5th - main idea

8/12/2019 5th - Main Idea

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M a i n I d e a / S u m m ar i z e

Summarize the main ideas and supporting

details Summarize stated and implied themes Identify the main incidents of a plot

sequence and explain how they influencefuture action

Clarify steps in a set of instructions or

procedures for proper sequencing andcompleteness and revise if necessary Summarize the information in texts,

recognizing that there may be severalimportant ideas rather than just one mainidea and identifying details that supporteach

List questions and search for answerswithin the text to construct meaning

Distinguish relevant from irrelevantinformation in a text and identify possiblepoints of confusion for the reader

5th Grade


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What Students Need to Know: main idea

supporting details

theme

stated implied

plot sequence

instructions

procedures

information

relevant

irrelevant

questions

answers

meaning

points of confusion

proper sequencing

completeness

What Students Need to beAble to Do: summarize (main ideas/supporting details;

theme)

identify (plot sequence, details that supportimportant ideas, possible points of confusionto reader)

explain (incidents in plot sequence influencefuture actions)

clarify (instructions)

revise (instructions)

recognize (several important ideas, not justone)

list (questions) search (for answers)

distinguish (relevant from irrelevant informa-tion)

Important Vocabulary

Main idea The gist of a pa ssage; the c entral thought; the chief topic of a pa ssage ex-pressed or implied in a word or phrase; the topic sentence of a paragraph; a state-ment in sentence form which gives the stated or implied major top ic of a pa ssageand the specific way in which the passage is limited in content or reference.

Theme A topic of d iscussion or writing; a major idea or proposition broa d enough tocover the entire scope of a literary work or work of art. N o t e : A theme may bestated or implied, but c lues to it may be found in the ideas that are given spec ialprominence or tend to rec ur in a work.

Plot The c areful sequenc ing of events in a story generally built around a conflict.Stages of plot includes exposition (ba ckground), rising action, climax, falling action

and denouement (resolution).


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main idea summarizing

All of the indicators that have been grouped together into the Summarizing power stan-dard require the reader to determine whats important in their reading. Whether studentsare asked to summarize the main idea and supporting details, retell the plot sequence in apiece of fiction, identify a theme, ask questions which may be answered by a piece of text,

or sequence the events, they must be able to determine the important parts of the text.

The ability to decide whats important is perhaps one of the most important strategies thatreaders must have. It is also one of the most difficult to teach. In order for students totruly be proficient at these indicators, they will need repeated exposure using a variety oftypes of texts. Much modeling will be necessary before expecting students to participatein determining whats important. After introducing the strategy through a read aloudand/or mini-lesson, follow-up with students during guided reading. This will providestudents an opportunity to practice finding the importantparts of a text while they are reading a selection at their

level. In fact, at first, consider using an easier text. If youare expecting students to attend to whats important in thetext, they should not have to concentrate on decoding thattext.

Readers constantly extract information from a text and ac-cumulate that extracted information in summary form.Summarizing does not mean simply that readers can sumup a text afterward, although that is part of the skill. Itmeans that readers are remembering the text in put together ways so that they can en-gage in ongoing interpretation. It is summarizing as you read, putting together what youhave read so far as you continue to process the text. ( Guiding Readers and Writers , p. 319)

Remember that summarizing

is an in-the-head strategy.

The purpose is to help the

reader comprehend the text.


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Complete the chart with two main ideas fromthe selection and one detail to support eachmain idea. (4 points)

Write a summary of the selection. Rememberto include the main idea. Use the subheadingsas a guide. (4 points)

At the end of the selection Katie makes it rain.Which of these incidents led to this action?

A. She forces The Freedoms crew to throwtheir hats at a passing cloud.

B. She makes Sal jump on a cloud in the sky.C. She catches a cloud and squeezes rain out

of it over the canal.D. She calls the railroaders and asks for their

help.

Identify Katies problem in the selection. De-scribe three steps Katie took to solve the prob-lem. (4 points)

Which statement summarizes the main idea ofthe selection?

A. Amber can be made into beautiful jewelryfor people to admire.

B. Many things can be learned about our an-cient past by studying amber.

C. The earth has changed in many ways overmillions of years.

D. It is important to keep pieces of amber inmuseums.

Use the selection to summarize how peopleused amber. (4 points)

Why do scientists study insects trapped in am-ber?

A. To find out if the insects are aliveB. To find out where amber is hiddenC. To learn about the earths pastD. To learn how amber cures illnesses

What do the passing boys and girls share withthe trees?

A. They are singing.B. They are passing down the roadway.C. They are new.D. They are catching rainbows.

In the beginning of the story, what is the mainproblem that Julia thinks she faces?

A. How to persuade her mother to let her havethe ring

B. How to get Emmaline to show her wherethe ring is kept

C. How to wear the ring to school without los-ing it

D. How to get her friends to like her again

What is the theme of this selection? A. Raising potatoes is hard work.B. Money represents hard work.C. Asking a parent for money can be scary.D. Children are often smarter than adults

think.

Main Idea Detail to Support the Main

Idea

QUESTIONS FROM PREVIOUS TESTS


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Suggested

Strategies forTeaching

Main IdeaSummarizing


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After having students read a selection, have them get together in small groups to demon-

strate their understanding of the text. Teams should be given a copy of the Choose a QuickOne handout and asked to select which of the four activities they would like to use to pre-sent their understanding of the information. Quick Draw Quick Write Quick Drama Quick ComboEach of these activities requires students to synthesize what theyve learned while readingthe text. Groups should submit a planning sheet after choosing an activity. Allow time forthem to practice, then have each group present its evidence of understanding to the whole

class.

