Rationale: One of the most important components of
learning to
read is understanding what it is you are reading. Children can learn
summarizing skills to help them retain important ideas from a story. It
is
important for students to learn how to excerpt critical information
from a text
selection, especially in expository text. This lesson will help them
focus in
on summarization skills and deciding what is the most important
information in
the text.
Copies of the
book Dogs
and Cats by Steve Jenkins (2007) Houghton Mifflin Co., timer,
journals,
pencils, white classroom board, markers
1)
I will begin the lesson by explaining the importance of
summarization. “Does anyone know what summarization means? It means
taking the
main ideas out of a passage and writing a brief description of what you
read.
They are concise was to remember what you read.”
2)
I will also explain why this is important in reading. I will
explain that one of the main purposes of reading is to gain
understanding
though comprehension. We read to learn things and comprehension means
understanding what you have read.
3)
Book talk: “I’m sure many of you love dogs or cats but I bet
there
are things you may not know about these household pets. This book, Dogs
and
Cats by Steve Jenkins gives you lots of interesting facts about these
animals.
To find out new and exciting things about dogs and cats, you’ll have to
read
the book!”
4)
I am going to pass out these books to everyone and I want you to
read silently to yourself until the timer goes off. When the time is
up, I want
you to summarize what you read in your journal today.
5)
I will further explain how to do the journal entry by reading
the
first page to the students and modeling how I would summarize by taking
out the
unnecessary information. There are three things they must remember 1)
take out
the unnecessary information 2) keep in the most important ideas 3)
combine
ideas that seem similar
First
page: “Cats
can be hard to understand. They act friendly and affectionate one
moment, and
aloof and mysterious the next. Cats are the most popular pets in the
world. They are also nearly perfect predators with stealth, speed
and
senses matched by no other animal. How did these fierce independent
hunters
become our companions? What makes them act the way they do?”
Take
out: “Cats
can be hard to understand. They act friendly and affectionate one
moment, and
aloof and mysterious the next. How did these fierce independent hunters
become
our companions? What makes them act the way they do?”
My
Summary:
Cats are the most popular pets in the world. They are fast and
excellent
predators and yet we keep them for pets.
6)
Students will begin reading for comprehension and summarization
until the time is up. They will complete their journal assignments
Students will be
assessed
by their completion of their journal entry. I will read their
summarization and
look and what information they took out and what they felt was most
important
to keep in. Students must follow the three rules to get full credit.
|
|
Ideas
Met |
Somewhat
Met |
Not
Met |
|
Was
unnecessary information taken out? |
|
|
|
|
Were
the most important ideas kept? |
|
|
|
|
Were
similar ideas combined? |
|
|
|
Barton, Kimberly.
“Star
Summarizers.” http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/odysseys/bartonrl.html
Jenkins, Steve. Dogs and
Cats. (2007) Houghton Mifflin Co,
Wiggins, Jessie. “Let’s Get
to the Point.” http://www.auburn.edu/academic/education/reading_genie/odysseys/wigginsrl.html