Summarizing and Finding Main Idea

What is a summary?

• a short explanation of a text

• a theme or universal lesson

• a persuasive argument about a text

• the supporting details in a passage

A good summary contains all of the following EXCEPT:

• the 5 W's

• main ideas

• BME

• opinions

Tags

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

Main Idea stands for:

• most important

• major idiom

• metaphor imagery

• main inference

You should write a summary:

• in your own words using main ideas from the text

• by copying the first and last sentence in each paragraph

• by identifying all of the supporting details in the passage

Summaries should include opinions.

• true

• false

• sometimes

A synonym for subject is:

• topic

• detail

• opinion

• summary

Which question would be most helpful for figuring out the main idea of a book?

• what is the main thing that the author wants to say?

• what else do I know about the subject?

• who is the author of the passage?

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RI.6.6

CCSS.RL.6.2

The article "The Three Men Who Invented the Telephone" is about three men who contributed to the invention of the telephone. Which of the following should you include in a summary of the article?

• details about how smart phones and cell phones work

• your opinion about who contributed the most to inventing the telephone

• a brief explanation about how each man was involved in the invention

Little Red Riding Hood set out to bring a basket of food to her sick grandmother, who lived in the woods. A sly wolf spotted her walking and saw her as easy prey. He ran ahead to the grandmother's house and locked her up. Then, he dressed up in her clothes. When Little Red arrived, she was almost fooled. She quickly ran to get a woodcutter working nearby who killed the wolf. Little Red was then able to save her grandmother, and all was well.

What is the best summary of this fairy tale?

• Little Red went to visit her grandmother, who was sick. She decided to bring a basket with her to her grandmother's house. A wolf saw her walking, and watched where she went. A woodcutter was also working nearby in the forest.

• Little Red went to bring supplies to her sick grandmother, but a wolf got to the house first. He attempted a trick, but Little Red was able to get help from a woodcutter nearby. That put an end to the wolf's tricks, and the day was saved.

Oranges have an interesting history. They likely originated in Asia, either in India or China. Spanish travelers brought the fruit to the Americas in the 1500s. There are bitter oranges and sweet oranges. I like to use bitter oranges to make jelly. Oranges are packed with Vitamin C, a fact that historically made them a popular food among sailors.

• "They likely originated in Asia..."

• "...that historically made them a popular food among sailors"

• "I like to use bitter oranges to make jelly"