Choose a Quick One

This activity helps students sculpt the main idea and create summaries while reading. Thesummaries are based on the detail notes that are placed in the far right column of the page.1. Create three columns on the board. (When students do this activity by themselves, they

will do it on a sheet of paper.) The left column is labeled Main Idea, the middle col-umn Summaries, and the right column Details.

2. Based on the title of the text to be read, generate a possible main idea with the studentsand write it in the Main Idea column. This main idea can and may change throughoutthis process.

3. Read the first paragraph aloud, and take notes in the Details column. Details includekey words, phrases and examples.

4. Use these detail notes to create a one-sentence summary to go in the middle column.Create several one-sentence summaries of different sections or paragraphs of a text.

5. Connect, mentally and/or with arrows, the summaries to the main idea.6. Show students how the process went from column 1 to column 3, then to column 2 and

back to column 1.7. Refine and rewrite the main idea in the left column as it evolves.

Evolving Main Idea with Three-Column Notes


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choose a quick one

Title of Selection/Book _________________________________________________________________

Author _______________________________________________________________________________

Team Members:

________________________________________ ______________________________________

________________________________________ ______________________________________

Work with a team and choose a Quick Draw, Quick Drama, Quick Write or Quick Combo to showyour synthesis of your reading. Practice and present the final product to the class.

quick drawGet a large piece of paper and work quickly tosketch a collage of scenes, symbols, charactersand important words from the reading Make it colorful Plan how to present the quick draw to the

class.

We plan to sketch _________________________

_________________________________________

quick writeWrite a quick poem new ending new beginning different setting song to the tune of a song you know like

Row, Row, Row Your Boat, If YoureHappy and You Know It, or This OldMan

We plan to write __________________________

_________________________________________

quick dramaChoose a scene from the reading and act it outusing one of the following formats: tableaux, or frozen scene, where nobody

moves pantomime, with no talking act out a scene with talking

interview a characterWe will act out the scene where _____________

_________________________________________

The type of quick drama we choose is

_________________________________________

quick comboCombine any of the quick responses using aquick draw, drama or write:

We will combine __________________________

_________________________________________

Here is our plan

_________________________________________

_________________________________________

_________________________________________


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Are Your Students Plot Victims?

Students are often plot victims; they simply recount the sequence of incidents that oc-

curred in a story. The art of the teacher is to move them beyond synopsizing to a fullerconsideration of what they have read and thought about. In the past, book reports wereoften simplistic recountings of plot: and then he . . . and then she. . . We want thought-ful, mindful interpretations and reflections of what they have read. We may be able todemonstrate a better strategy by having students use a double-column approach in theirreading journals, for summarizing and synthesizing in writing. They could work with anovel they have read. On the left they summarize what happens in the story; on theright, they note their personal responses. The final written product can be a blending ofthe two columns. This separation and then integration of the two processes may help stu-dents notice the differences between summarizing and synthesizing. The key idea hereis to help students see beyond the basic story line and get more out of their reading.

Story Pyramids

Story Pyramids can be used to help students understand the parts of a story. Use the direc-tions below:1. 1 word name of a character.2. 2 words that describe the setting.3. 3 words that describe a character.4. 4 words in a sentence that describe one event.5. 5 words in a sentence that describe another event.

1.2.

3.4.

5.

Many graphic organizers are available to help students understand plot. The following have been included in thishandbook:

Keeping Track of Difficult Text Story Octagon

Story Star Variety of Story Maps

Analyze Plot


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K e e p i n g T r a c k o f D i f f i c u l t T e x t

W h o ?

D i d W h a t ?

T o / F o r W h o m ?

F o r W

h a t R e a s o n ?

O u t c o m e ?


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Story OctagonTitle ___________________________________________________________________

Author _________________________________________________________________

Detail

D et ai l D

e t a i l

D e t a i l

Characters Setting

Problem Solution


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Story StarTitle ________________________________________ Author ______________________________

Where?Setting

Why?Authors Theme

When?Mood

What happened?Events of the

Plot

How Did It End?Resolution

Who?Characters


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Story ap

haracters Setting

Problem

Important Events

Solution

Page 12


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T i t le

S e t t i n g

C h a r a c t e r s

E v e n t s

P r o b l e m

Story Map Using Story Grammar

Solution


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S t o r y

P y r a m

i d

_____

__________

_____

__________

____________________

____________________

_____


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M a i n

C h a r a c t e r s

S e t t i n g

T r i g g e r

C o n

f l i c t ( s ) o r

P r o b

l e m

( s )

R e a c t

i o n s

/ A t t e m p t s

C l i m a x

R e s o l u t

i o n

o

char


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Plot ProfilesStudents make plot profiles to examine the plot of a novel or chapter book story. After reading each

chapter, students mark a graph to track the tension or excitement of the story. . . Teachers often introduce plotprofiles as they teach students about the plot development of a story. Students learn that plot is the sequence of

events involving characters in conflict situations and that a storys plot is based on the goals of one or more char-acters and how they go about attaining these goals.

Chapter by chapter, as they read and mark a plot profile, students talk about plot development and theconflict situations in which characters are involved. They also learn that conflict is the tension between theforces in the plot and that it is what interests readers enough to continue reading the story.

