then
Connect to the Text
What do we already
know?
1.What do you know about
summarizing? What words come
to mind?
2. How do you summarize?
 to present the substance
or general idea in brief form;
 to create a clear, concise, and
complete condensed
account of the original;
 to cover the main points
Why is
summarizing
important?
“Practice in summarizing
improves students’ reading
comprehension of fiction and
nonfiction alike, helping to
construct an overall
understanding of a text, story,
chapter, or article.”
(Rinehart, Stahl & Erickson, 1986)
Be a News Reporter
Ways to introduce a summary:
 The
most important ideas in this
text are…
 This book was about…
 First… Next… Then… Finally…
 This story takes place…
 The main characters are…
 The problem occurs when…
Steps to identify the topic ~
Identify All Details/Major Events
Authors often plant important ideas in:
 Details that reflect the title
 Details at the beginning of text
 Details at the end
 Surprises or revelations
 Repetitions
 Lots of attention given to a detail
 Subheads and italicized text
 Changes in character, tone, mood, setting, plot
 A question near the beginning or end
How to evaluate your summary
Key word (s)
Summarizing
Key word (s)
Summarizing
First text
chunk
Fourth text
chunk
Title
of Text
to be
Summarized
Key word (s)
Summarizing
Key word (s)
Summarizing
Third text
chunk
Second text
chunk
Somebody/Wanted/But/So Then
Reading Skills Important
to Summarization
• Conflict/Resolution
• Character Differences, Goals,
and Motivations
• Main Ideas and Details
• Making Generalizations
Excerpt from The Necklace
Mrs. Loisel wanted to be rich and wanted to
go to the dance. BUT she didn’t have the
right clothes and jewelry. SO she shamed
her husband into buying her a dress and
she borrowed a necklace. THEN Mrs. Loisel
wanted to give back the necklace after she
wore it. BUT she had lost it. SO she and
her husband had to find a new one and
THEN borrow money to buy it so she could
return the replacement to her friend.
Sum It Up!
“She put on two woolen suits,
one on top of the other. Then
she put on two leather suits
and covered her bulky outfit
with a skirt.”
Excerpt from Ruth Law Thrills a Nation (Brown, 1993)
3 – 2 – 1 Strategy
3
Things You Found Out
2
Interesting Facts
1
Question You Still Have
Connect to the Text
SYNTHESIZE – Beyond Summary
together
The putting
of parts or
elements
so as to
form a whole
Synthesis is…
“The process of ordering, recalling,
retelling, and recreating into a
coherent whole the information
with which our minds are
bombarded every day. It is the
uniquely human trait that permits
us to sift through a myriad of
details and focus on those pieces
we need to know and remember.”
(Keene/Zimmerman)
“Synthesizing is
like inferring, only
super-sized!”
“When you
“When I
synthesize you say
synthesize, my
in your head, I used
mind is changing, my
to think this, but
ideas are changing, my
now I’m
thinking is
thinking this.”
changing.”
Bringing
It home…
“As families share the events of the
day, they are synthesizing, sorting
out the unimportant, and creating
individual interpretations of the
day.”
Keene, Zimmerman
Synthesizing
How is synthesizing
important for you
understanding?
Bloom’s Taxonomy
Cues for Synthesis









Combine
Integrate
Modify
Rearrange
Substitute
Plan
Create
Design
Invent








Compose
Construct
Develop
Organize
Perform
Produce
Propose
Rewrite
Two-Word Strategy



Read a thought-provoking article.
Write only two different words that
reflect your thinking about the
passage.
After selections, tell others the
words, why you chose them, and
how they relate to your life.
Strip Poem




Each person writes
one item that he/she
knows about the subject studied.
The strips of paper are read aloud in a small
group.
The group organizes itself in some coherent
form.
The group reads the “poem” to the class.
Save the Last Word for Me
Directions:
1. Select a quote from the article you’ve
read. Write your thought/
idea/question about the quote.
2. In a small group, give your quote
and allow all others to respond.
3. At the end, share your comments.
Character Hot Seat



Student sits in a chair in front of the
room and assume a character from
their book.
Ask student various questions about
his/her character’s life.
Move to a higher level and ask
his/her opinion on different subjects
clearly important to that character.