1. Summarizing Strategies
Ridgewood H.S.
Kat Foley, Literacy Coach

2. What am I going to see here?
Retellings Rubric (Science, History, Eng Examples)
3 Options for using this strategy.
Point-of-View (Science, History, Eng examples)
Raft (Math, Science, English Examples)
Ideas for differentiation in formats
Example scoring rubric
Where can I get more information?

3. Retelling Rubric
Special Note: Do not give out rubric before having students practice sequence of events, beginning/middle/end, and making connections. This will seem like an overwhelming task to students if it is given first.

4. Using Retelling Rubric
Option 1: Have students write the summary in small groups.
Roles: 1 person identifies the events, 1 person identifies the problem and the solution, 1 person connects the text to real life. Members each write their own piece then put all the pieces together. Ask students to put a + on the paper if it has a beginning, middle, and end. Have them put a + on the paper if it makes sense.
If groups can not put a + sign ask them to use the back to describe why they can not include a +. Students who feel they have perfect work should share out as examples. Post this work, refer back to it when reviewing this strategy again.

5. Retellings Rubric Option 2:
Students have a partner. Write on the board main criteria (important events/details, beginning/middle/end, Connections to real life).
1 pair combines with another pair to review the responses. What does 1 pair have that the other doesn’t? Do they want to add or retract from their responses? 2 Pairs create 1 retelling.
Hand out the rubric, have groups swap retellings with other groups. Peer review. (for privacy sake, have students use last 4 of student number rather than names on papers).
Review the components of a highly scored retelling. Ask for student help thinking aloud of what makes up a low scoring retelling. Do not use an actual retelling that was scored poorly.

6. Option 3 Get Crazy with It!
Chart Paper around the room 1) Main Events/Details (what happened, who was involved, when was it going on) 2) Connections to real-life 3) Beginning 4) Middle 5) End
Count students off 1-4, assign 1 color marker per group. All 1s will stay together using green marker, all 2s stay together with blue, etc.
Put tape on the bottom of the chart paper in order to tape the paper from the bottom UP as students write their response. Assign starting points at 1 poster per group. Give students 2-5 min to brainstorm a response (the first group writes at the BOTTOM of the page). When you call TIME, have students cover their response by rolling the paper up and placing the tape to hold in place. Rotate groups. Next group starts at the ‘new bottom’ of the chart. Call Time, have them remove existing tape, roll up to cover their response and replace tape covering the newly added material. Continue till groups are done.
1 Student from each group reveals chart to class. Students should take note of patterns, common responses.
In 2s or 3s, write retellings based on the information provided on charts. Use clipboards and have students walk around getting the information they need as they need it.
Hand out rubric, have them score their own work. Review what makes a good/bad retelling.

7. Where does this work?
In Science: Retelling can be used to summarize a lab activity, review units, summarize chapters.
History: Retellings for events and concepts.
Reading/Language Arts: Fiction/Non-fiction text.
Electives: Retell concepts and activities covered.

8. Point-of-View Summaries
By asking students to rewrite an event, a story, an experience, etc., from another perspective emphasizes the importance of using main events and details, descriptive writing, and building connections.
Examples: Explain this experiment from the POV of the lab rat. Explain how Hitler saw D-Day. How would an evil step-sister retell Cinderella?
Tip: Provide more than 1 option for POV choice.

9. RAFT
RAFT is a writing strategy that can be used in all content areas and offers students a choice in their writing assignment.  R stands for Role - the person or thing that students will become.  A is for Audience - the person or people who will be reading the finished product.  F is for Format - the way in which the writing will be done.  Examples might include letter, brochure, memo, speech, or advertisement.  T stands for Topic - what the writing will discuss.  Students can demonstrate their mastery of content knowledge in this manner.  A RAFT allows for differentiated instruction because students get choice in their assignment based on their interest.  The RAFT is similar to the FAT-P (Format, Audience, Topic, Purpose) that is used in the Academic Prompts in the Instructional Guides on Teach 21.

10. Formats (while offering choices to students)
Differentiating a RAFT by Readiness (Teacher assigns RAFT or choices of RAFTs based on students’ reading, writing or performance levels)
Roles/Audience
Well-known people or charters to lesser known
Basic essential items (vocabulary, inventions, elements, etc.) to more esoteric items
Easier to understand point-of-view to more intangible perspective
Formats (while offering choices to students)
Shorter to longer (in prep, process or presentation)
More familiar to more unfamiliar formats
Single step to multiple steps

11. Differentiating a RAFT by Readiness (continued)
Topics
Easier to interpret to more sophisticated
Concrete & literal to more abstract response
More structured to more open-ended
Small leap in insight & application to larger leap

12. Possible RAFT Formats to Differentiate by Learning Modality
Written
Visual
Oral
Kinesthetic
Diary entry
Bulleted list
Obituary
Invitation
Recipe
Movie critic
FAQs
Editorial
Gossip column
Comic
Crossword puzzle
Map
Graphic organizer
Print ad
Photograph
Fashion design
Song
Monologue
Radiocast
Museum
guide
Interview
Puppet show
Political
speech
Story teller
Model
Cheer
Mime
Demonstration
Sales pitch
with demos
Sew, cook,
build
Wax museum

13. Analyzing a RAFT Lesson
What are the learning goals for this lesson and are they built into every choice?
How is this RAFT being differentiated?
Does it appeal to different learning styles?
Is there a range of difficulty in the:
Roles?
Formats?
Readiness levels?
Do the roles, formats or topics appeal to a variety of interests?

15. RAFT in MATH

16. RAFT in SCIENCE

17. RAFT in ENGLISH

18. More Information… Coaches can support you!
Can you come in my class and show me how this works for my students? ABSOLUTELY!
What if I don’t teach your example subjects, will it still work in my area? ABSOLUTELY!
Where does this fit with my standards? We’ll have to look at your specific standards, but these strategies usually fit anywhere that deals with analyzing, synthesizing, and/or writing.