Summarizing | Teacher Guide

FL B.E.S.T. Standard ELA.5.R.3.2

Summarize a text to enhance comprehension. Include plot and theme for a literary text. Include the central idea and relevant key details for an informational text.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this unit, students will be able to:

Identify the main idea or central message of a text
Select key details that support the main idea
Summarize literary texts including plot elements and theme
Summarize informational texts including central idea and supporting details
Write objective summaries without personal opinions
Use their own words to paraphrase (not copy) from the text

Essential Vocabulary

Term	Definition	Student-Friendly Explanation
Summary	A brief statement of the main points of a text	A short version that tells the most important parts
Main Idea	The central point or most important concept	What the text is MOSTLY about - the big picture
Key Details	Important facts or information that support the main idea	The important details that help explain or prove the main idea
Theme	The underlying message or lesson of a literary text	The life lesson the story teaches (for fiction)
Central Idea	The main point of an informational text	What the author wants you to learn (for nonfiction)
Objective	Based on facts, not personal feelings	Sticking to what the text says, not your opinion

Summarizing Literary vs. Informational Texts

Literary Text Summary Includes:	Informational Text Summary Includes:
Main character(s) Setting (when relevant) Problem/conflict Key events (beginning, middle, end) Resolution Theme/lesson	Topic Central idea (main point) Key supporting details Important facts/examples Author's purpose (if relevant)

Lesson Sequence (5-Day Plan)

Day	Focus	Activities
1	Introduction & Main Idea	Introduce what a summary is. Practice finding main idea vs. details. Use Student Concept Worksheet.
2	Summarizing Fiction	Model summarizing a story using Somebody-Wanted-But-So-Then. Include theme.
3	Summarizing Nonfiction	Practice finding central idea and key details. Use Practice Worksheet passages 1-2.
4	Avoiding Opinions	Focus on objective summaries. Practice identifying and removing opinions. Complete Practice Worksheet.
5	Assessment	Administer FAST Format Quiz. Review and reteach as needed.

Teaching Strategies

Strategy 1: Somebody-Wanted-But-So-Then (SWBST) for Fiction

Use this framework to summarize stories: Somebody (main character) Wanted (goal/motivation) But (problem/conflict) So (events/actions) Then (resolution). Add theme at the end: "This story teaches that..."

Strategy 2: 5W Summary for Nonfiction

Help students identify: Who or What is this about? What is the main point? Why is it important? How does the author support this? Keep answers brief and focused on most important information.

Strategy 3: The "Tweet Test"

Challenge students to summarize in 280 characters or less (like a tweet). This forces them to identify only the MOST essential information. Then expand to a full paragraph while keeping it concise.

Strategy 4: Delete, Substitute, Keep

Teach students to: DELETE minor details, examples, and repetition. SUBSTITUTE lists with category words (e.g., "apples, oranges, bananas" becomes "fruits"). KEEP only main ideas and essential details.

Common Misconceptions

Misconception: A summary should include every detail

Correction: A summary is SHORT - it only includes the MOST important information. If it's almost as long as the original, students are including too much. Teach them to be selective.

Misconception: I can copy sentences from the text

Correction: Summaries must be in the student's OWN WORDS (paraphrased). Copying is not summarizing - it's quoting. Paraphrasing shows true understanding of the text.

Misconception: I should include my opinion about the text

Correction: Summaries must be OBJECTIVE. Phrases like "I think," "the best part was," or "this was interesting" do NOT belong in summaries. Stick to what the author wrote.

Misconception: Retelling and summarizing are the same thing

Correction: Retelling includes many details in sequence. Summarizing is more selective - it identifies ONLY the main idea and most important supporting details. A summary is much shorter than a retelling.

Differentiation Strategies

For Struggling Learners

Provide graphic organizers (SWBST chart, main idea web)
Use sentence frames: "This text is mainly about _____. One important detail is _____."
Start with very short passages (one paragraph)
Practice identifying main idea before writing full summaries

For Advanced Learners

Summarize longer, more complex texts
Compare summaries of the same text - evaluate what makes one better
Practice summarizing texts with multiple central ideas
Write summaries for different audiences (younger students, adults)

FAST Test Connection

On the FAST assessment, summarizing questions typically ask students to:

Identify the main idea or central idea of a passage
Select the BEST summary from multiple choice options
Identify key details that should be included in a summary
Recognize summaries that are too detailed or include opinions
Write a brief summary of a passage (written response)

Key Strategy: Teach students to eliminate answer choices that are too specific (just one detail), too broad (doesn't match the text), or include opinions. The best summary captures the main idea with key support.

Materials Checklist

Student Concept Worksheet (one per student)
Practice Worksheet (one per student)
FAST Format Quiz (one per student)
Answer Keys (teacher copy)
Parent Activity Guide (send home)
SWBST graphic organizer
Main idea/details web

Summarizing - Teacher Guide