WRITING LESSON: Writing a Summary
LEARNING
OBJECTIVE
Students will be able to
determine the central
ideas of a text, including
how they emerge and are
shaped and refined by
specific details; they will
be provide an objective
summary of the text.
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CONTENTS
STEP-BY-STEP LESSON PLAN (Possibly 2 lessons)
This step-by-step plan will guide you through the lesson(s) there is plenty of work here for two possible lessons.
TAKING NOTES
The first exercise in this lesson has students watching a TED talk.
This handout will help them structure their notes while watching.
PLANNING A SUMMARY
This page can be used whenever students have to write a
summary - it helps organize their thoughts and contains a useful
checklist for post-writing.
HOW TO WRITE A SUMMARY
This informational handout details the process students should
follow when attempting to write a summary, along with useful
tips and tricks.
(C) STACEY LLOYD 2019
STACEY LLOYD
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RIGOROUS
Are you looking to
plan an engaging,
diverse short story unit?
This bundle contains
resources and materials
to help you make it a
rigorous, thorough unit
of study!
These colorful posters
will brighten up your
classroom and help
remind your students of
these different figurative
techniques. These
posters were designed
with teenagers in mind.
These 22 worksheets
are designed to help
students improve their
understanding of the
importance of word
choice, to help improve
their writing and skills of
close analysis.
Do you have students
who struggle to
participate in group
discussions? Others
who over-share
opinions but rarely ask
questions to others?
These cards can help!
STACEY LLOYD
ENGAGING TEACHING RESOURCES
(C) STACEY LLOYD 2019
Lesson Plan
Summary writing is a vital skill, which any English Language Arts student should acquire;
it will help them learn to analyze what they read, write concisely and paraphrase.
• Video
Equipment
• Internet
• Worksheets
CLASSROOM
LAYOUT
Print & copy the following worksheets (one per student):
»»Note Taking While Watching a TED talk
»»Planning a Summary
»»How to write a Summary
EQUIPMENT
REQUIRED
PRE-LESSON
PLANNING
LEARNING TO WRITE A SUMMARY
Step-By-Step Plan
INSTRUCT students to get into small groups of 4.
HAND OUT the Note Taking While Watching a TED talk worksheet, and
explain to students that they are going to have to write a summary of the
arguments made by the speaker, so they must make detailed notes while
watching.
PLAY a TED talk to the class. Here are some suggestions, although you
could select ANY TALK that is relevant to your students:
Body Language Shapes Who You Are:
https://www.ted.com/talks/amy_cuddy_your_body_language_shapes_who_you_are?language=en
The Hidden Power of Smiling:
https://www.ted.com/talks/ron_gutman_the_hidden_power_of_smiling
How To Start A Movement:
https://www.ted.com/talks/derek_sivers_how_to_start_a_movement?language=en
Desks
arranged
in small
groups of 4
Although students
will normally have
to summarize from
a piece of written
text, starting with
a video will help
them learn the
skills without the
temptation of
being able to ‘lift’
large chunks of text
word-for-word.
(Make sure students are taking notes throughout.)
INSTRUCT students to now discuss the talk in their small groups. They should compare notes,
filling in what they missed and others noted.
HAND OUT the Planning A Summary page to students, and instruct them (as a group, in pairs
or individually) to complete this page. They need to decide on the main points of the talk, with
any key details which should be included in a summary. Remind them that they can’t include
everything, but they should have an overview of the whole talk.
INSTRUCT students to now write their summaries, putting their points into a cohesive, fluent
paragraph (or three) of writing. It should be no longer than a page - ideally only 3/4 of a page.
HAND OUT the How to Write A Summary page to students (for their files/books) and read through
it and discuss as a class. You want to make sure that students understand this page.
If there is still time, or for homework (this also would make a great second lesson)...
INSTRUCT students to find a newspaper/magazine article which interests them. They should then write
a summary of the article, following all of the notes given on the Summary Handout.
Spend a whole second lesson working on these in class, so that students shift their understanding
from the video format to summarizing written text - and so you can walk around and assist
struggling students.
© STACEY LLOYD 2019
TAKING NOTES
while watching a TED talk
Speaker's Name:
Points made (bullet points):
Topic/Title:
Key facts, figures, evidence
or statistics
© STACEY LLOYD 2019
KEY WORDS
Direct Quotations (key lines)
PLANNING PAGE
WRITING A SUMMARY
title of Piece being
summarized:
Genre/format:
Author:
Author's Purpose:
Topic:
Sections / sub-headings / key words / topics of each paragraph
Key points (in your own words / use bullet points)
Post writing
Checklist
Thesis statement (One sentence summary of the overarching topic/essence of the piece being summarized)
I have done the following:
Checked and edited my spelling and grammar.
Written in my own words.
Written in complete, fluent sentences.
Enclosed any direct quotes in quotation marks.
Made sure my summary is as concise as possible.
Included all of the key points I identified.
Used the present tense.
Used transitional words (e.g. “however”).
© STACEY LLOYD 2019
How To Write A Summary
A summary is a brief statement or account of the main points of another author, or a piece of work.
Learning to write a successful summary can be an invaluable skill for studying purposes, as the process of
writing a summary will help you consolidate your own understanding of the things you read and learn.
Where do I start?!
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Read the whole piece through once:
from start to finish, without pausing.
This will give you a good
overview of the piece - the
main topic, key points, angle of
the author etc.
Re-read the piece, this time with
a pen or highlighter in your hand.
Underline or highlight all of the
most important points or phrases.
Try to look for sub-headings, or
sentences which introduce new
concepts - ignore the smaller
details.
Write out the underlined/
highlighted parts, in your own
words (this is called paraphrasing).
Try to use all your own words
in a summary. However, if you
do quote directly, make sure to
enclose those words or phrases
in quotation marks.
Write out a thesis statement - one
sentence which summarizes the
essence of the piece: the main,
overarching topic.
This sentence should tell the
reader what the whole piece is
about. Spend some time writing
this, as it is essential.
Compile your thesis statement,
and the list of main points into one
fluent paragraph.
Think about writing fluent
sentences and linking them
together with discourse markers
(words such as ‘however’,
‘similarly’, ‘contrasting’, etc.)
Go back to the original piece with
your underlined/highlighted parts
and make sure that you covered
them all in your draft paragraph.
Edit your summary (grammar and
spelling, as well as fluency and
content) and then rewrite your final
version.
Make sure that you left nothing
out! Also, ask yourself if any
of the details you included are
unnecessary - now is the time to
edit them out.
Do not skip this step! The editing
process is vital! Perhaps even
ask a friend to peer edit, and ask
them if it reads fluently.
Keep it neutral!
Don't give
your personal
opinion!
A summary
should be concise!
at most, a quartere
of the length of th
original.
Use all your
own words
- do not
plagiarize!
Write in the
present tense
("the author says...")
Show that
it's not your
own thoughts by
referencing: "the
article shows..." /
"the author states..."
Clearly r
identify the auuthaore
and work yoing in
summariz ing
your open
sentence.
© STACEY LLOYD 2019
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TIPS & Tricks