diff --git a/client/src/graphql/gql/fragments/contentBlockParts.gql b/client/src/graphql/gql/fragments/contentBlockParts.gql
index 229c87cc..ec389fc3 100644
--- a/client/src/graphql/gql/fragments/contentBlockParts.gql
+++ b/client/src/graphql/gql/fragments/contentBlockParts.gql
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ fragment ContentBlockParts on ContentBlockNode {
   contents
   userCreated
   mine
+  highlights
   hiddenFor {
     edges {
       node {
diff --git a/server/books/migrations/0015_contentblock_highlights.py b/server/books/migrations/0015_contentblock_highlights.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c56d12bf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/books/migrations/0015_contentblock_highlights.py
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+# Generated by Django 2.0.6 on 2019-10-01 13:25
+
+from django.conf import settings
+from django.db import migrations, models
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        migrations.swappable_dependency(settings.AUTH_USER_MODEL),
+        ('notes', '0001_initial'),
+        ('books', '0014_auto_20190912_1228'),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AddField(
+            model_name='contentblock',
+            name='highlights',
+            field=models.ManyToManyField(related_name='highlighted_content_blocks', through='notes.ContentBlockHighlight', to=settings.AUTH_USER_MODEL),
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/server/books/models/contentblock.py b/server/books/models/contentblock.py
index f8e1ca3f..5eafff98 100644
--- a/server/books/models/contentblock.py
+++ b/server/books/models/contentblock.py
@@ -10,8 +10,9 @@ from books.blocks import TextBlock, BasicKnowledgeBlock, LinkBlock, VideoBlock,
     ImageUrlBlock, AssignmentBlock, InfogramBlock, GeniallyBlock, SubtitleBlock, SurveyBlock, ModuleRoomSlugBlock
 from books.utils import get_type_and_value
 from core.wagtail_utils import StrictHierarchyPage
+from notes.models import Highlight, ContentBlockHighlight
 from surveys.models import Survey
-from users.models import SchoolClass
+from users.models import SchoolClass, User
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -33,10 +34,14 @@ class ContentBlock(StrictHierarchyPage):
         (BASE_SOCIETY, 'Instrument Gesellschaft'),
     )
 
+    # blocks without owner are visible by default, need to be hidden for each class
     hidden_for = models.ManyToManyField(SchoolClass, related_name='hidden_content_blocks')
+    # blocks with owner are hidden by default, need to be shown for each class
     visible_for = models.ManyToManyField(SchoolClass, related_name='visible_content_blocks')
     user_created = models.BooleanField(default=False)
 
+    highlights = models.ManyToManyField(User, through=ContentBlockHighlight, related_name='highlighted_content_blocks')
+
     content_blocks = [
         ('text_block', TextBlock()),
         ('basic_knowledge', BasicKnowledgeBlock()),
diff --git a/server/books/schema/queries.py b/server/books/schema/queries.py
index c184e509..94881356 100644
--- a/server/books/schema/queries.py
+++ b/server/books/schema/queries.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ from graphene_django.filter import DjangoFilterConnectionField
 
 from api.utils import get_object
 from books.utils import are_solutions_enabled_for
+from notes.models import ContentBlockHighlight
 from rooms.models import ModuleRoomSlug
 from ..models import Book, Topic, Module, Chapter, ContentBlock
 
@@ -24,6 +25,7 @@ def process_module_room_slug_block(content):
 
 class ContentBlockNode(DjangoObjectType):
     mine = graphene.Boolean()
+    highlights = graphene.List(graphene.String)
 
     class Meta:
         model = ContentBlock
@@ -54,6 +56,12 @@ class ContentBlockNode(DjangoObjectType):
         self.contents.stream_data = updated_stream_data
         return self.contents
 
+    def resolve_highlights(self, info, **kwargs):
+        return [highlight.id for highlight in ContentBlockHighlight.objects.filter(
+            user=info.context.user,
+            content_block=self
+        )]
+
 
 class ChapterNode(DjangoObjectType):
     content_blocks = DjangoFilterConnectionField(ContentBlockNode)
diff --git a/server/core/settings.py b/server/core/settings.py
index 8437b685..9131a58a 100644
--- a/server/core/settings.py
+++ b/server/core/settings.py
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ INSTALLED_APPS = [
     'portfolio',
     'statistics',
     'surveys',
+    'notes',
 
     'wagtail.contrib.forms',
     'wagtail.contrib.redirects',
diff --git a/server/notes/__init__.py b/server/notes/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/server/notes/admin.py b/server/notes/admin.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8c38f3f3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/notes/admin.py
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+from django.contrib import admin
+
+# Register your models here.
diff --git a/server/notes/apps.py b/server/notes/apps.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b6155aca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/notes/apps.py
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+from django.apps import AppConfig
+
+
+class NotesConfig(AppConfig):
+    name = 'notes'
diff --git a/server/notes/migrations/0001_initial.py b/server/notes/migrations/0001_initial.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..83165dd3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/notes/migrations/0001_initial.py
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+# Generated by Django 2.0.6 on 2019-10-01 13:25
+
+from django.conf import settings
+from django.db import migrations, models
+import django.db.models.deletion
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    initial = True
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ('books', '0014_auto_20190912_1228'),
+        migrations.swappable_dependency(settings.AUTH_USER_MODEL),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.CreateModel(
+            name='ContentBlockHighlight',
+            fields=[
+                ('id', models.UUIDField(primary_key=True, serialize=False)),
+                ('content_block', models.ForeignKey(on_delete=django.db.models.deletion.CASCADE, to='books.ContentBlock')),
+                ('user', models.ForeignKey(on_delete=django.db.models.deletion.CASCADE, to=settings.AUTH_USER_MODEL)),
+            ],
+            options={
+                'abstract': False,
+            },
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/server/notes/migrations/__init__.py b/server/notes/migrations/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e69de29b
diff --git a/server/notes/models.py b/server/notes/models.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e01d9a25
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/notes/models.py
@@ -0,0 +1,18 @@
+from django.db import models
+
+# Create your models here.
+from core.wagtail_utils import StrictHierarchyPage
+from users.models import User
+
+
+# todo: change from Highlight to Bookmark / Note (tbd)
+class Highlight(models.Model):
+    id = models.UUIDField(primary_key=True)
+    user = models.ForeignKey(User, on_delete=models.CASCADE)
+
+    class Meta:
+        abstract = True
+
+
+class ContentBlockHighlight(Highlight):
+    content_block = models.ForeignKey('books.ContentBlock', on_delete=models.CASCADE)
diff --git a/server/notes/tests.py b/server/notes/tests.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7ce503c2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/notes/tests.py
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+from django.test import TestCase
+
+# Create your tests here.
diff --git a/server/notes/views.py b/server/notes/views.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..91ea44a2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/notes/views.py
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+from django.shortcuts import render
+
+# Create your views here.