Summary Writing

What is a Summary?  In a summary the reader… –Identifies the central or key ideas in text –Puts the text into their own words –Organizes the text into a condensed version

Why Write a Summary?  Summaries help the reader … - -Score well on the WASL and on class summarizing assignments - Identify and remember the main ideas of a selection –Logically condense information into a shorter version using their own words so they can remember the information

Purpose for Today Learn to write a summary that has a summarizing statement and at least three main events. To learn a strategy for writing summarizing statements To be able to decide if an event is a main event

The Wall By By Eve Bunting

Writing a Summary

Start your summary with a summarizing statement What can help you to make a summarizing statement- I + V+ FT= A summarizing statement

I= Introduce Introduce  Answer these questions- What is the title? What format is it written in (article, book, poem, etc…) Who is the author? For example, The Wall, a picture book, by Eve Bunting….

V= Verb   Use a verb (action word) Some to consider- Describes Explains Shows Tells Convinces For example-. The Wall, a picture book, by Eve Bunting describes a….

FT= Finishing thought   The main thing that happens in the story (the gist). For example,. The Wall, a picture book, by Eve Bunting describes a boy and his father’s visit to the Vietnam Wall.

Figuring out the main events

MAIN EVENTS You know it is a main event when….. If you took it out the whole story would change The wall is black and shiny vs. locating the grandfather’s name on the wall

Putting it all together  Begin with the summarizing statement-. The Wall, a picture book, by Eve Bunting describes a boy and his father’s visit to the Vietnam Wall..  Then add the three main events. Link them with transitions- First, when the boy and father arrive at the wall they begin searching it for the name of the boy’s grandfather who died in the Vietnam War. As they are searching, the boy notices other people looking for names on the wall. Many of them appear sad. Eventually, the boy’s dad locates the grandfather’s name and he makes a rubbing of it. Finally, the boy leaves a picture of himself at the wall. First, when the boy and father arrive at the wall they begin searching it for the name of the boy’s grandfather who died in the Vietnam War. As they are searching, the boy notices other people looking for names on the wall. Many of them appear sad. Eventually, the boy’s dad locates the grandfather’s name and he makes a rubbing of it. Finally, the boy leaves a picture of himself at the wall. Fourth Event First Event Second Event Third Event

Full summary without notes The Wall, a picture book, by Eve Bunting describes a boy and his father’s visit to the Vietnam Wall.First, when the boy and father arrive at the wall they begin searching it for the name of the boy’s grandfather who died in the Vietnam War. As they are searching, the boy notices other people looking for names on the wall. Many of them appear sad. Eventually, the boy’s dad locates the grandfather’s name and he makes a rubbing of it. Finally, the boy leaves a picture of himself at the wall. The Wall, a picture book, by Eve Bunting describes a boy and his father’s visit to the Vietnam Wall. First, when the boy and father arrive at the wall they begin searching it for the name of the boy’s grandfather who died in the Vietnam War. As they are searching, the boy notices other people looking for names on the wall. Many of them appear sad. Eventually, the boy’s dad locates the grandfather’s name and he makes a rubbing of it. Finally, the boy leaves a picture of himself at the wall.

Summary Scoring Guide  2includes a summary statement and 3 main events from the selection.  1includes a summary statement AND 1 or 2 main events from the selection OR 3 main events, but no summary statement  0 1 or 2 main events and no summarizing statement or only minor events

Sample One  In The Wall by Eve Bunting, a boy and his father visit the Vietnam Wall. They locate and make a rubbing of the boy’s grandfather’s name who died a long time ago in a war. Next, the boy notices all the other people visiting the wall.

Sample Two  The Wall a picture book by Eve Bunting, explains how a father and his son visit the Vietnam Wall. First, the boy and his father are looking for the grandfather’s name on the wall. Finally, they find it and the father is so happy that he makes a rubbing of his father’s name.

Sample Three  The Walla picture book by Eve Bunting, describes a man and his son’s visit to find his father’s name on the Vietnam Wall. At first, the name of the man’s father is difficult to locate, but once the boy and man find it they make a rubbing of the name. While there, the boy notices the many other people who are visiting the wall. He notes that many of them appear sad. Before the man and boy decide to leave the wall, they leave a picture of the boy. Though the boy wishes his grandfather was alive he is proud that his grandfather’s name is on the wall.  The Wall, a picture book, by Eve Bunting, describes a man and his son’s visit to find his father’s name on the Vietnam Wall. At first, the name of the man’s father is difficult to locate, but once the boy and man find it they make a rubbing of the name. While there, the boy notices the many other people who are visiting the wall. He notes that many of them appear sad. Before the man and boy decide to leave the wall, they leave a picture of the boy. Though the boy wishes his grandfather was alive he is proud that his grandfather’s name is on the wall.

Sample 4  A boy and his father visit the wall. They see many names of people who died in the war. They look for the boy’s grandfather’s name on the wall and they eventually find it. They make a rubbing of it and the dad puts it in his wallet. Many people who visit the wall are sad. At the end of the story, the boy leaves a picture of himself at the wall.

Sample Five This story is about a boy and his father going to a wall. The wall is shiny and black. The boy and father can see themselves in the wall. A man in a wheelchair says “hi” to the boy. Little girls also visit the wall. Their teacher is with them. When the girls leave it is quiet at the wall. Finally, the boy and father leave the wall to go home. This story is about a boy and his father going to a wall. The wall is shiny and black. The boy and father can see themselves in the wall. A man in a wheelchair says “hi” to the boy. Little girls also visit the wall. Their teacher is with them. When the girls leave it is quiet at the wall. Finally, the boy and father leave the wall to go home.

The Loch Ness Monster

I+V+FT= Summarizing Statement  I=  V=  FT=

What are our three main events?  Beginning- Main event #1- Main event #1-  Middle- Main event #2- Main event #2-  End- Main event #3- Main event #3-

Let’s put it all together Sentence #1- Summarizing statement Sentence #2- First main event Sentence #3- Second main event Sentence #4- Third main event

Your Turn…  As a table group, write a summary (summarizing statement and three main events)  When you are done let me know and I will hang your summary on the wall  Decide who in your group is going to read the summary to the class  Each summary will be scored to see if it meets standard  Class goal- Let’s try and have all summaries get a 2!!!

You Do On your own, read the selection and write a summary that includes a summarizing statement and three main events