Summary Writing for Short Stories

“Summary Writing for Short Stories,” is Part 4 in my unit, Creating Independent Readers in your Middle School Classroom.  This 19-page lesson, as well as the entire unit, is designed for 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade students. Summary Writing for Short Stories has two parts to it, each with a lesson plan.  In the first part, students learn how to summarize.  In the second part, they practice summarizing as a group using the picture books of Chris Van Allsburg. It is not necessary to do the second part if you don't have time.  By the end of this lesson, students will have written several summaries and will understand how to write a summary.

This lesson focuses on fiction summary writing. Summaries are important to teach because writing them helps improve reading comprehension and writing skills. However, many students find fiction and nonfiction summary writing a challenge to write because they have a hard time narrowing down the key points. It is really good practice to have students write summaries regularly.  It will improve both their organization and their skill in writing.

The lesson plans include objectives and learning targets that are aligned with the Common Core Standards, a Noticings and Wonderings or Evidence and Interpretation Chart, Criteria for Writing a Summary, Different Ways to Begin a Summary, a 5 W and H Chart for Writing a Summary, Sample Charts for “Thank You Ma’am” and “Charles” and Summaries for Each, a Narrative Summary Writing Rubric, a Chris Van Allsburg Summary Writing Group Activity Lesson Plan, and a Collaboration Chart (Looks Like, Sounds Like, Feels Like).

In my 95-page complete unit, Creating Independent Readers in your Middle School Classroom, I offer a comprehensive plan for how to establish a successful independent reading program in your classroom. The unit includes the following

• Part 1: What We Do When We Read:

• Part 2: Reading Requirements

• Part 3: Reading Logs, Setting Goals, and Reflection

• Part 4: Summary Writing for Short Stories

• Part 5: Metacognitive Logs: Reading Response

• Part 6: How to Set Up An Amazing Classroom Library

Parts 1, 4, and 5 are available as individual lessons.

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If you have any questions, please email me at gruenwaldy1@gmail.com

1 Word doc with 19 ready-to-print pages

Resources:

Detailed lesson plans for each component

Noticings and Wonderings or Evidence and Interpretation Chart

Criteria for Writing a Summary

Different Ways to Begin a Summary

5 W and H Chart for Writing a Summary

Sample Charts for “Thank You Ma’am” and “Charles” and Summaries for Each

Narrative Summary Writing Rubric

Chris Van Allsburg Summary Writing Group Activity

Collaboration Chart (Looks Like, Sounds Like, Feels Like)