summary writing in california. analytic summary * comprehensive and brief * concise statement *...

Summary Writing

inCalifornia

Analytic Summary* Comprehensive and brief

* Concise statement

* Short version

* Condensation

* Sum and substance

Paraphrase Summary* Restatement of text or passage

* Giving the meaning in another form* Rewording for clearness

* Restate, reword, rephrase* State in other words

* Shorter than original

*About the same length as original text – may be shorter depending on the amount of important information

2005Kiting; Bonsai Trees

2002Frog and Toad ;Beavers

Informational Reading

• Frog and Toad

• Beavers

• Kiting

• Bonsai Trees

?

Informational

Reading

dry boring

difficultStudents

Many students who experienceno difficulty reading stories havesignificant problems reading informational writing.

Many students have not acquiredthe strategies necessary tosupport the comprehension of written information.

states the main ideas of the article

identifies the mostimportant details thatsupport the main ideasuses his own words.

uses correct grammar,spelling, punctuation, and capitalization.

Source: California Department of Education Website

Source: California Department of Education Website

For the summary writing tasks in grade four, students were expected to summarize main ideas and important details in their own words. Students who did well included only information that was in the original article and avoided extraneous commentary. Effective summaries were organized in a logical order.

In order to write an effective summary, all studentsneed instruction and activities that focus on the skills necessary to summary writing.

Skills Necessary for Effective Summary Writing

• Identifying the overall big idea• Identifying main ideas within a passage• Identifying important details within a passage• Identifying and replicating text structures• Varying sentence structures to restate or

combine ideas• Vocabulary instruction related to synonyms and

relating ideas “in other words.”

Boys and girls wear wool.

Both boys and girls wear wool.

Wool is worn by both boys and girls.

Cats and dogs wear wool.

Both cats and dogs wear wool.

Wool is worn by both cats and dogs.

Cats, dogs, and horses wear wool.Wool is worn by cats, dogs, and horses.

Cats and dogs and horses wear wool.

Wool is worn by some animals.

Some animals wear wool.

People wear wool.

Wool is worn by people.

Snowmen wear wool.

Wool is worn by snowmen.

Big Idea Summary Sentences

• People, animals, and even snowmen wear wool.

• Wool is worn by people, animals, and even snowmen.

This bird is called

a Rainbow Bird

(because)

Because he has red eyes, a green head, yellow feet, and tan, blue, and purplefeathers, this bird is called a Rainbow Bird.

The Rainbow Bird got his name becausedifferent parts of his body are differentcolors.

This bird has a body with different colorsso it is named the Rainbow Bird.

(so) (;therefore)

This bird has a body with different colors;therefore, it is named the Rainbow Bird.

The Rainbow Bird got his name becausedifferent parts of his body are differentcolors.

His eyes are red, his head is green, and hisfeet are yellow. The feathers on his back are a combination of tan, blue, and purple.

This bird is called

a Rainbow Bird

becauseso

Organizational Patterns

• Cause and Effect – Multi-Flow Map

Are all bears the same color?

Are all bears the same size?

Are all bears good at the same things?

Are all bears the same color?

How can I answer in a completesentence?

Bears are _______________ .

Bears can be ____________ .

Bears are not ____________ .

Bears do not _____________ .

Are all bears the same size?


Bears are _______________ .

Bears are not ____________ .

Some bears are ___________ .

The ____ bear is taller than the___ and the ______.

Are all bears good at the same things?


Some bears are better _____ than other bears .

Not all bears _______________ .

Bears are _______________ .

Bears are different colors.

• Some bears are black.

• Polar bears are white.

• Some bears are brown.

Bears are different sizes.

• Polar bears are bigger than black bears.

• Brown bears are bigger than polar bears.

• Black bears are the smallest bears.

• Brown bears are the biggest bears.

Different bears are good at doing different things.

• Brown bears are good fishermen.

• Polar bears are good swimmers.

• Black bears are good climbers.

