Build a Good Summary Poster
Congratulations on your purchase of this Really Good Stuff®
Build a Good Summary Poster—a great reference for students
as they are learning about nonfiction and fiction summaries.
This Really Good Stuff® product includes:
• Build a Good Summary Poster, laminated
• This Really Good Stuff® Activity Guide
Assembling and Displaying the Build a Good Summary Poster
Before displaying the Build a Good Summary Poster, make copies
of this Really Good Stuff® Activity Guide, cut the reproducibles
apart, and file the pages for future use. Or, download another
copy of it from our Web site at www.reallygoodstuff.com. Hang the
Poster where students will be able to see it easily.
Introducing the Build a Good Summary Poster
Review with students what a summary is and why they would
tell or write a summary. Point out the Build a Good Summary
Poster and ask a volunteer to read the definition of a summary
just below the headline.
Write the word Summary on the board. Ask students why it is
useful to be able to tell or write a shortened version of something
they read. Record their responses underneath the word Summary.
Urge students to generate ideas, such as to show that they have
read a selection, to tell someone about something they have read
in a concise way, to take notes for research, and to clarify
whether they have understood what they read. Explain to
students that they should use the Poster as a reference to be
sure they have included all the necessary information when they
need to write or verbalize a summary.
Reading Nonfiction Selections for Summary Information
To review summarizing nonfiction, select an informational article
for your class to read. Copy and distribute the Nonfiction
Summary Castle Graphic Organizer Reproducible, and make a
transparency for demonstration purposes. Review the reproducible
with students, showing them that there is a space on the
organizer for each of the questions on the nonfiction side of the
Build a Good Summary Poster. Show them that because each
part of the castle is necessary to build a strong summary, they
need to fill in each section of the organizer.
After students read the article and take notes on the
reproducible, place the blank transparency on your overhead
projector. Referring to the Poster, work with students to
complete the transparency as a group.
Oral Nonfiction Summaries
Referring to the same nonfiction article that you used
previously, remind students to review the organizer and form
an oral summary of the article. Choose a student to present
his or her summary aloud. Whenever you want students to
summarize a nonfiction reading selection orally, first supply
them with the Nonfiction Summary Castle Graphic Organizer
Reproducible to help them organize their thoughts.
Writing Nonfiction Summaries
Using the same nonfiction article that you used previously,
have students practice writing a summary: Copy and distribute
the nonfiction half of the Summary Checklist Reproducible.
Explain that students are to use the checklist as they write
the summary to be sure that they are including all necessary
information. Once students have written their summaries and
checked them against the checklist, have them turn them in.
Whenever you want students to summarize a nonfiction
reading selection, review the strategies from the Poster, then
supply students with a copy of the Nonfiction Summary
Checklist Reproducible to make sure they have included all
necessary information.
Reading Fiction Selections for Summary Information
To review summarizing fiction, select a favorite picture book
with strong characters, setting, and conflict to read with your
class. Copy and distribute the Fiction Summary Castle
Graphic Organizer Reproducible, and make a transparency for
demonstration purposes. Review the reproducible with
students, showing them that there is a space on the organizer
for each of the questions on the fiction side of the Build a
Good Summary Poster. Show them that because each part of
the castle is necessary to build a strong summary, they need
to fill in each section of the organizer. Explain that you are
going to read the picture book aloud and that students should
take notes on the reproducible as you read.
After your students listen to the story and take notes on the
reproducible, place the blank transparency on your overhead
projector. Referring to the Poster, work with students to
complete the transparency as a group.
Oral Fiction Summaries
Referring to the same fictional story that you read previously,
remind students to review the organizer and form an oral
summary of the story. Choose a student to present his or her
summary aloud. Whenever you want students to summarize a
fiction reading selection orally, first supply them with the
Fiction Summary Castle Graphic Organizer Reproducible to
help them organize their thoughts.
Writing Fiction Summaries
Using the same fictional story that you read previously, have
students practice writing a summary: Copy and distribute the
fiction half of the Summary Checklist Reproducible. Explain that
students are to use the checklist as they write the summary to
be sure that they are including all necessary information. Once
students have written their summaries and checked them
against the checklist, have them turn them in. Whenever you
want students to summarize a fiction reading selection, review
the strategies from the Poster, then supply students with a
copy of the Fiction Summary Checklist Reproducible to make
sure they have included all necessary information.
Independent Reading Summary Library
Start a collection of oral or written book, story, and article
summaries to keep in your classroom library: Have students
record oral summaries on tape or place their written
summaries in a three-ring binder. Then, whenever a student is
looking for ideas of something to read, suggest that he or she
listen to a tape or review the summaries in the binder.
All activity guides can be found online:
Helping Teachers Make A Difference®
© 2010 Really Good Stuff
®
1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in USA #158639
Nonfiction Summary Castle Graphic Organizer Reproducible
Helping Teachers Make A Difference®
© 2010 Really Good Stuff® 1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in USA #158639
Fiction Summary Castle Graphic Organizer Reproducible
Helping Teachers Make A Difference®
© 2010 Really Good Stuff® 1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in USA #158639
Nonfiction Summary Checklist Reproducible
Fiction Summary Checklist Reproducible
Helping Teachers Make A Difference®
© 2010 Really Good Stuff® 1-800-366-1920 www.reallygoodstuff.com Made in USA #158639