Rationale: Summarization is essential to reading comprehension. A helpful method for summarization is the about-point method, which asks two important questions about the text: 1) What is the text about? This question is typically is easy and will identify the topic that that becomes the subject of the topic sentence. 2) What is the main point the writer is trying to make about the topic? This question is harder since authors typically make multiple points. Students must “superordinate” the points or find an umbrella term or phrase in order to cover all of the main points the author is making. The main point will become the predicate of the topic sentence. 

 

Materials:

 

1. Article for each student

2. Pencils for each student

3. Paper for each student 

4. Summarization checklist

5. Quiz 

 

 

Procedures: 

1. Say: When we read, we are trying to figure out what the words on the pages say, but we also should be trying to figure out what they mean and what is most important about them. [explain to children why summarization is important]. Say: When we read, we don’t try and remember every word we read, we would have to spend all day trying to remember all of the words and details. That is why we summarize, because good readers don’t try to remember everything. Good readers use summarization strategies to remember the important points an author is making. Doing this reduces a text from hundreds to thousands of words to a small list of things to remember. 

2. Say: The best way to summarize is using something called about-point. Does anyone know what this might be? (wait for response) About-point is asking yourself an easy question and a hard question in order to make a topic sentence. The easy question is asking yourself “What is this text is about?” The hard question is “What is the main point the author is making about the topic?” To answer this question, we must think of an umbrella term for all the important points a writer is making. 

3. I am about to show you how to do an about-point summary with a story containing information about Moose. What is a Moose? Where does it live? And what are those funny things on top of its head? Do any of you know anything about Moose? (wait for responses and write what students answer on the board in order to revisit and fact check them later)

4. Let’s talk about some vocabulary words we will encounter while reading today: the word is mysterious. Mysterious means difficult or impossible to understand, explain or identify. For example, “the way that summarizing works may be surprising at first but then once you practice it is easy.” What is something you think is surprising? (wait for responses) Yes that’s right!

5. We are going to read and summarize the paragraph below about surprising facts about moose.  

 

• Moose are the largest of all the deer species. Males are immediately recognizable by their huge antlers, which can spread 6 feet from end to end. Moose have long faces and muzzles that dangle over their chins. A flap of skin known as a bell sways beneath each moose's throat.

 

This paragraph is about Moose, but what important points is the author making? (Write on board) The author is talking about the size of Moose and the characteristics of their antlers, as well as the makeup of their face. Using this information, I can make a topic sentence: Moose are large animals whose antlers can grow up to 6 feet long

 

1. Now I want you to use about-point on a paragraph:

 

• Females give birth to one or two calves in the spring—each weighing some 30 pounds. These calves grow quickly and can outrun a person by the time they are just five days old

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What is this paragraph about? Correct, Moose! What is the main point the author is trying to make? Female moose give birth to very powerful and fast calves. Putting these together with what we have learned earlier we can summarize the article with topic sentences, let’s try together (wait for responses and correct what is wrong). 

 

2. Now I want you all to practice! Read the article again, silently to yourselves and practice distinguishing important things from unimportant things. Underline what is unimportant and highlight details that are important. 

 

3.  Now I’d like you to finish reading the article and use about-point to make a topic sentence for each paragraph. When you are finished, you will have made a good summary of the article, which will help you remember important facts about Moose. You are writing a short version of the article in your own words, including only the important ideas to remember. And to make sure you remember, we will have a quiz after everyone finishes writing. 

 

Assessment: Collect each student’s summary of the article, and evaluate the summarization using the following checklist:

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__ Collected important information

__ Ignored trivia and examples in summary.

__ Significantly reduced the text from the original

__ Sentences brought ideas together from each paragraph

__ Sentences organized coherently into essay form.

 

Quiz:

 

1. How long can moose’s antler grow up to?

2. Can moose swim?

3. Up to how many miles per hour can a moose swim?

4. Could a moose outrun a human? And if so, at what age can they do so?

5. What do moose eat?

6. What is the purpose of moose’s hooves?

7. How long do moose typically live?

 

References:

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Martha Haley Wright, Summarizing with Sea Lions

https://mwh0025.wixsite.com/mwh0025/reading-to-learn

 

Moose: National Geographic. (n.d.). Retrieved April 06, 2021, from https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/moose#:~:text=Moose%20are%20the%20largest%20of,sways%20beneath%20each%20moose's%20throat.