Summary Writing in California

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 2005 Kiting; Bonsai Trees 2002 Frog and Toad ;Beavers

Informational Reading Frog and Toad Beavers Kiting Bonsai Trees ? Informational Reading dryboring difficult Students

Many students who experience no difficulty reading stories have significant problems reading informational writing. Many students have not acquired the strategies necessary to support the comprehension of written information.

states the main ideas of the article identifies the most important details that support the main ideas uses his own words. uses correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, and capitalization. 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 students need 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.

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.”

This bird is called a Rainbow Bird (because) Because he has red eyes, a green head, yellow feet, and tan, blue, and purple feathers, this bird is called a Rainbow Bird. The Rainbow Bird got his name because different parts of his body are different colors. This bird has a body with different colors so 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 because different parts of his body are different colors. His eyes are red, his head is green, and his feet are yellow. The feathers on his back are a combination of tan, blue, and purple.

This bird is called a Rainbow Bird because so

Organizational Patterns Cause and Effect – Multi-Flow Map

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.”

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 complete sentence? Bears are _______________. Bears can be ____________. Bears are not ____________. Bears do not _____________.

Are all bears the same size? How can I answer in a complete sentence? Bears are _______________. Bears are not ____________. Some bears are ___________. The ____ bear is taller than the___ and the ______.

Are all bears good at the same things? How can I answer in a complete sentence? 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 sizes and colors. In addition, all bears are not experts at doing the 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 Black Bears Polar Bears Brown Bears Size What they do well Size What they do well Size What they do well

Organizational Patterns Cause and Effect – Multi-Flow Map Categories of Information – Tree Map (could be in the form of question/answer)

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.”

sharkspeople

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 comparing sharks and children. You may use your Double Bubble Map.

sharkspeople but and

Organizational Patterns Cause and Effect – Multi-Flow Map Categories of Information – Tree Map (could be in the form of question/answer) Compare and Contrast – Double Bubble Map

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.”

Horses Sizes Category?

Horses Sizes Uses Category?

Some

Horses SizesUses Feet & Legs Category?

Horses Uses Differences 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.

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.”

“Seeing” Embedded Sequence with the Flow Map The swan reaches down in the water. He grasps an underwater plant. He pulls the plant up from the bottom of the pond. First Next Then

Activity Read the informational piece on the screen. Determine the process that can be gleaned from the text. Create a Flow Map that shows the steps of the process. Rewrite the information from the original text as a process. Be sure to use transitional words of order.

Your Turn

Organizational Patterns Cause and Effect – Multi-Flow Map Categories of Information – Tree Map (could be in the form of question/answer) Compare and Contrast – Double Bubble Map Sequence of events or procedures – Flow Map

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.”

Hermit Crabs vulnerable unusual A Hermit Crab Is Vulnerable This is the type of thinking that will be necessary to understand these concepts

Will I be able to “see” the structure?

I could use a little help with the vocabulary

hermitodd as Relating Factor: is someone who lives aloneis different Vocabulary

A Hermit Crab Is Odd Summarize These Types Of Crabs Are Called Hermit Crabs Inference

The hermit crab is not like other animals (odd) Demonstrate how the partial Multi-Flow can be used to put together the information from the text.

Clarify and Summarize how a hermit crab stays safe. The hermit crab finds an empty shell The hermit crab cleans out the shell with a claw The hermit crab backs into the shell

Clarify and Summarize how a hermit crab stays safe, continued. The hermit crab finds an empty shell The hermit crab cleans out the shell with a claw The hermit crab backs into the shell The hermit crab turns its body to get a good fit

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

Seeing Cause and Effect Relationships The Hermit Crab Grows

Discussion Questions Why is a hermit crab unusual? What other creature lives in other people’s homes?

Hermit Crabs Are Unusual Record Ideas From the Discussion

Hermit Crabs arehavelive

Organizational Patterns Cause and Effect – Multi-Flow Map Categories of Information – Tree Map (could be in the form of question/answer) Compare and Contrast – Double Bubble Map Sequence of events or procedures – Flow Map Explaining Why – Multi-Flow Map

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.”

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.”

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)

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.”

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.”

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

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.”

Organizational Patterns Cause and Effect – Multi-Flow Map Categories of Information – Tree Map (could be in the form of question/answer) Compare and Contrast – Double Bubble Map Sequence of events or procedures – Flow Map Explaining Why – Multi-Flow Map

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 what dogs were like before they became pets. These two paragraphs tell what might have 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 are useful or helpful to people.

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.”

Overall Big Idea What dogs were like before they were pets How dogs might have become tame What dogs are helpful to people

Overall Big Idea Main Idea Sentence from first two paragraphs Main Idea Sentence from next two paragraphs Main Idea Sentence from last paragraph One important detail about this main idea One important detail about this main idea One important detail about this main idea

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.”

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 and identify the overall Big Idea or the author’s purpose in writing the piece. Analyze the organization pattern of the selection and write in the margins the Main Idea for each paragraph or paragraph grouping.

Now…It is Your Turn Create a skeleton organizational pattern (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 details for each of your main ideas and put them on your Thinking Map. Use phrases rather than complete sentences.

Now…It is Your Turn 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 could include in your summary. Be sure to use different sentence patterns and different words from those that appear in the original text.

Types of 2nd – 5th GradeWriting Narrative To Inform To Explain Why Personal and Fictional Subject/Topic oriented Report of Information Writing about a procedure Response to a prompt or question States a position Gives reasons and support for position or 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.

Organizational Patterns Cause and Effect – Multi-Flow Map Categories of Information – Tree Map (could be in the form of question/answer) Compare and Contrast – Double Bubble Map Sequence of events or procedures – Flow Map Explaining Why – Multi-Flow Map

Transition Words/Phrases To Reason To ExplainTo Show Examples

Summary Writing in California