Plot profiles also help students comprehend complex stories. By asking students to think about the con-flict and tension in the story, teachers ask students to draw their attention back to this basic structure of thestory. Students read each chapter with a purpose in mind understanding the conflict or tension in the story.Then, as they talk about the story, students ask questions and offer comments, their classmates clarify miscon-ceptions and offer comments, and all students understanding of the story grows. At the end of the book, the plotprofile provides a visual representation for students to use in deepening their comprehension of the story.

1. Give each student a copy of the plot profile chart (included in this handbook) and make a large one for theclass. There needs to be one column for each chapter. For books with more than ten chapters, add additionalpages.

2. After reading the first chapter, discuss the plot development of the story and the tension in the chapter.Have one student mark the class graph while all students mark their individual graphs.

3. Continue with each chapter.

4. When finished with the story, reflect on how the author developed the plot of the story. Think about the im-pact of the conflict and story events on the characters. Students might write a reflection on the plot to go withtheir plot profiles.

Start with the FamiliarStudents will understand the elements of fict ion better if they first learn about them inrelation to what they know well. Try some of the following: Have students identify the main character, his or her problem and the most important

events of a favorite TV show or movie. Pick a favorite fairy tale, nursery rhyme, or childrens story. Analyze it for characters,

setting, plot, problem, solution, theme, and point of v iew.

Examine comic st rips for elements of fic tion Use wordless picture books, considering the following questions:1. What is the most important thing happening in the story? Why is it the most

important?2. Which are the most important characters in the story and why do you think so?3. What problems do the major characters have?4. How do the major characters solve their problems?5. Are different endings possible?6. Which of the endings do you like best the original or one suggested by

classmates?


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Plot Profile for

High

Low

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 910

CHAPTER

Page 19


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Narrative Story MapThe story map is a tried-and-true way to show the important elements of narrative text.

It also can be used with history texts as an outline of an important event, with support-ing events leading up to the climax (perhaps for a war). A blank story map is found onthe next page.

1. Model on the overhead or board how to fill in the story map for various texts such asshort stories, songs, fables, television shows, movies and any novels that you alreadyhave read in class.

2. First, fill in the character names around the oval in the bottom right corner. Youcan add doodles or notes, such as protagonist and antagonist labels, next to thenames if you like.

3. Fill in place and time. Discuss why the author might have chosen this setting.4. Put the main problem or conflict in the large diagonal box. If you are filling in the

map during reading, emphasize the use of pencil because the conflict may change.

5. On the left-hand lines, put the important events that lead up to the final climax orresolution of the problem. This is great practice for summarizing because the linesdo not allow much space.

6. Summarize the climax or resolution in the banner box at the top.

7. Put the final events on the ending events and changes lines at the right. Theseare the important events and changes in the characters or situations that resulted

after the resolution.8. Discuss the message or lesson that the author might have intended when writing

the text. Consider historical, moral, social, political and entertainment purposes.Write the theme, message or lesson in the box on the right.

9. Have students use the map with additional texts on their own.

Variation

Modify this graphic organizer according to the particular story you are using. For ex-ample, some stories have an early resolution and a large number of ending events, soyou could add more lines in that section.


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R e s o l u t

i o n / C l i m a x :

S t o r y m a p

T i t l e :

__________________________

8 .____________________________________________

7 .________________________________________

6 ._____________________________________

5 ._________________________________

4 .______________________________

3 .___________________________

2 ._______________________

1 .___________________

P l a c e

& T i m e

C h a r a c t e r s

T h e m e ,

M e s s a g e , M

o r a l , o

r L e s s o n

E n d

i n g

E v e n t s

& C h a n g e s

M a i n C

o n f l i c t :


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Problems with Theme

When working with students on understanding theme, there are some common problems that may occur.Be on the look-out for the following:

Confusing subject for theme. The subject is what happens on the surface of the story, and only in the story.The theme is more about the purpose of the story, the reason the author had for writing it. Theme shouldstate generalizations that go beyond the world of the story.

Leaving out important details. The theme must not disagree with or fail to consider any important details ofcharacter or plot.

Looking for the moral of the story. Although some texts do have a moral as a theme, many, especially moremodern and more complex texts, have themes that are more subtle than morals about how we should live orbehave.

Common Topics for

Themes

ChildhoodCourageDeathFaith

FamilyFreedom

FriendshipGrowing up

Hate

HopeIdentity

IndependenceJustice

LoveLoyaltyNature

PatiencePatriotismPrejudice

Race relations

Self-improvementSelf-reliance

SuccessTrustTruth

UnhappinessViolence

War

Theme Center

Theme is one of the more difficult literary elements for students to recognize.. . .Talk about theme as being the big idea or issue that the author crafts the

book around.

Use the attached Theme Sheet to help students learn to identify theme byfollowing these steps:

1. Read a short selection.

2. Identify the theme.

3. Provide three supports from the text that helped identify the theme.

4. Connect the theme in this text to other selections that have been read.

Students do best in identifying theme when the selections can be related totheir personal lives. A sheet with information for students on identifyingtheme is also included.

Ret elling a st ory can help st udent s synt hesize t o get t o t he signif icant issues. As t hey compare ret ellings, t hey can begin t o not ice t he weight each t eller places on dif f erent aspect s of t he st ory as t hey personalize t heir v ersions. W e can list common t hemes f ound in t he ret ellings on a char t , showing how we all st ruggle t o mov e t o t he univ ersal t rut hs as we share nar rat iv es. I t may help t o hav e t he st udent s wr it e a synt hesis of t he st ory. Hav e t hem f ind suppor t iv e inf ormat ion f rom t heir st ory t hat suppor t s t heir choices. St udent s can read t hese passages aloud.


