Summarizing seems like an easy enough subject to teach to elementary students, but it can be a little tricky! Reading a text and explaining the main points of the story seems straightforward forward but it’s getting all of those important parts that’s the hard part.
As an elementary teacher, I’m sure you know the struggle! We have to teach them the difference between retelling a story which includes all of the details, and summarizing, which only includes the highlights of the story, and is told in their own words.
How do you teach elementary summarizing?
There are many ways you can approach this topic, and the most important part is going to be that you practice, practice, practice! Make summarizing fun and engaging and your students will get it in no time. Start with the 5 steps of summarizing.
What are the 5 steps of summarizing?
- Read the story or text
- Separate it into sections
- Find the most important parts of the story
- Write them down in your own words
- Check your work
Pull out a funny story or something seasonal to make it an extra fun activity to complete for your students!
If you are looking for the perfect resource to get your students summarizing this Thanksgiving, make sure to check out my summarizing resource!
I created my A Plump and Perky Turkey Lesson Plan and Summarizing Activities to make it easy as pie!
These printables go along with the book A Plump and Perky Turkey by Teresa Bateman and they are perfect for Thanksgiving or fall. It includes a week-long lesson plan for teaching students about summarization, vocabulary, self-to-text connections, and graphic organizers. It is full of extras too!
Here’s what’s included:
- Suggested week plan focused on summarizing
- Home Connection Project (invite families to participate in the fun of creating an art turkey project)
- Text to Self Connection
- Story Elements
- Summary Mini Book (students fill in the writing)
- Summary Mini Book (students add pictures) You choose
- Venn Diagram Compare a Turkey and Shredded Wheat
- Graphic Organizer
- Sandwich Organizer
- Intermediate Lined Writing Paper to Summarize the Story
- Primary Lined Writing Paper to Summarize the Story
- Intermediate Lined Writing Paper (How I Would Trick a Turkey)
- Primary Lined Writing Paper (How I Would Trick a Turkey)
- Rubric
- Writing Award
- Comprehension Check (write in the blanks)
- Comprehension Check Circle the Answer
- Answer Key
- Acrostic Poem
- Acrostic Poem Sample
- Model Wanted Poster
- Posters (Vocabulary from the story)
- Turkey Headband
Your students will love these activities for teaching summarizing. If you want even more Thanksgiving resources, check out this Turkey in Disguise family project resource! Learn more about it in my post here.
What are your favorite tips for teaching summarizing? Let me know in the comments!
