Unit III: Summarizing Narrative Stories
Once students can summarize a short story or article, they are ready to move on
to summarizing narrative stories and adding even more stylistic techniques.
The goals for this unit are for students to
learn to identify the story sequence in a narrative story;
learn to make outlines based on the story sequence chart;
summarize stories from their outlines and consequently internalize the
components of a well constructed story; and
become aware of the idea that each paragraph has a purpose.
1. Choose the appropriate Level and participate in the video lesson listed below.
Note: In Levels A and B this lesson will take more than one writing session to
complete.
Required Print
Resource
Level A
The Boy Who
Cried Wolf
Level B
The Lion and
the Shepherd
Level C
The Miller, His
Son, and Their
Donkey
Required Video Resource
Group A Disc 2: from Dress-Up: Because to
Reading Student Samples at the very end of the
disc
Group B Disc 2: from Dress-Up Review to Reading
Student Samples & Title Review at the very end of
the disc
Group C Disc 1: from Story Sequence Chart to
Reading Student Samples at the very end of the
disc
2. Using the Summary of the Steps to Summarizing Narrative Stories below,
practice writing summaries of narrative stories. You will probably do 1 summary
a day or over 2 days for 10 or more days before moving on to Unit IV:
Summarizing a Reference. Your teacher will let you know when you are ready to
move to Unit IV.
Students may either choose their own source text, from their own reading of
stories, or they can use the ones provided below. Students should remember to
choose something that is easy to read, so their reading comprehension does not
interfere with their writing practice. If they choose their own source text they
will need to send it along with their Story Summary for assessment.
Beginning Reader
Felipe
No Monsters
Under My Bed
Marvin the
Curious Mouse
The Little Frog
and The Big
Buffalo
Level A
Aday and the
Orphan
Aday's Strange
Behaviour
Aday Shows His
Teeth
Aday Cools Down
At Red Rock
Bitsy's Promise
Hamilton the
Hamster
Grandmother's
Table
Puffer Bunny
Level B
Level C
More Aday Stories:
More Aday Stories:
Julie Becomes a Toddler
Challenged
The Mackenzie Street
Boy
On Guard
Mackenzie Gets Bolder
Mackenzie's Quest
Broo in Nahloo
Jack's Jealousy
Jeffery the Goose
Buck Makes a Move
Grandmother's Table
Elopement
The Fox and the Crow
Mourning
The Frog Prince
The Horse and the Fox
The Little Fish Who
Swam to the Big Ocean
The Fox and the
Crow
The Tiger and the Lion
The Horse and
the Fox
Bob Feigns Disinterest
Julie's Independence
The Bat and the
Nightingale
The Good King's
Feast
The Mackenzies Are Not
Amused
Journey of Fear
The Queen Bee
The Halifax Explosion
Summary of the Steps to Summarizing Narrative Stories
Step One: Read the story and think about it in terms of the Story Sequence
Chart (shown below)
Step Two: Create a 3 paragraph key word outline, not choosing words from each
sentence, but choosing words that communicate the story sequence.
Step Three: Think about different words to describe the characters, different
synonyms for various nouns and verbs in the story. Variations on the plot,
additional characters or actions are encouraged. This is fiction!
Record your ideas on your Story Outline (shown further below)
Step Four: Write (or preferably type) your own version of the summaries in 3
paragraphs from the outline based on the story sequence chart. The “final
clincher” (last sentence in the story) must repeat words in the title.
Set up the heading of your writing, similar to that of your key word outline
EXCEPT, this time just underline where the title is going to go, but don’t
copy it down. This is because you will eventually create your own title....but
it will be the last step of writing your passage. That way you can be sure to
choose a title that includes words from your final clincher.
Note: You must double space your work, because you will not be allowed to
do any erasing if you write, instead of type, your initial draft of your
passage. Use a pen. It is okay to make mistakes.
o To remove a word, simply draw a single line through the mistake.
o To add a word place a carat (^ or v) where you want the word to go
and write it in the space above it.
o To move a word, draw a circle around the words you want to move and
then draw an error from the circle to the place where you want the
words to go.
Write or type up your final draft for submission to your teacher. (Grade 6+
students are expected to type their work.)
Step Five: Identify where you have used the required dress-up(s)
Underline 1 place where you used each of the required types of dress-ups in
each paragraph. Only underline one of each type per paragraph. If you
have more than one, pick the one you like the best.
Step Six: Ensure there are no banned words in your composition. If you find
them, replace them with stronger words.
Step Seven: Verify that you have completed all of the steps above on the
appropriate Unit III Checklist – everyone starts at Stage 1 and progresses
through to Stage 4, as indicated by your teacher’s comments on your work.
The Story Sequence Chart
I.
II.
III.
Story Sequence
Who is in the story?
When does it happen?
Where does he live or go?
What do they want or need?
What do they think?
What do they say and do?
How was the problem solved?
What was learned?
Final Clincher repeats title
I.
II.
III.
Story Structure
Characters
Setting
Mood
Conflict
Problem
Surprise/Resolution
Moral
Epilogue
Clincher repeats title
Original Story Title __________________________________________________________
________________________________________________
by
_____________________________________
I.
________________________________________________________________
1.
__________________________________________________
2. __________________________________________________
3. __________________________________________________
4. __________________________________________________
II.
_________________________________________________________________
1.
__________________________________________________
2. __________________________________________________
3. __________________________________________________
4. __________________________________________________
III.
_________________________________________________________________
1.
__________________________________________________
2. __________________________________________________
3. __________________________________________________
4. __________________________________________________
Dress-Ups Brainstorming
“lys”
“who/which”
strong verbs
because
quality adjectives
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 3