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IdentifyingTheme

The theme is the big ideathat stretches across astory.

Some examples of themes are:

Love

DeathPrejudice

Guilt

People versus nature

Growing up

The same themes can befound in many texts andgenres. In order to iden-tify the theme weshould: Examine the beginning and end of the

text Think about the dialogue Look for evidence of internal monologue Think about how the title relates to the

story Consider the authors message


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Theme

Title ______________________________________ Author _________________________________

Theme (the big idea or issue that is important to the author)

What helped me to identify the theme?Reason One

What helped me to identify the theme?Reason Three

What helped me to identify the theme?Reason Two

Other texts Ive read with the same theme

From Cassetta, 2001


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Helping Students Understand Theme

Using specific details in a book about character, time, conflict, or relationships and creating gen-

eral statements that express a theme is difficult . . . Start with experiences from their lives, and together . .. create themes from these. Share these with students as well as others you collect from your experiences. ..

Detail: Several students consistently arrive at school out of dress code. Though parents have come toschool with a change of clothing and many students have repeatedly been sent home, a group persists indressing inappropriately.

Theme: One way to protest rules is to repeatedly break them.

Detail: At a party, Sue, an outstanding citizen and student, is urged to drink. She refuses, saying that shehas a headache and doesnt want any. Her peers insist shes a wus and afraid of what her parents will say.Sue gives in.

Theme: Peer pressure can make people do things they dont want to do.

First, I explain how I generalize the theme from the detail, pointing out that I dont use names orspecific situations, but try to arrive at a statement that could apply to similar situations. Once studentsunderstand, through discussion, the differences between the theme and details, I invite them to use thisthinking with the books they are reading.

Next, I encourage students to use details to discover themes from a read-aloud Ive completed. Iinvite pairs of students to select details from Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson, then generalize tothe theme, for I want students to see that a book contains many themes. What follows is the thinking oftwo pairs of sixth graders:

Detail: Brend and Ellie whine about going to Millsburg for school shopping. When Mama says theres nomoney, they insist they want to just look around. They end up getting $5.00 by insisting their daddy prom-ised it to them.

Theme: Some children can easily manipulate parents and get their way.

Detail: Jess denies Leslie drowned when his father tells him. He gets angry and insists its a lie. Then hethinks about things Leslie said and things they did together.

Theme: When you love someone, accepting an unexpected death is tough. First theres denial, then anger.

Concept-Details NotesIn the concept-details note-taking method students write the names of conceptson the left side of a page and supporting key details on the right side. Thesenotes can then easily be studied for tests.


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Theme is the aspect of literary writing that makes it more than entertainment. It is also, of-

ten, the most difficult aspect of literary analysis for students in the middle grades to grasp.Some students cannot move beyond looking for the moral of the story to conceive oftheme as the idea that holds the story together such as a comment about society, human na-ture, or the human condition.

One way to help students grasp theme is to raise the issue before they read. As a pre-reading activity you might use a web to help students see the issues related to a certain topicthey will be reading about.

You might also try using a Three-Level Guide. This guide requires students to think about

whats in the selection, what they can infer from the selection, and possible themes. TheThree-Level Guide is created using three tiers of statements. The first tier asks students tomark items found directly in the story. The second tier asks students to identify items theythink are probably true based on what happens in the story. The third tier calls for markingstatements that they think the author might make based on what happens in the story. Asample for The Legend of Sleepy Hollow follows. A blank template for creating your ownThree-Level Guide is on the next page.

I. Mark each item below that is directly in the story. (Be prepared to show where.)Leave the line blank if the item is false or unstated.

_____ 1. Ichabod Crane is a poor schoolteacher.

_____ 2. Ichabod is better educated than practically everyone else in the village. _____ 3. People in the village, including Ichabod, believe in ghosts and other superstitions. _____ 4. Icabod decides to avoid Brom because he has challenged him to fight.

II. Mark each item below that you think is probably true, based on what happens in the story. _____ 1. Ichabod wants to marry Katrina for her money. _____ 2. Ichabod sees himself as superior to other people in the village. _____ 3. Brom is a bully who enjoys humiliating Ichabod. _____ 4. Katrina uses Ichabod to make Brom jealous.

III. Mark those statements below that you think the author might make, based on what happens in this story. _____ 1. People who are social climbers, trying to be better than others, deserve to be punished. _____ 2. People should marry for love, not for money. _____ 3. It is easy to take advantage of the fears of superstitious people. _____ 4. Some people are just born losers who dont seem able to make others like or respect them.

Discussion of this Three-Level Guide should focus on section III where several possiblethemes have been presented. Students then select the ones that they think fit and supportthem with information from the text.

Other ways to introduce theme prior to reading a selection might be through having one ormore statements in an anticipation guide focus on the theme of the selection.

Considering Themes


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Three-Level guide

Name ___________________________ Date _________

Title of Selection _________________________________

I. Mark each item below that is directly in the story. (Be prepared to show where.)Leave the line blank if the item is false or unstated.

_____ 1.

_____ 2.

_____ 3.

_____ 4.

II. Mark each item below that you think is probably true, based on what happens in thestory.

_____ 1.

_____ 2.

_____ 3.

_____ 4.

III. Mark those statements below that you think the author might make, based on whathappens in this story.

_____ 1. _____ 2.

_____ 3.

_____ 4.


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Get the GistThis strategy helps students to focus on the main idea in a passage. It also gives them the op-

portunity to learn how others think as they state their ideas and reasons. This allows you tocheck students understanding of summarization and to determine if they can correctly iden-tify the main idea.

