GOOD READER

STRATEGIES
 Teacher Suggestions
Summary Anchor Chart Posters and Student Reference Sheet
Use posters as anchor charts while teaching summarizing. Hang posters as you teach
the skill. Student reference sheet can be put into their reader’s notebooks, binders, or
folders for reference throughout the school year. Three sizes are included.

Introduce Summaries with Familiar Read Aloud Books

When introducing summaries, I like to use informational books or articles that we previously
read. I model summary writing with a book that I know the students are familiar with, or
even informational magazines like Time for Kids. Then have them practice with other books
that I have read aloud. This is because I know they already understand the main idea in the
books that we have read. This allows them to focus on writing a summary, rather than
reading the book for understanding.

Informational texts and authors that I like to use that have been previously read include:
• Time For Kids magazine (also online articles from TFK)
• Anything written by Gail Gibbons or Seymour Simon
• National Geographic Book Series
• Rookie Readers
• I Can Read (highest level readers)
• let’s Read and Find Out Series

Pre-Assessment and Post Assessment

Before beginning this unit, use the main idea graphic organizer as a preassessment. If
students are able to find and support the main idea then they are ready for nonfiction
summary instruction. To use this, simply read aloud any informational text and have students
complete the organizer independently. At the end of your nonfiction summary unit, reread
the same article and have students write a nonfiction j9schneider@thinkgrowgiggle

summary.
 Teacher Suggestions
Interesting vs Important Information
My students always benefit from lessons on distinguishing the difference between
interesting and important information. This is critical when they are writing
summaries. A great book to use for this is, Henry’s Freedom Box by Ellen levine.
As we read, we chart information into an Interesting vs Important Tchart. This book
and activity helps students distinguish the difference, and improve their summary
writing, to include only important information.

Practice Sheets and Task Cards

Practice sheets can be used at any time to review summary writing in class, informal
assessment, or as homework. Task card directions are included in the pack.

Click the image below to visit my blog for more summary instruction
and other reading lesson ideas, too.

Enjoy! j9schneider@thinkgrowgiggle
 Thank You!
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Hi, I’m Jeanine from Think Grow Giggle! I have loved

spending the past 17 years in the classroom teaching! I
graduated with a bachelor degree in Elementary
Education and American Studies. I hold two master’s
degrees; one in educational technology and one in
reading instruction. I am currently teaching 5th graders
after spending 16 years teaching 3rd graders. I am
certified to be both a classroom teacher and reading
specialist. I enjoy living by the beach on Long Island and
spending free time with my husband and children.

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NF Summary

Fiction
Summary
 Name: Date:
Text Title: Author:

MAIN IDEA AND SUPPORTING DETAILS

Main Idea

Supporting Detail Supporting Detail Supporting Detail

j9schneider@thinkgrowgiggle
 HOW TO
Summarize
Nonfiction
READ
Read and gather important
information about the topic, main idea,
and supporting details.

PAUSE
Ask yourself,
Does this information support the
main idea of the article or text?
j9schneider@thinkgrowgiggle

WRITE
Record your summary
using your own words to
reflect the main idea and
supporting details.
 SUMMARIZING NF
helps you...
Remember the main idea
and supporting details.

Distinguish interesting
from important
information.
j9schneider@thinkgrowgiggle

Talk about
the key points
of the text or
article
with other readers.
Summar vs.
RlTlll
y *RE-tells the
entire article
*Focuses on or
the main idea informational
of an text.
informational *Long with too
text.
*Written in the
reader’s own details.
words.
*Includes specific
*Short and focused. facts to support
main idea.
*Includes key
points-topic
statement,
main idea,
supporting
many unneeded *Includes the
facts. author’s
exact words.

j9schneider@thinkgrowgiggle
Important vs.INTlRlSTI
NG
*Main idea *Facts or
of the information
informationa that you
l text or did not
article know
*Information before,
that not
supports the related
main idea directly to
(Important) the main
 idea

j9schneider@thinkgrowgiggle
IMPORTANT pg # INTERESTINGpg #
Student Sheet for Independent Reading

j9schneider@thinkgrowgiggle

Name: Date:
Text Title: Author:
 Name: Date:
Text Title: Author:

SUMMARIZING NONFICTION
The main idea was . . .

1st detail to support the main idea…

2nd detail to support the main idea…

3rd detail to support the main idea…

j9schneider@thinkgrowgiggle

Use the information above to write a nonfiction summary on the back.

 Student Sheet for Independent Reading

Name: Date:
Text Title: Author:

Good readers collect important parts of the text as

they read by identifying the main idea.

Directions: Complete the chart as you read. Be sure to pause your reading to
collect important information. When you are done write a summary on the next
page.

