Elements of Historical
Fiction and Summarization
Strategies
EDC423
Dr. Julie Coiro
Today’s Learning Objectives
• 1. Consider the challenges involved with teaching
and learning how to summarize
2. Apply summarization strategies using a variety
of supportive advanced organizers and
strategy prompts
3. Identify the elements of quality historic
fiction in Running Out of Time
Reflecting on Completing a Summary
Chart While Reading A Novel
Work with your group members to discuss your
reactions to completing the “Summary Chart” for
Hollis Woods.
– Please frame your thinking in the benefits and
challenges to this activity
– Bonus: Consider other ways you might have
organized a summary chart to emphasize big ideas in
the book – be creative!
– Use a section of the board space to post your ideas.
Benefits of Summary Chart
X
Challenges of
Summary Chart
X
Benefits of Summary Chart
Organized; forces students to be concise
Quick reference, quotes easily available,
A mini-timeline, helps with memory;
Forces students to focus & keep up with reading;
Helps measure understanding of content;
Helps students think while read; points out main
ideas;
Ensures comprehension
Challenges with
Summary Chart
Large handwriting; What if student loses it?
Challenging for disorganized students
Confusion over “inner thought”
Don’t want kids to just focus on picking quotes
rather than absorbing content; or get caught up in
too much detail rather than reading
Hard to put down key ideas for some students;
Hard to pick “important quotes” and main points
(needs modeling);
Summarizing: Define/Explain
“Restating the essence of the text in a new manner
using as few words as possible”
– Vs. Retelling: in-depth account of facts and details
– Vs. Synthesizing: interpreting and creating your
own ideas
– Summarizing actually begins before you start
reading! Set a purpose and predict/monitor/verify.
– Quality of summary depends on depth of
understanding
Process and product of summarizing depends on the
type of text and purpose for reading (e.g., fiction/nonfiction)
Summarizing (Define/Explain)
Effective frameworks for…
Summarizing fiction > ???
– Story elements (beg/mid/end >> setting,
characters, problem, key events, solution,
ending)
Summarizing non-fiction > ???
– Key ideas and relationships between (main
idea/detail; compare/contrast; cause/effect)
Summarizing
Requires high level thinking processes
–
–
–
–
Analyze and then…
Delete, substitute, keep, reword
Must be aware of text structure
Must be metacognitive and able to monitor
Problems:
– Not sure what’s important, too much information
(retell everything); not enough of the important
information, and not know how to “use their own
words”
Summarizing (Modeling)
Helpful to start with pictures/photos and real-life
experiences (movies, weekend, game, etc.)
Think-aloud is key, but difficult! One way to model
summarizing with informational text: CHoMP
– Cross out small words, such as prepositions & conjunctures
– Highlight important information in the remaining text;
– o (since this is just a placeholder, students have fun substituting
other vowels)
– Make notes based on the highlighted information by
abbreviating, truncating, making lists, using symbols, and
drawing instead of writing full sentences;
– Put the notes in their own words.
Summarizing
(Practice – let strategy gel)
Once you have modeled how summarizing
works, you might try using concrete cognitive
organizers and provide multiple & different
opportunities for practice
– Story frames (Frame It In 5)
– Somebody/Wanted/But/So
– Wrap It Up In A Quote
– Make It Your Own
– The Big Sketch
Elements of Historical Fiction
Realistic fiction set in the historical past
Share a sense of the time period and a
rousing story that actually could have taken
place
Plot, setting, character, theme,
New Trends:
– Historical picture books (for younger & older
students)
– Historical fiction series (Dear America by
Scholastic)
Types of Historical Fiction
Historically researched with imaginary
characters: invented character lives amid authentic
events, settings, and issues
Historical period piece: historical context focuses
on social customs, values, and practices of the period
Time travel: Contemporary characters transported to
the past and return with deeper understanding of
history
Personal chronicle: author relieves memories and
experiences through documented journal entries
Where does Running Out of Time fit in?
Benefits of Historical Fiction
Presents historical facts through everyday life of
young people
Provides personal interaction with and
understanding of people, places, and events
(attitudes, social conditions)
Enjoyment in a literary genre steeped in historical
accuracy yet focused on strong characters
– The Apprenticeship of Lucas Whitaker (Modern
day health and witchcraft)
– Fever 1793: (Yellow fever)
Homework
Continue work on full lesson plan
Begin Reading Running Out of Time
Book Activity 9 and 10 with Running Out of
Time
– Activity 9: Double Entry Journal
– Activity 10: Interdisciplinary Extension Ideas
– Due November 19
Lesson Plans Due before or on November 23
We’ll have fun at the end of the semester
exploring multicultural and international literature.
Book Activity 7 Feedback
PLOT SUMMARY: In this story, 12-year old Hollis Woods is a foster
child. The problem is she has trouble feelings like she belongs in any
family and is constantly running away from her foster homes. So first,
Hollis is placed with Josie, where she finally feels that she’s in a home
where she is needed and wants to stay a while. But, Josie is showing
signs of Alzheimer’s and the two of them fear that the agency is going to
take Hollis out of her house. Hollis & Josie both run away to the Regan’s
vacant summer home, but they slowly realize this cannot be a permanent
solution. The problem gets solved when Beatrice agrees to care for
Josie and Hollis is allowed to visit once a month. In the end, Hollis
returns to the Regan’s and finally has the family she has always wanted.
The author’s message is about the importance of family and how
everyone has the fundamental need to feel they belong.
Book Activity 7 Feedback
Character Development: Use selected descriptive adjectives (and a
good example) to capture the essence of Hollis’ changing character from
the beginning > to the middle > to the end
Goals for Understanding: Be specific to help guide your discussion
Potentially Complicated Issues: Provide questions AND answers – this
will help guide your wording of the queries to stay focused!
Pre-Reading: Engage your students (rather than just tell them)
Queries: Dig deep; build thinking and foster discussion/elaboration;
move beyond “good”, “happy”, and “mad” to get at the underlying causes
of these emotions, as well as Hollis’ hopes, fears, and “issues”
Post Reading: If your queries were effective, an engaging prompt should
inspire your students to tell YOU what they learned about the big ideas.