Have the students read a short passage, then discuss with them what the passage was about.Ask individual students to identify if the passage was mainly about a person, place or thing,and decide what was most important. Ask the class members if they agree. If not, have oth-ers explain what they feel was most important. After discussing have each student write onesentence summarizing what the class decided was the main idea.

Paraphrasing/Summarizing

This strategy involves reading a paragraph or short section, putting the information aside,asking questions about the main idea and important details, then putting the main idea anddetails into your own words in complete sentences. This is a strategy that is necessary notonly for comprehension, but also for reports and term papers. It assesses students compre-hension because they cannot rely on the authors wording.Model this strategy before the students attempt it. Follow these steps: Explain to students the skill of summarizing, or providing a brief description of the infor-

mation that was covered. Model summarizing short passages. Give students guided practice. Have the students individually practice summarizing. Check to ensure understanding. Extend the concept and have students use it on their own.

Students should be encouraged to make their summaries informative, yet brief. Use a portionof text that has already been studied, then try it with unfamiliar text.


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Model how to develop summaries for students often before asking them to createtheir own summaries. The following process may help in teaching this skill:

1. Read the text, getting a quick idea of it and its main idea.

2. Underline, highlight, use post-its, etc. to keep in mind important information.

3. Distinguish between information and details details usually do not appear insummaries.

4. Write a paragraph-long summary organized around the key information.

5. Write the same summary in one sentence.

6. Have students trade summaries, imagining they had never read the text that wassummarized, explaining why they would or would not be able to understand what itwas about based on this summary.

7. Add information or write down questions on their partners summary that will helpthem improve it.

8. Return the summary to the original writer and have them use the new information questions, suggestions, details, expanded knowledge from reading others summa-ries to revise their previous summary.

9. Use signal words, at least while learning how to write summaries, to guide them andprovide more structure to the reader: first, then, finally

10. Students should ask themselves the following questions to ensure a quality sum-mary has been written:

What happened? What is essential to tell? What was the outcome? Who was involved? Why did this happen? Is that a detail or essential information?

Teaching about Summarizing

Strategies and Tips for Making Summaries1. After you read a selection, ask, What was the story about? Try to sum up your answer in a

single sentence.2. Dont confuse a fact in the story with the main idea.3. When you write a summary, put in only the most important information. Leave out the less

important details.


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1. Give students a short passage at their instructional level and tell them that they will be writing a

summary of the passage.2. Have students read the passage independently.3. When all students are finished with the reading, have them turn their papers facedown. Then

ask them to tell you what they remembered from the passage. List this information on theboard.

4. Have students reread the passage thinking about what has already been listed, what needs tobe added, and what should be deleted.

5. Students then suggest changes to the list, and revisions are made.6. Then ask students to suggest categories for the information. List the categories and have stu-

dents divide the items on the list into the categories, creating an outline.

7. Use the outline as the basis for a summary.Lots of modeling and practice will help your students GRASP (Guided Reading and Summarizing Pro-cedure) how to write a summary!

GRASP

Magnet Summaries

Talk about how a magnet attracts many objects to itself. Then relate the concept of amagnet to students reading. While reading, there are certain wordsthat seem to draw all of the other words to them. These are the keyterms or concepts magnet words of the selection.

After reading a nonfiction selection, ask students to identifya key term or concept from the reading. Students write this word inthe middle of an index card. Then solicit some of the important de-tails related to this magnet word. These important details are writ-ten around the magnet word on the index card in smaller letters.On the back of the card, students then use the magnet word andimportant detail words to write a summary.

When starting this activity, take one paragraph at a time anddetermine the magnet word together as well as the details to in-clude. Then move to finding the magnet words together with students coming up with the detailson their own. Finally, have students find their own magnet words and details.

No trees far from eachother

loneliness

Homes on the PrairieDirt floors

Sod houses soddies

Homes on the prairie were sodhouses called soddies, be-

cause they had no trees. Peoplewere lonely because the houseswere far from each other.


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Oral Summaries

Have students work in groups for this summarizing activity. Each group member reads a por-tion of the text (start with a single paragraph and gradually build up to an entire selection or chap-ter) and thinks of a way to summarize it. When all members have finished the reading, they taketurns telling their summary of the portion read. Discussion and substantiation are encouraged untilthey agree on a single summary. The group continues with this process until they have completedthe entire selection.

1. Read the passage.2. Record important words or phrases.3. Rate each key point.4. Pick the top three points.5. Use these three important points to write a one sentence summary of the passage.6. Underline the key points in your summary.Use the graphic organizer on the next page to record the top three points and one sentence sum-mary

Graphic Organizer for Summaries

Have students capture the gist of a passage by writing a summary of 1520 words. TheGist Summary may be all one sentence or several sentences, but students must use at least 15words and no more than 20 words to summarize the passage they have read. Have them sharewith each other what theyve written. Students can generate a chart listing qualities of a good sum-mary which can be used to evaluate how theyve done.

GIST


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Some students are hesitant to share their summaries with the entire class; however, they can work

with a peer to create summaries that meet the appropriate criteria.1. Have students read and summarize a text. This could be done for homework.2. In class, ask each student to draw a line under his or her summary and then trade summaries with

a partner.3. Ask students to answer the following questions on their partners paper, under the line:

-If you hadnt read the text yourself, would you be able to understand what it was aboutfrom this summary? Why or why not?