Important Information I Read

(include pg# or paragraph#)
Main Idea

Supporting
Detail

Supporting
Detail

Supporting
Detail

Supporting
Detail

j9schneider@thinkgrowgiggle
 Student Sheet for Independent Reading

Name: Date:
Text Title: Author:

Good readers collect important parts of the text as

they read by identifying the main idea.

Directions: Use the information from your main idea and supporting
details chart to write a summary.

Reread and check your summary. Does it only include important

information? How do you know?

Create an illustration on the back to match your summary.

j9schneider@thinkgrowgiggle
 Service dogs can help people Giraffes are very unique and
in many ways. A guide dog is one large animals. Their long body
type of service dog. These dogs parts help them to survive in the
help blind people complete daily wild. Giraffes have long legs. Their
tasks safely. Some things guide long legs help them to run up to
dogs help their owners with speeds of 35 mph. This animal is
include getting dressed, moving able to run in short spurts at this
around their house, and crossing speed several times a day. This
the street. Service dogs also help helps them to escape predators.
people who are sick, lonely, or Giraffes also have long tongues.
sad. These types of service dogs Their long tongues are critical
cheer people up and help them to in helping them eat. Using
feel better. A service dog needs their tongues, giraffes are able
to go through special training to to pull leaves off of the acacia
help people. If a dog is in training trees in the savannahs that

j9schneider@thinkgrowgiggle
to be a service dog, they wear a j9schneider@thinkgrowgiggle
they live.
special coat or harness to show Giraffes sleep less than two hours
they are being trained to help a day. Do you think that is
people in different ways. enough time to rest their large
bodies?
1 2

Some people believe that stars Earth.

are just beautiful pieces of light
that can be seen in space. But 3
did you know that stars are
actually giant balls of gas that
were formed in outer space?
When clouds of dust and gas
swirl through the universe they
collect together over time into a
large mass. That mass of dust
and gas can get very hot and
heavy. If it gets too hot and
heavy it goes through nuclear
fusion, the process to become a
star. Once this process happens,
the gas and dust that once
j9schneider@thinkgrowgiggle

floated around space connects

and form a star. If a star is hot, it
will appear white or blue from
 Many people are afraid of
spiders. This is probably because
people think that spiders are
dangerous.
This is not true. Spiders are
helpful creatures, not harmful
creatures. Spiders eat insects
which is important to helping
keep our homes, parks, and
farms free of insects. One
spider can eat up to 2,000
insects in a year! Without spiders
gobbling up these insects, our
neighborhoods would be covered
with flies and mosquitoes. Out of
all the 35,000 species of spiders,
only 25 can harm humans, with
only two spiders being
venomous. These two are called
the black widow spider and the
brown recluse spider.
4
j9schneider@thinkgrowgiggle
 NF Summarizing Skill Practice
Name: Date:

Summarizing Nonfiction
Directions: Read the passage below. As you read, mark the important information that should be
included in a summary. When you are done, write a summary below.
When you hear the word apple, you probably picture yourself eating a
bright red, juicy apple! But did you know that there are several other
ways to use apples besides eating them? Apples can also be used to help
brush and floss your teeth. An apple’s firmness helps to remove particles
and stains that are on your teeth. An apple can also be used to cure a
headache. Green apples have a certain aroma that have been proven to
help ease mild headaches. By simply sniffing a green apple, you can feel
much better! Lastly, an apple can also be used to help moisten skin and
get rid of dry skin and some rashes. All you have to do is peel the apple,
finely chop the it and apply it to your dry skin. The next time you
hear someone mention the word apple, remember that
apples are helpful and can be used for more than just
eating.

Write a summary using any strategy.

j9schneider@thinkgrowgiggle
 NF Summarizing Skill Practice
Name: Date:

Summarizing Nonfiction
Directions: Read the passage below. As you read, mark the important information that should be
included in a summary. When you are done, write a summary below.
When an animal is extinct, it means that they are no longer living. When an
animal is extinct, it can never come back. There are many different species of
animals that are in danger of becoming extinct. When an animal is danger of
becoming extinct it is called endangered. Animals become endangered for
many different reasons. The top reasons are hunting, habitat destruction,
pollution, and deforestation. Deforestation is when trees and forests are
cleared away to build something new in its place, like homes or shopping
centers. When an animal’s habitat is taken away, the animal itself is in high
risk of becoming eliminated since it no longer has a home. When one species is
gone, many others become in danger of extinction, as well. We must all work
together to save the endangered animals. Scientists explore the habitats of
endangered
species. They study what is causing problems to both the habitat
and the species, hoping to find different ways to help each animal
species thrive instead of die.

Write a summary using any strategy.

j9schneider@thinkgrowgiggle