Name: ___________________________________________ Date: _______________________________ Period: ______
30-Second Summary Project
Objective: Demonstrate your understanding of a short story through a concise and accurate summary. Your summary
will limit the story to its most essential pieces, and represent the tone, mood and theme of the text.
Task: Choose: “The Outcasts of Poker Flat,” “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty,” or “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge.”
You will work alone or in a small group of your choosing (no more than three students per group). You will present your
summary in a creative and engaging way: a 6-10 panel cartoon (either on paper or digitally), a Snap Story, a series of
Instagram Photos, or something you come up with. Your finished summary should be between 30 and 60 seconds, and
tell the entire story. Have a teacher approve the idea before you start.
Example 30-Second Summary: The Crucible by Arthur Miller
A young Salem girl falls so deeply in love with a married man, she begins casting spells to win his love. When Abigail gets caught,
she places blame on everyone except herself. Enjoying the attention and feeling she is closer to John Proctor, Abigail goes for his
wife. The tide turns when Proctor confesses to his own sings, hoping to save his wife, and Abigail realizes she’ll now lose him forever.
Abigail runs away in shame, and John Proctor marches to his death, holding his head high and protecting his good name. All the good
people die, the wicked people survive, and Salem, Massachusetts is shamed by the horrific events of the Witch Trials.
(114 words)
Chosen Text: ______________________________________________________________________________________
Group Members, if applicable: ________________________________________________________________________
Questions
1. What is the tone of the text? Give an adjective to describe the tone: ____________________________________
Find three quotations from the story to support this description of tone. Include page numbers.
a. ________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
b. ________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
c. ________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
2. What is the mood of the text? Give an adjective to describe the mood: __________________________________
Find two quotations from the story to support this description of mood. Include page numbers.
a. ________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
b. ________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
Project Directions
If you’re in a group, you may do this once as a whole group.
1. Draft your summary. Your summary needs to include the title and author, and boil the story down to its most
essential pieces of information. To do this, start making a bullet list of the information you will include:
•
Title & Author: ________________________________________________________________________
•
Setting: ______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
•
Exposition: __________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
•
Rising Action: _________________________________________________________________________
•
Conflict: ______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
•
Climax: _______________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
•
Falling Action: _________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
•
Resolution: ___________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
•
Anything else? ________________________________________________________________________
•
Anything else? ________________________________________________________________________
2. In your summary, how are you going to represent the tone and mood? Think about images and sound effects.
3. Now, it’s time to get working. In total, your summary should be between 30 and 60 seconds.
30-SECOND SUMMARY PROJECT - RUBRIC
Name(s): _______________________________________________________________________________________
Text: __________________________________________________________________________________________
Points
Utilized class time well
Completed and handed in on time
Links, files emailed by 7am on due date
Comments
/5
Summary
Between 100 and 125 words
MLA format
Proper grammar, mechanics, etc.
Includes title and author
/35
Presentation
Summary is audible & coherent
Creative, accurate
Represents mood & tone
/30
/70
30-SECOND SUMMARY PROJECT - RUBRIC
Name(s): _______________________________________________________________________________________
Text: __________________________________________________________________________________________
Points
Utilized class time well
Completed and handed in on time
Links, files emailed by 7am on due date
Comments
/5
Summary
Between 100 and 125 words
MLA format
Proper grammar, mechanics, etc.
Includes title and author
/35
Presentation
Summary is audible & coherent
Creative, accurate
Represents mood & tone
/30
/70