Summarizing | Answer Keys

Student Concept Worksheet Answers

Somebody (Who is the main character?)

Maya (Accept: Maya, the girl who found the kitten)

Wanted (What did she want?)

To take the kitten home / help the kitten (Accept any answer showing Maya wanted to keep or help the kitten)

But (What was the problem?)

Her mom said they needed to find its owner first (Accept: They had to look for the owner / couldn't keep it right away)

So (What did she do?)

She made "Found Kitten" posters and put them around the neighborhood (Accept: Made posters, searched for owner, posted online)

Then (How did it end?)

Mrs. Chen called and got her kitten Whiskers back (Accept: The owner was found, kitten went home)

2-3 Sentence Summary

Sample answer: Maya found a lost kitten and wanted to take it home, but her mom said they needed to find its owner first. Maya made posters and searched for the owner. Finally, an elderly woman named Mrs. Chen called, and the kitten was reunited with its owner.

Practice Worksheet Answers

1. Which is the BEST summary of "The Big Game"?

B. Jamal scored the winning goal in the championship game, helping the Tigers beat the undefeated Lions. This captures WHO (Jamal), WHAT (scored winning goal), and RESULT (Tigers won) without minor details.

2. Which detail is NOT important enough to include in a summary?

C. Jamal's heart was pounding. This is a minor detail about his feelings in one moment. The other options are key plot points.

3. SWBST for "The Big Game"

Somebody: Jamal
Wanted: to win the championship game / help his team win
But: the Lions were undefeated / the game was tied
So: he kicked the ball as hard as he could / scored a goal
Then: The Tigers won 3-2 / he was a hero

4. Central idea of "Amazing Elephants"

Elephants are the largest land animals and are also very smart. (Accept any answer that captures both size AND intelligence as the main ideas)

5. Which detail should be included in a summary?

B. Elephants are very smart and have amazing abilities. This captures the central idea. A, C, and D are supporting details.

6. 2-sentence summary of elephant passage

Sample: Elephants are the largest land animals on Earth and use their trunks for many purposes. They are also very intelligent, with excellent memories and the ability to live in family groups.

7. BEST summary of "Emma's Garden"

B. Emma wanted to give up on her garden, but she kept trying and grew tomatoes successfully. Captures character, problem, and resolution.

8. Theme of "Emma's Garden"

Patience and persistence pay off / Don't give up. (Accept: Good things take time, Keep trying even when it's hard)

9. BEST summary of "The Water Cycle"

B. The water cycle moves water from Earth to the sky and back again through evaporation, condensation, and precipitation. Captures the central idea and key steps.

10. Which detail is too specific for a summary?

C. Vapor cools high in the sky. This is a minor supporting detail. The others describe the main process.

11. Why use your OWN WORDS?

Sample: Using your own words shows you understand the text, not just that you can copy it. It also helps you remember what you read.

12. How do you decide if a detail is important?

Sample: Ask yourself: "If I left this out, would someone still understand the main story/idea?" If yes, it's not important enough for a summary.

13. Difference between fiction and nonfiction summaries

Sample: Fiction summaries include characters, problem, and how it ends. Nonfiction summaries focus on the topic, central idea, and most important facts.

14. Summary of favorite book/movie

Accept any summary that is 2-3 sentences, includes main character/topic, problem or central idea, and resolution/key facts without excessive detail.

FAST Practice Quiz Answers

B. Sandy, a young sea turtle, was scared to make her first long migration, but she didn't give up and successfully completed the journey.

Complete summary: WHO (Sandy), PROBLEM (scared), ACTION (didn't give up), RESULT (completed journey). A only mentions fear, C is incomplete, D is just one detail.

B. Sandy was scared but completed her first migration.

This captures the main conflict and resolution. A is setting detail, C is backstory, D is a minor obstacle.

C. Sandy's mother wrapped her flipper around Sandy.

This is a sweet but minor detail. The other options are key story elements (fear, success, theme).

B. You can do hard things if you don't give up.

This is the lesson Sandy learns. A is a fact, C is too narrow, D is a minor detail.

SWBST for "The Brave Little Turtle"

Somebody: Sandy (the sea turtle)
Wanted: to complete her first migration / travel with her family
But: she was scared / got separated from the group
So: she remembered her mother's words and kept swimming / used the stars to find her way
Then: she arrived safely at the warm waters / learned she was braver than she knew

B. Butterflies go through four stages of metamorphosis to grow from an egg to a flying insect.

This captures the central idea—the four-stage transformation. Other options are supporting details.

B. Butterflies go through four stages: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and adult butterfly.

Names all four stages concisely. A and D focus on single stages, C is too detailed.

B. The caterpillar changes inside the chrysalis.

This is a key step in metamorphosis. A is a minor detail about size, C and D are minor process details.

2-sentence summary of butterfly passage

Sample answers:
• Butterflies go through four stages called metamorphosis: egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and adult butterfly. Each stage changes the insect until it can finally fly.
• A butterfly starts as an egg, becomes a hungry caterpillar, forms a chrysalis, and emerges as a butterfly. This amazing four-stage process is called metamorphosis.

Difference between fiction and nonfiction summaries

Sample answers:
• Fiction summaries focus on characters, problems, and how the story ends. Nonfiction summaries focus on the topic, main idea, and important facts.
• When summarizing fiction, you tell who wanted what and what happened. For nonfiction, you tell what the passage is about and the most important information.
• Fiction uses SWBST (Somebody-Wanted-But-So-Then). Nonfiction uses topic + central idea + key details.

Written Response Rubric (Questions 5, 9, 10)

Score	Criteria
2 Points	Response is complete, accurate, and in student's own words. For fiction: includes character, problem, and resolution. For nonfiction: includes topic and central idea with key details. Shows clear understanding.
1 Point	Response is partially complete or accurate. May be missing one key element or include unnecessary details. Shows some understanding but incomplete.
0 Points	Response is incorrect, copied directly from text, or missing most key elements. Does not demonstrate understanding of summarizing.

Scoring Guide

Assessment	Total Points	Proficient (70%+)	Focus Area if Struggling
Student Concept Worksheet	12 points	8+ correct	Review SWBST strategy
Practice Worksheet	14 points	10+ correct	Key vs. minor details
FAST Practice Quiz	14 points (Q1-8: 1pt each, Q9-10: 2pts each, Q5: 2pts)	10+ points	Fiction vs. nonfiction summaries

Common Errors: Including too many details; copying from text instead of paraphrasing; confusing retelling with summarizing; missing the theme/central idea; not knowing difference between fiction and nonfiction summary elements.

Answer Keys: Summarizing

Written Response Rubric (Questions 5, 9, 10)

Scoring Guide