-Is there anything important that should be added to this summary? What is it?-Is there anything unimportant that could be left out of the summary? What is it?

4. Have students return the summaries to their authors and ask them to read the answers to thequestions.

5. Have students revise their summaries based on the feedback they received.

Summary Analysis by a Peer

Paragraph by ParagraphSum It Up

When teaching students to summarize, break the reading selection down into small sections a para-graph or two at a time. After reading a section, ask students to write a one sentence summary of it or make up atitle for each section. This encourages them to reflect on what they have read to determine the most importantidea. Such analysis will help them better understand and remember what they read.

Use this strategy while introducing a new book to students. Without showing the title, share an illustra-tion from the book and ask students to write a title based on what they see in the picture. Discuss how theycame up with these thumb-nail summaries. Next show them the actual title and read the first paragraph withthem. Write four possible titles for the first paragraph on the board and ask students to pick the one that bestcaptures the main idea of the paragraph. Continue this process with several paragraphs, then ask students tomake up their own titles for subsequent paragraphs.

Explain to students that putting the authors ideas into your own words and forcing yourself to be brief isa good way to understand and remember what the author is writing about.

This strategy can be used whenever students will benefit from writing very short summaries titles.Short articles or textbook chapters are possibilities as well as some informational trade books. Newspapers alsooffer another opportunity for creating summary titles. With newspapers, cut off headlines and let students cre-ate their own. Then compare their headlines with those actually used in the newspaper and discuss thestrengths and weaknesses of each.


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Three Word Main Idea Map

Use this procedure to help students identify the main idea of a selection.

1. Have students read, view or listen to a selection or presentation.2. Tell students to choose three main-idea words that seem important to them about the overall message

of what they read, saw, or heard.3. Have them put each main-idea word in one of the ovals on the map and then draw spokes radiating

from each oval.4. Students can find details from the selection or presentation that support each main idea word and

write them on or at the end of each spoke. (If they cant find details to support a word, choose a differ-ent main-idea word.)

5. In the box, have them write the main idea of the selection or presentation in a sentence using the threewords they chose.

After reading a thought-provoking selection, ask students to be silent and then to write only two words (not in aphrase) that reflect their thinking about the passage. At first it may be helpful to provide a half sheet of paperwith a box for each focus word. This helps the students understand that the words do not have to be related or ina phrase.

After selecting their words, students turn to someone close to them and read their words, tell why theychose them, and explain how they relate to the story and/or their personal lives. At this point, it works well tocreate a class list of words that were chosen by various individuals. As each word is added to the list and therationale for selection is shared, a rich tapestry of understandings about the story begins to surface. Studentsreally enjoy hearing the diverse.

Two Word Strategy

Note Card Facts

Before reading, give small groups of students 8 to 10 note cards per group.As students read, they are to locate key facts or concepts from the text andwrite one on each card. After the reading, collect the cards and process theinformation with the class as a whole. Similar facts should be grouped to-gether and recorded on the board. The class should suggest ways to conveythe facts and concepts as clearly, completely, and concisely as possible. Thenhave students return to the text material and discuss whether any importantpoints were left off the list on the board.


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Three-Word Main Idea Map


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Two-Word Strategy

Title of book ___________________________________

word 1 word 2

I chose these words because

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

from Revisit, Reflect, Retell by Linda Hoyt, 1999


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1. Have students read a text with a partner or in small groups.

2. Ask students to generate a list of quotes that express the main idea of the passage.

3. Groups discuss the text and select their favorite quote.

4. Students fill out Quotation Sensation forms (attached), justifying their choice of quote to the rest ofthe class.

Quotation Sensation

Terrific Titles1. Have students read a chapter or section of a book with a partner or in a small group.

2. Ask students to discuss the chapter and generate a list of possible titles for the text.

3. Groups choose a title that best summarizes the main idea of the text.

4. Groups explain their choice to the class.

5. Have students fill out the Terrific Titles form (see attachment).

6. Groups present their titles to the class.7. Discuss the different choices of titles for the same text.

More Graphic Organizers

A variety of graphic organizers that can be used to help students determine the main idea of a passage

and then turn that main idea into a summary are found in the next pages.


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Quotation Sensation A Summarizing Activity

1. Choose a sensational quote from the selection. Make sure that your quote includes themost important point in the selection.

Sensational Quote: _____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

2. Explain why you chose this quote:

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

3. Draw a graphic or symbol illustrating your quote:

4. Explain your graphic:

_______________________________

_______________________________

_______________________________

_______________________________

_______________________________

_______________________________

_____________________________________

from A Practical Guide to Reciprocal Teaching by Shira Lubliner


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Terrific Titles: A Summarizing Activity

1. Give your reading selection a title.

Title

2. Explain why you chose this title:

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

3. Illustrate your terrific title with a graphic:

4. Explain your graphic:

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

from A Practical Guide to Reciprocal Teaching by Shira Lubliner


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Summarize

When you tell a friend what a movie was about, youre giving asummaryA good summary tells the most imtails about a topic in your own words.Use this chart to help you identify details or events. Then put them together into a sum

Book Title: _____________________________

Important Detail or Event

Important Detail or Event Important Detail or Event

Important Detail or Event

Summary


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How do you know thats the most important idea? Write three examples orcomments that support your assertion that this is the most important idea. If theyare quotes, include the page numbers so you can refer to them later when writingabout or discussing this idea.

