Reading Lessons
Leap Into Summarization
Advancements Index: http://wp.auburn.edu/rdggenie/home/classroom/advancements/ (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.
Rationale: When we read we want to be able to comprehend. Being able to understand the text is the ultimate goal of reading. The best way to determine if a student comprehends a passage is to have them summarize the passage. In this lesson students will learn to point out the most important pieces of information from a text.
Materials:
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Red-Eyed Tree Frog article for each student
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Pencil & Paper
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Dry Erase Board
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Dry Erase Markers
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Summarization Checklist
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Comprehension Quiz
Procedure:
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“Has there every been a time that you have had something exciting happen or read a good story and you wanted to tell some one about it? But you did not tell them every detail of that story, right? You told them the important parts so that they would see the big picture. That is a strategy called summarizing. When we summarize we take a story or passage that we know and condense it into only the things we need to know.”
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“Now we are going to practice a summarizing strategy known as about-point. How we do this is by asking ourselves two questions after we read a passage. Our first question can be answered quickly and easily, ‘What is this story about?’ The other is a little more difficult, ‘What point is the author trying to make?” Write these on the white board. “We will use our answers to compose a topic sentence. The word we use to describe the important part that the author is trying to talk about is the umbrella term.”
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“Can anyone tell me something interesting about a red eyed tree frog?” Wait for responses. “Frogs begin their lives as tadpoles in the water and then grow into frogs that live in trees.” “Today we are going to read an article about red eyed tree frogs to help us work on our summarization skills.”
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“Let’s take a look at our article together and I will show you how to summarize. ‘Being green helps the red-eyed tree frog blend in with tree leaves. If the green camouflage fails and a predator spots a sleeping frog, it swoops in for what it thinks will be a tasty meal. But the awakened frog's eyes pop open, revealing their startling bright red color!’ This paragraph talks about red-eyed tree frogs and their color. Why does the author say their color is important?” Wait for responses. “That’s right! For camouflage! Now we can combine these points to make a topic sentence for the paragraph, ‘Red-Eyed Tree Frogs have green skin to camouflage and protect them.”
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“Okay now its your turn to try to summarize this ‘Also, when the frog rushes to get away, it untucks its brightly colored legs. The predator is often so surprised by these sudden flashes of color that it is momentarily confused and hesitates. And while it does, the frog has a split second to make its escape!’ What was this paragraph about?” Wait for responses. “That correct, Red-Eyed Tree Frogs again! What point do you think the author was trying to make?” Wait for responses. “Good answer! The frog does use its bright colors to startle its predator. So now we put the two ideas together to make a topic sentence, Red-Eyed Tree Frogs use the bright color on their legs to frighten their predators long enough to get away.”
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“Now I want you all to use the about-point method to summarize each paragraph. Make sure to summarize using your own words, not copying the article. Come turn in your sentences to me when you have completed them and grab a quiz.”
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I will read each students page of topic sentences, using the checklist, to see if they can correctly summarize.
Quiz:
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Where does the momma frog lay her eggs?
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When do tadpoles leave the water?
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What colors does the Red-Eyed Tree Frog have on its body?
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What is a defense mechanism?
Checklist:
Name: _____
Identified what the paragraph was about.
Identified the point that the author was trying to make.
Combined the two about points.
Wrote a topic sentence for each paragraph.
Sources:
Article- https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/red-eyed-tree-frog/ - red-eyed-tree-frog-on-leaves.jpg
“Wale, Let’s Summarize” By Caroline Shea https://chs0025.wixsite.com/lessondesigns/reading-to-learn
