Can Anyone Draw Me a Map?

Rationale:  Second to learning to read, reading comprehension is the most important skill for children to learn. (as far as reading goes)  Reading comprehension means children read material with the goal of understanding.  In this lesson, I will introduce the concept of summarization.  Using summarization, students can read material, extract extraneous information, and condense the material into rememberable, manageable chunks.

Materials:  “Lives of the Presidents” Scholastic,1998 written by Katheleen Krull, dry-erase board, markers, paper, pens

Procedure:
1.    Introduce summarization to students.  “SUMMARIZATION IS A TOOL WE USE TO PICK OUT ALL OF THE IMPORTANT FACTS FROM OUR READINGS AND “throw away” ALL THE USELESS DETAILS.”
2.    “A GREAT WAY TO SUMMARIZE A PIECE OF LITERATURE IS TO USE A SKILL CALLED MAPPING.  WHEN WE MAP A READING, WE PUT THE MAIN IDEA IN THE MIDDLE CIRCLE AND PLACE THE SUPPORTING DETAILS AROUND THE OUTSIDE, LIKE ATENNEAS.”
3.    Model mapping on the board.  “LET’S LOOK AT THE BIOGRAPHY OF JOHN F. KENNEDY, PAGE 35.  LET’S MAP THIS PASSAGE TOGETHER.  WHAT IS THE MAIN IDEA OF THIS PASSAGE?  Children will answer, place answer in the middle circle of your mapping web.  “RAISE YOUR HANDS AND GIVE ME A FEW SUPPORTING DETAILS TO PUT AROUND OUR MAIN IDEA. Children will do so.  CAN ANYONE TELL ME A COUPLE DETAILS, THAT AREN’T SO IMPORTANT, THAT WE SHOULD LEAVE OFF THE MAP?  GREAT JOB!”
4.    “OKAY, NOW IT’S YOUR TURN.  READ SILENTLY RONALD REAGAN, PAGE 40, AND DRAW A SUMMARIZATION MAP OF THE MAIN IDEA AND ITS SUPPORTING DETAILS.  REMEMBER TO ONLY INCLUDE THE MOST IMPORTANT INFORMATION.  I WILL CIRCLE THROUGHOUT THE ROOM AND HELP ANYONE WHO IS STUCK.”  Circulate through the room and help students who are having trouble.
5.    Bring the class back to order for a whole class discussion.  On the dry erase board, take facts from various students and make a class summarization map.  Now, as a class, construct a paragraph, using 3 to 5 supporting details, which includes a topic sentence, the supporting details, and a concluding sentence.  Make sure to MODEL and stress proper paragraph form and the importance of including ONLY important details.

Assessment:
Give children George Bush, page 41, to read.  Instruct students to make a summarization map of the passage and write a summarization paragraph, using their map, to hand in for a grade.  The teacher will collect the summarization maps, and the paragraphs, and grade according to the attached rubric.

References:
    Pressley, M. Johnson, CJ Symons, McGoldrick, JA.  (1989)  Strategies that Improve Children’s Memory and Comprehension of Text.  “The Elementary School Journal.” 90, 3-32.

RUBRIC

+points                        -points
MAP                            MAP
--Topic idea                        -Extraneous details
--3-5 supporting details

PARAGRAPH                    PARAGRAPH
--Topic sentence                    -Lack of topic sentence
--3-5 supporting details                -Lack of details
--Concluding sentence                -Lack of concluding sentence

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