1.

2.

3.

from Reading Reminders by Jim Burke, 2000

Whats the Bi Idea?

Narrow It Down: Whats the Most Important Point?


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Summarizing

Interesting Details Summary of Learning


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Good readers can summarize and identify main ideas. While many students can sum-marize with guidance, it is important to give them practice summarizing independently,as that is the mode of reading and thinking that empowers them as independent learn-ers. (Hoyt, 2000)

Give students a copy of a paragraph and ask them to identify the main idea of thepassage and a supporting detail or two. Then model how you would plan a short sum-mary of the paragraph, showing students how to start, how to decide what to include,what to leave out, and how to avoid just repeating the words of the author. Identify a keyword for each sentence. Sometimes these words will come directly from the text, andsometimes they are a combination of the text and your reaction. These words can then beused to summarize.

As students begin writing their own summaries,encourage them to determine the essential elements ofa good summary. The following key questions will help:1. What are the characteristics of a brief paragraph summary?

2. How do you separate main ideas from supporting details?

3. How do you keep it short and avoid just repeating the au-thors words?

4. What else might you have tried?

Key Words to Summarize

Key Words:

Powerful

Protect

Fast

Underwater

Kill/protect

Example:

The power of the crocodile is like thatof a monstrous machine. With onelunge it can destroy its prey andprotect the kill from other predators.Its powerful tail propels it forward atenormous speed, allowing it tosurprise the animal it is stalking. Asthe huge jaws clamp down and snarethe animal, the crocodile buries itshead underwater. This action drownsthe prey and removes the kill from theview of other predators. In one swift,powerful lunge the crocodile both killsand protects its dinner.


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Save the Last Word for Me

Save the Last Word for Me is a strategy designed to help students as they read

challenging materials.

Procedure:1. Students make notes on separate paper, in their journals, or on sticky

notes as they read each portion of a text. They might note important infor-mation, copy a critical sentence, record what they dont understand, or jotdown unfamiliar vocabulary. Each student decides what to write.

2. Discussion begins after all small-group members have completed readingthe portion of the text.

3. One by one, students introduce an idea from their notes for group discus-sion.

4. Others in the group may respond to the idea, answer the question, or pro-vide their own definitions for vocabulary words. Conversations may takemany directions.

5. After all others have offered their thoughts, the student who introduced thetopic has the last word and may offer an opinion or summarize the discus-sion.

6. The next student in the group offers another topic, and the discussion be-gins again.

7. After each group member has started a discussion, students read and makenotes about the next portion of the text.

Just the Facts

As students read, ask them to either summarize the key details of the text intoa three-minute newscast or to write a news article summarizing the five Ws.Remind students that in a television newscast time is precious, so they shouldstick to only the main ideas in their presentation. News articles should beclear and easily read, and should provide all of the pertinent details. Theyshould be written as though the information is breaking news an article onpenicillin, for instance, might discuss a recent discovery in medicine. Infor-mation on key historical figures or events might even be presented as human-interest stories.


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Schema Stories

Schema Stories is a reading strategy lesson that helps readers reconstruct theorder of a text based on meaning and story grammar. This strategy helps stu-dents learn to anticipate such elements as setting, problem to be addressed bythe characters, key events in the story and resolution of the story.

Start with stories that contain familiar beginning and ending phrases, such asOnce upon a time and They lived happily ever after . After choosing an interestingstory, prepare the schema story strategy lesson by making a photocopy of thetext and physically cutting the photocopy into sections or parts that are longenough to contain at least one main idea. Usually, one or two paragraphs will bea sufficient length to accomplish this purpose.

Procedure:1. Distribute a section or part of the story to each small group of students (4-8students) Typically, one student is selected in each group to read the textaloud for her group.

2. Once each group has read its story part, ask if any group believes they weregiven the section of the story that comes at the beginning of the story. Stu-dents who believe they have the beginning of the story are to raise their handsto respond. Those who raise their hands must state why they believe theyhave the beginning of the story.

3. After the majority of the students agree as to which section or story part isfirst, the group proceeds to the next segment of the story.

4. This process continues as described until all of the segments have been placedin a predicted order.

Variations: As a center activity, each student can select an envelope that contains the seg-

ments of the text. He/she then works to put the segments in their proper se-quence.

Questions about ThemeUse the following questions to help students learn about the theme of a selec-tion: How does the title relate to the story? Discuss some points that the author is making about family, friends, feelings,

nature, life experiences, or an historical period. Use details from the storythat back up a point youre making

Discuss what the author might have been saying about family relationships

and offer support from the story to back up your position.


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P-Q-R-S-T

This strategy works well with informational text. To start, explain or show what

P-Q-R-S-t stands for:P Preview to identify main parts.Q Develop questions to which you want to find answers.R Read the material, twice if possible.S State the central idea or theme.TTest yourself by answering questions (or teach the material to someone else).

The P and Q portions create an anticipation guide and prime the brain forwhat is to come. Although reading the material twice increases comprehension,its not always possible in our busy world. Nonetheless, its worth requiring oncein a while. The central idea usually has two parts: the topic and the authorsclaim about the topic. Ask your students to find the central idea or theme foreach subsection, not just a global one for the chapter. After your students havebeen guided through the process two or more times, assign them to do a P-Q-R-S-T process for whatever material theyre studying.

