Simple Summaries

Explicit Instruction/Teacher modeling

• Display the Write a Simple Summary worksheet using a document camera.
• Model how to write a summary using the worksheet and the book you read aloud as a mentor text (i.e., The Paper Bag Princess).

Guided Practice

• Show a short video, like Pixar’s "Lava" (or read a story aloud).
• Display a blank copy of the Write a Simple Summary worksheet and ask the students who the main character was. Allow students to turn to an elbow partner to discuss, then call on a student volunteer to provide the answer. Write the answer in the "somebody" box on the worksheet (i.e., the volcano).
• Repeat with each box on the worksheet (i.e., What did the volcano want? What was the problem?).
• Have students turn to their elbow partner and verbally come up with a summary using the completed worksheet as a guide. Keep the completed worksheet displayed as students discuss.
• Call on three volunteers to provide examples of a summary. Point out that even if the exact wording of the summaries are different, they all expressed the same key information.

Independent working time

• Hand out the Hot Cross Buns: Read to Remember worksheet and instruct students to complete it independently.
• Circulate and offer support as needed.