 4 key questions to answer in a Learning Log. DLIQ.

D: What did you DO in class?
L: What did you LEARN in class?
I: What did you find most INTERESTING about this lesson? Or what did you ENJOY most?
Q: What QUESTIONS do you still have about the material, or what questions can you ask to push your thinking forward, make connections, show that you're taking ownership of this material? You should ask at least two.

I expect that you explain your responses to each of these questions thoroughly.

NON-EXAMPLE: "We did a lab in science."
  • This is not a complete response to the first question. It does not explain what was actually done in the lab.
EXAMPLE: "We did a lab in science today. We built cars out of toothpicks, marbles, and tape and released them from the top of a track to see how far they would travel. We measured time, speed, and distance."
  • This is a complete response to the first question because it gives details about the lab. It includes content and process. 
NON-EXAMPLE: "I learned that we had a vocabulary quiz in math today."
  • Hopefully you already knew that you had a quiz and you prepared for it by learning some vocabulary. The fact that you took a quiz would be part of your response to "What did you DO in class today?" not "What did you LEARN in class today?"
EXAMPLE: "I learned the definitions of integer, positive number, negative number, and absolute value for today's vocabulary quiz in math."
  • The specific vocabulary words are included in the response. Those are the terms you were quizzed on and should have learned.
EVEN BETTER EXAMPLE: "I learned the definitions of integer, positive number, negative number, and absolute value for today's vocabulary quiz in math. Integers are whole numbers and their opposites. Positive numbers are values greater than zero and are on the right of zero on a number line. Negative numbers the opposite. They are values less than zero and are on the left of zero on a number line. Absolute value is a number's distance from zero. It is always positive."
  • The details show that you actually know what you're talking about!


*If you do not have Cornell notes from a class for that week, you may write two (2) Learning Logs to replace them for your binder check.

Because KMMS is SCHOOLWIDE AVID you may be asked to write Learning Logs in other classes as well. Those Learning Logs may have different questions/expectations. Be sure to check with your teachers about their requirements--there are many variations of the Learning Log assignment.
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