VariationsIf more than one student focuses on the same subsection, members of your classcould critique one anothers questions and responses to those questions.

Ask students to pose questions in advance and present them to classmates for

approval. Classmates consider the questions relevancy and clarity. This can bedone orally or in written form.

When first starting with this technique, choose shorter passages. A paragraph isfine. Good teachers often practice new behaviors and skills in short chunks. Thetask isnt so overwhelming, success is more likely, and nothing motivates likesuccess.

Once in a while after students finish, ask them whether or not they would changetheir questions if they were to do it all over again, and to explain their thinking.Such analysis not only prompts students to revisit the text, but it also forcesthem to question their learning strategy and success a good skill for becomingtheir own advocates.


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T-Chart/T-List

Many students are not able to read or experience content on their own or to deter-

mine whats important until the late high school years. Therefore, if students areto be successful, its important to structure content and skills so that they havehelp retrieving and retaining information for the long term. Use a T-chart, or T-list, to help the brain learn and structure information for storage. T-charts canalso make good study guides.

Basic SequenceBefore students read text material, watch a video or demonstration, go on a fieldtrip, or listen to a lecture, give them a partially completed T-chart. The left side ofthe chart can show general concepts or questions while the right usually can showmore details. Provide students with the main ideas or questions and have themdetermine the supporting details or evidence or give students some of the sup-porting details and have them determine the main ideas or questions. You mighteven try providing a mixture of main ideas and supporting details. The idea is toestablish a purpose and a structure for their learning.

After youve helped students by modeling how to complete a T-chart and lettingthem do some on their own, you might consider having students create their ownT-charts to fit the reading selection. This can also serve as a study guide for laterreview. By folding their T-charts along the centerline, they can test themselves byflipping back and forth between main ideas and supporting details.

Anything that lends itself to separation and study can be expressed in a T-chart,such as the following: Main ideas and their supporting details Questions and answers Claims and arguments for the claims Categories and examples Antonyms Causes and Effects Problems and Solutions Terms and their definitions Analogies and real-life examples Before and after

Main Ideas Details or Examples

Three reasons for . . . 1.2.3.

Three effects of . . . 1.2.3.

Three examples of . . . 1.2.3.


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Taboo

Quick: Get someone to guess the phrase latitude and longitude without

pointing to anything in the room, without gesturing, and without using any ofthe following words in your clues: coordinates, degree, Greenwich, grid, inter-national, lines, map, meridians, parallels, prime or any number. These wordsare forbidden, or taboo.

The technique, familiar from the popular Milton Bradley board game, is difficultat first, but students soon become comfortable circumnavigating the taboowords and find innovative ways to describe the words definition.

Students practice summarizing in this activity as they create their own deck ofTaboo cards and when they guess what the speaker is trying to get them tosay during the game itself.

Taboo is also great for assessing information. When students create a Taboocard for a word, they list what they consider to be important associations. By

just glancing at the cards, you can assess what the students took away fromthe learning experience.

Basic SequenceTo prepare the students, play a demonstration game as a whole class, using aset of about 30 Taboo cards related to previous topics of study.

To make a Taboo card, turn an index card vertically and write a concept or vo-cabulary word at the top. Place a thick line underneath that word. In the re-maining space under the line, write five to seven words or concepts your stu-dents would normally associate with the word above the line.

To play a game of Taboo, youll need a deck of prepared Taboo cards, a timerand a buzzer.1. Divide the class into two teams, giving each team half of the cards in a

stack, face down.2. Select a representative from each team to start. At the signal Go the per-

son turns up the first card and gives clues trying to get his/her teammatesto say the word.

3. Allow 1 minute for each word (or longer if necessary).4. The goal is to get the teammates to say the vocabulary term at the top of

the card without using any of the related terms listed below the line or anyportion of the vocabulary word. If an audience member of the team saysone of the taboo words, the representative can then use that word in herclues.

5. No gestures, spellings, sound effect, or rhymes can be used in the clues.


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Taboo (cont.)

Heres an example:Taboo card

Representative might say:

This is a type of word. It changes other words and words like itself. Thosewords are often made by putting -ly on the end. It tells us how somethingwas done.

6. Team members can call out the answer at any time.7. If the team members guess correctly, their representative puts that card to

one side, picks up the next one from the pile, and starts giving new clues.The process continues until time is called.

8. The opposing teams representative is responsible for using the buzzer toindicate an infraction of the rules the clue-giver accidentally using a ta-boo word or a portion of the vocabulary term. The clue-giver must forfeitthe card and the opposing team gets a point for each card forfeited.

9. If the clue-giving teams representative cant communicate a vocabularyterm successfully to her team, she can pass on the card, but the opposingteam also gets a point for each card passed.

10.Keep playing until both teams have had the same number of opportunitiesto give clues or until time runs out.

11.For fun, throw in a few cards relating to students interest, such as favoritebooks, current events, movies or sports teams.

Variations

Vary the number of taboo words on each card depending on the level of yourstudents. The more taboo words, the harder it is to give clues.

Once students have played the game, invite them to make their own deck ofTaboo cards using the vocabulary terms and concepts of the current unit ofstudy. Collect them prior to having students use them in a game to assesstheir understanding of the topic.

Adverb

adjectivedegreemannermodify

placespeechtimeverb


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Somebodywantedbutso

Name _______________________________ Date _________________

Title of Selection __________________________________________________

Write a one or two-sentence summary using information from the chart above.

________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________

Somebody

Wanted

But

So


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5th - main idea

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