Bears come in various colors and sizes. They are also experts at doing different things.

Not all bears are the same. They can be different sizesand colors. In addition, all bears are not experts at doingthe same things.

Just like people, bears come in different colors and sizes. Each type of bear has specific abilities and skills.

Just like people, bears come in different colors and sizes. They also have different abilities and skills.

Bears

BlackBears

PolarBears

BrownBears

Size

What theydo well

Size

What theydo well

Size

What theydo well



• Categories of Information – Tree Map (could be in the form of question/answer)

sharks people

What is the overall big idea of the text?

Write a sentence stating the big idea.

What are the important details in the text?

Write three detail sentences comparingsharks and children. You may use yourDouble Bubble Map.

sharks people

but

but

and




• Compare and Contrast – Double Bubble Map

Horses

SizesCategory?

Horses

Sizes UsesCategory?

Horses

Sizes Uses Feet & LegsCategory?

Horses

UsesDifferencesCategory? Category?

What is the overall big idea of the text?Write one sentence stating the big idea.

What are the important details in the text?Write three detail sentences about horses. You may use your Tree Map.

What are the main ideas in the text?Write two sentences stating main ideas in the text.

“Seeing” Embedded Sequence withthe Flow Map

The swan reachesdown in the

water.

He grasps anunderwater

plant.

He pulls the plant up from the bottom of the

pond.

First Next Then

ActivityRead the informational piece on the screen.

Determine the process that can be gleaned fromthe text.

Create a Flow Map that shows the steps of theprocess.

Rewrite the information from

the original text asa process. Be sure

to usetransitional words

of order.

Your Turn





• Sequence of events or procedures – Flow Map

HermitCrabs

vulnerable unusual

AHermitCrab

IsVulnerable

This is the typeof thinking that

will be necessaryto understand

these concepts

Will Ibe ableto “see”

thestructure?

I coulduse a littlehelp with

thevocabulary

hermit oddas

Relating Factor: is someone who

lives alone is different

Vocabulary

A HermitCrab

Is Odd

Summarize

TheseTypes

Of CrabsAre

CalledHermitCrabs

Inference

Thehermitcrab isnot likeother

animals(odd)

Demonstrate how the partial Multi-Flow can be used toput together the information from the text.

Clarify and Summarize howa hermit crab stays safe.

The hermit crabfinds an empty

shell

The hermit crabcleans out theshell with a claw

The hermit crabbacks into theshell

Clarify and Summarize howa hermit crab stays safe,

continued.

The hermit crabfinds an empty

shell

The hermit crabcleans out theshell with a claw

The hermit crabbacks into theshell

The hermit crabturns its body to

get a good fit

empty

Discuss meaning of the word and ask students todraw pictures of something “empty” to place on the Circle Map.

Seeing Cause and EffectRelationships

TheHermitCrab

Grows

Discussion Questions

Why is a hermitcrab unusual?

What other creature lives inother people’s

homes?

HermitCrabs

AreUnusual

Record Ideas From the Discussion

Hermit Crabs

are have live


• Cause and Effect – Multi-Flow Map• Categories of Information – Tree Map

(could be in the form of question/answer)



• Explaining Why – Multi-Flow Map

Summary Headlines

(Nutshell Statements)Clumsy Egg Crumbles After Tragic

Fall from Wall

Young Girl Walking Through the Woods is

Tricked by a Vicious Wolf

What’s the Source?

Abusive Husband Locks Wife in the Shell

of a Pumpkin

A long, long time ago there were no tame dogs. All the animals of the world were wild.

One of those wild animals was the wild dog. Wild dogs roamed through the field and forests. From these wild dogs come all the different dogs that are pets today.

How did this happen? It might have begun like this. One day some people were walking in the forest. They found a wild dog that had died. Then they heard a soft mewing sound coming from some thick brush in the forest. Looking around, they saw a wild dog pup curled up in a nest. They picked it up and carried it home.

