Magnet
Summaries
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When you are faced with a big passage, it’s
difficult to figure out what the “big idea”
is
Wouldn’t it be nice if you could just wave a
magnet over your book and the big idea
would just jump off the page?
What is it?
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It will make it easier for you to…
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Sum up what is important
Make a generalization
Create an interpretation
Draw a conclusion
Hypothesize an explanation
No matter what class you are in!
How can magnet summaries
help you?
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A good reader must be able to identify the
most important details and leave out the
details of lesser importance
A good reader must also be able to
paraphrase---interpret what was read and
retell it in their own words
Why does a good reader
summarize?
Page 782, “Rocking the WoRld
thRough Music”
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Reading Passages on the FCAT can range
from 300 to 1400 words long.
◦ This passage is 1330 words
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Silently read the passage
◦ Do not worry about answering the questions
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When you are finished…look up at the
ceiling! (I’m not joking!)
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are key terms or concepts to
which details in the passage seem to
connect (they are attracted to them
like a magnet!)
 Sometimes it’s easy
◦ Magnet words frequently appear in the
title, headings, may be highlighted or in
bold (caution: not all bold words are
magnet words)
How to select Magnet Words
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On the front and back side copy this same
graphic organizer
◦ Try to make the squares take up almost the whole
page
Magnet Words
Summary
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Magnet Summaries
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Take 5 minutes to find the magnet words
for the passage
You should be able to find 6
What are our magnet words?
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The Fight for Liberty
Women’s Rights
Unions and Worker’s Rights
Poverty
Civil Rights
Charity Rock
◦ Copy each of the magnet words onto a square
on the LEFT SIDE of the organizer
Our Magnet Words
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What do magnet words attract?
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Step One
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What do magnet words attract?
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Read the first introduction
Read the section title, “The Fight for
Liberty”
◦ Important information
◦ Details
◦ As you read, record details that are
attracted to the magnet word
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When you are done…look up at the ceiling
Step One
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First Patriotic
Song
Sung at social and
political gatherings
The Fight for Liberty
British Colonists
1768
Written in response
to controversial
British actions
In the box to the right (follow the
arrow), draft a summary of what you
just read, using the magnet words and
as many of the terms/ideas that you
put in the box as you can
 Make sure to underline the magnet
word in your summary
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◦ Limit your summary to one (better) or two
(okay) sentences.
Creating your Summary
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The Liberty Song was written in
1768 by two British colonists in
response to controversial actions
in Britain. It has become
America’s first patriotic song and
is sung at social and political
gatherings.
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Take 5 minutes to read the next section,
“Women’s Rights”
Record words/terms/phrases that are
attracted to your magnet word
Next Step
Everyone stand up next to your desk.
 Raise your right hand.
 When I say go…
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◦ Begin walking around the room
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Hands Up, Pair Up
Stop!
 High-Five the person closest to you
 You are now partners for the next 5
minutes
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◦ If you don’t have a partner, keep walking
around with your hand up
◦ No groups of three and no singles allowed
Hands Up, Pair Up
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The person with the longest hair goes
first
◦ Share your magnet details
Together; create and record your magnet
summary
 When you are finished, remain standing
and put your right hand in the air
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WoMen’s Rights
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Right hand in the air and start walking…
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What are Magnet Summaries {in your
own words}?
STOP!
 High five the person who is closest to you
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◦ You will be partners for the next five minutes
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Take 30 seconds to think about how you
would explain to your partner how to
complete the magnet summaries for the
next section
What are Magnet Summaries {in
your own words}?
Take 10 seconds to decide who wakes up
earliest in the morning in order to get to
school
 The person who wakes up the earliest goes
first – EXPLAIN in your own words Magnet
Summaries?
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◦ START!
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Partner Two: Take 30 seconds to fill in
whatever your partner got, or repeat their
instructions if they were complete
What are Magnet Summaries {in your
own words}?
Have a seat!
 For the rest of the class
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◦ Read the remaining 4 sections
◦ Write down words/phrases/terms that are
attracted to the magnet word
◦ Compete the magnet summaries
for each magnet term
Last Step