1. Summarizing Literary Texts
SWBST:
A Summarizing Strategy
Summarize
the text.
RL 5.2
Julie Faulkner, TPT

2. Objectives
Identify the main characters, conflict, events, and resolution to a story.
Use key elements of a story to write a summary.
Julie Faulkner, TPT

3. What is a Summary?
A summary is a short version of a text. A summary only includes key details from the text.
Why should we summarize?
Writing a summary helps
us understand what we
have read!
Julie Faulkner, TPT

4. Summarizing an Informational Text
Find the main idea and supporting details. Combine the information to form a summary.

5. Summarizing a Literary Text
An easy way to summarize a literary text is to use the strategy: somebody, wanted, but, so, then. (SWBST)
With this strategy, you can summarize short texts, long texts, or even chapters of a text.
Julie Faulkner, TPT

6. Defining the Strategy: SWBST
Somebody – main character
Wanted – what did the character want
But - the problem or conflict
So - how the problem is solved
Then - resolution: the ending or outcome, what eventually happened
Julie Faulkner, TPT

7. SWBST: At a Glance Wanted But So Then Somebody main character
what did the character want
the problem or conflict
how the problem is solved
resolution: the ending or outcome, what eventually happened
Julie Faulkner, TPT

8. SWBST: Example Wanted But So Then Somebody main character
what did the character want
the problem or conflict
how the problem is solved
resolution: the ending or outcome, what eventually happened
Cinderella
Wanted to go to the ball.
However, her stepmother wouldn’t let her go.
So, her fairy godmother helped her.
In the end, she married the prince and lived happily ever after.
This is a slide you would share with your students as an example slide of the strategy works with a familiar text.
Julie Faulkner, TPT

9. SWBST: Guided Practice
Somebody
Wanted
But So
Then
main character
what did the character want
the problem or conflict
how the problem is solved
resolution: the ending or outcome, what eventually happened
Here students will practice completing the strategy for practice. Have several volunteers share.
Julie Faulkner, TPT

10. The Rainbow Fish
The little blue fish wanted one of Rainbow Fish’s shiny scales. But, Rainbow Fish would not share and the other fish began to ignore him. So, Rainbow Fish went to the Wise Octopus for advise. Then he decided to share his scales ,and everyone loved him again.

11. SWBST: Review What is a summary? Why should you summarize?
How are summarizing an informational text and a literary text the same?
How are they different?
In the SWBST strategy, what does the S represent? In the SWBST strategy, what does the W represent?
In the SWBST strategy, what does the B represent?
In the SWBST strategy, what does the S represent? In the SWBST strategy, what does the T represent?
To play this closing activity, have a small ball handy. Pull each question up on the screen one at a time. Toss the ball out to one students. He/she answers the question (I do not let them pass or look at notes. They have to look at notes before play begins.) Then he/she passes to another person, and so on.
Julie Faulkner, TPT