inferential

Secondary Content Teachers

COMPREHENSION
Paragraph Summaries

Reading Services Center

SUBJECT:

Comprehension - Writing Summary Paragraphs

COURSE OR GRADE:

Content Area/Classroom Teachers

GOAL:

This strategy builds skill in restating narrative or expository material in one paragraph.

Supports this Learner Characteristic:

Has reading skills consistent with the reading tasks required.

WHO:

Students who have reading skills but will benefit from instruction and practice in summarizing what they read.

Content Area Teachers

TEACHING PROCEDURES:
STRATEGY FOR PARAGRAPH SUMMARIES
Narrative text (story form):

Provide students with several passages of narrative text. Guide them in completion of the example sentence starters:

This story takes place _____________________________________.
____________________ is a character who ____________________ _______________________________________________________.
____________________ is another character who ______________ _______________________________________________________.
A problem occurs when ____________________________________.
After that, _______________________________________________.
The problem is solved when ______________________. The story ends with _________________________________________________________ .
or
This story is about __________________________________________. ______________________ is an important character because _____________________________________ _____________________________________________ . The story ends when ___________________________ _______________________________________ .
or
In this story, the problem starts when ______________________. After that _____________________ . Next __________________ . Then __________ _____________________________________________________________ .
The problem is finally solved when __________________________ .
At the end _______________________________________________ .
Expository text (nonfiction):
Step 1:

Provide students with a selection from a content area text. Write the topic, subtopics, and details.

Main idea/Topic ______________________________________

Subtopic _______________________________________
Detail 1 _____________________________
Detail 2 _____________________________

Subtopic _______________________________________

Detail 1 _____________________________
Detail 2 _____________________________

Subtopic _______________________________________

Detail 1 _____________________________
Detail 2 _____________________________

Step 2:

CONNECT the statements generated from the outline above, using paragraph form.

Teaching Tips

Students must first be able to identify their passage as being either narrative or expository, since they are different in form and intent.

You may have students work together to organize/write a short summary paragraph.

Share and critique summaries. Remember, summaries should include the most important main ideas and details.

If students have difficulty, provide summaries that are partially filled in. Students will complete missing details.

STUDENT PRACTICE:

Choose several passages or subtopic selections from content area books. Have students reorganize the short informational components in a paragraph that contains no more than 5 or 6 sentences.

FOLLOW-UP:

If students need additional help, choose 5 additional narrative or expository passages.

Ask: "What writing form are we going to use, narrative or expository?"

Follow the steps in the Teaching Model for writing and organizing the important information. (Partially complete them as a group, then students work in pairs or small groups to finish.)

Students work together to organize/write a short summary paragraph.

Share and critique the summaries. Remember, summaries should include the most important main ideas and details.

If students have difficulty, provide summaries that are partially filled in. The students complete any of the missing details.

home |Comprehension/Writing Summary Paragraphs| Parents' Corner

SUBJECT:	Comprehension - Writing Summary Paragraphs
COURSE OR GRADE:	Content Area/Classroom Teachers
GOAL:	This strategy builds skill in restating narrative or expository material in one paragraph. Supports this Learner Characteristic: Has reading skills consistent with the reading tasks required.
WHO:	Students who have reading skills but will benefit from instruction and practice in summarizing what they read. Content Area Teachers
TEACHING PROCEDURES:	STRATEGY FOR PARAGRAPH SUMMARIES Narrative text (story form): Provide students with several passages of narrative text. Guide them in completion of the example sentence starters: This story takes place _____________________________________. ____________________ is a character who ____________________ _______________________________________________________. ____________________ is another character who ______________ _______________________________________________________. A problem occurs when ____________________________________. After that, _______________________________________________. The problem is solved when ______________________. The story ends with _________________________________________________________ . or This story is about __________________________________________. ______________________ is an important character because _____________________________________ _____________________________________________ . The story ends when ___________________________ _______________________________________ . or In this story, the problem starts when ______________________. After that _____________________ . Next __________________ . Then __________ _____________________________________________________________ . The problem is finally solved when __________________________ . At the end _______________________________________________ . Expository text (nonfiction): Step 1: Provide students with a selection from a content area text. Write the topic, subtopics, and details. Main idea/Topic ______________________________________ Subtopic _______________________________________ Detail 1 _____________________________ Detail 2 _____________________________ Subtopic _______________________________________ Detail 1 _____________________________ Detail 2 _____________________________ Subtopic _______________________________________ Detail 1 _____________________________ Detail 2 _____________________________ Step 2: CONNECT the statements generated from the outline above, using paragraph form. Teaching Tips Students must first be able to identify their passage as being either narrative or expository, since they are different in form and intent. You may have students work together to organize/write a short summary paragraph. Share and critique summaries. Remember, summaries should include the most important main ideas and details. If students have difficulty, provide summaries that are partially filled in. Students will complete missing details.
STUDENT PRACTICE:	Choose several passages or subtopic selections from content area books. Have students reorganize the short informational components in a paragraph that contains no more than 5 or 6 sentences.
FOLLOW-UP:	If students need additional help, choose 5 additional narrative or expository passages. Ask: "What writing form are we going to use, narrative or expository?" Follow the steps in the Teaching Model for writing and organizing the important information. (Partially complete them as a group, then students work in pairs or small groups to finish.) Students work together to organize/write a short summary paragraph. Share and critique the summaries. Remember, summaries should include the most important main ideas and details. If students have difficulty, provide summaries that are partially filled in. The students complete any of the missing details.
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