About Dogs (part 1)

The pup grew into a full-grown wild dog. The wild dog was now partly tame since it had lived and played with people all its life. Soon people began to raise and train other wild dog pups. Little by little, after many, many years, some of these animals began to look less like wild dogs. These tamer animals were the first dogs.

People found that dogs could help them in many ways. Some dogs barked a lot. The loud barking kept robbers and wild animals away. Other dogs could run very fast and help people chase down game. Some dogs helped farmers herd sheep and goats. Dogs helped herd cattle, too. People began to realize that dogs could be useful in different ways. Dogs were also fun to have around.

About Dogs (part 2)

Overall Big Idea

First Main Idea included in the selection

Second Main Idea included in the selection

One supporting detail that supports this main idea

One supporting detail that supports this main idea

A long, long time ago there were no tame dogs. All the animals of the world were wild.

One of those wild animals was the wild dog. Wild dogs roamed through the field and forests. From these wild dogs come all the different dogs that are pets today.

How did this happen? It might have begun like this. One day some people were walking in the forest. They found a wild dog that had died. Then they heard a soft mewing sound coming from some thick brush in the forest. Looking around, they saw a wild dog pup curled up in a nest. They picked it up and carried it home.

About Dogs (part 1)

These two paragraphs tell about whatdogs were like before they became

pets.

These two paragraphs tell what mighthave happened when dogs first

became tame.

The pup grew into a full-grown wild dog. The wild dog was now partly tame since it had lived and played with people all its life. Soon people began to raise and train other wild dog pups. Little by little, after many, many years, some of these animals began to look less like wild dogs. These tamer animals were the first dogs.

People found that dogs could help them in many ways. Some dogs barked a lot. The loud barking kept robbers and wild animals away. Other dogs could run very fast and help people chase down game. Some dogs helped farmers herd sheep and goats. Dogs helped herd cattle, too. People began to realize that dogs could be useful in different ways. Dogs were also fun to have around.

About Dogs (part 2)

This paragraphs tells how dogs areuseful or helpful to people.

Overall Big Idea

What dogs werelike before they

were pets

How dogs mighthave become

tame

What dogs arehelpful to

people

Overall Big Idea

Main IdeaSentence from first

two paragraphs

Main IdeaSentence from next

two paragraphs

Main IdeaSentence from last

paragraph

One important detailabout this main idea



Steps to Writing a Summary

* Identify the main purpose of the information to be summarized

* Determine how the information in the article is organized

* Underline the main idea and the most important detail/ details in each paragraph * Think about synonyms that could be used for some of the words in the article

* Think about how to rearrange the way the sentences are written* Write your summary using the author’s organizational plan and your own words

Now…It is Your Turn

Select one of the informational passages in your handouts andidentify the overall Big Idea or the author’s purpose in writing

the piece.

Analyze the organization pattern of theselection and write in the margins the

Main Idea for each paragraph or paragraph grouping.


Create a skeleton organizationalpattern (Thinking Map) like that of the author. Write your main ideas on the Thinking Map. Use phrases rather than complete

sentences.

Select the important supporting detailsfor each of your main ideas and put

them on your Thinking Map. Use phrasesrather than complete sentences.


Create a Flow Map for how you will

write your summary, including the

information that you have identified

as important.Write one paragraph that you couldinclude in your summary. Be sure touse different sentence patterns and

different words from those that appearin the original text.

Types of 2nd – 5th GradeWriting

Narrative To Inform To Explain Why

Personaland

Fictional

Subject/Topicoriented

Report ofInformation

Writing abouta procedure

Response to a prompt

or question

States aposition

Gives reasonsand supportfor positionor choice

Remember:

Summary Writing is HARD WORK!Once students have learned to identify various text structures,they need an opportunity to practice the structure in their own writing.

Transition Words/Phrases

To Reaso

n

To Explain

To Show Examples

Summary Writing

inCalifornia

summary writing in california. analytic summary * comprehensive and brief * concise statement *...

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effective summary writing

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