Main Idea and Summarizing

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

Main Idea stands for:

• most important

• major idiom

• metaphor imagery

• main inference

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

True or false, a summary should be written in your own words.

• True

• False

What is a summary?

• When you tell the whole book.

• When you tell the most interesting ideas of any text using your own words.

• When you ask questions about a text.

• When you tell the most important ideas of any text using your own words.

Squids are one of the oceans coolest creatures. They protect themselves in a very unique way. Rather than using venom, teeth, or strength, squids use black ink. When this creature feels as if it is being threatened by predator, it simply releases this ink. The ink makes the water around it cloudy and dark. The murky water allows the squid to escape its predator by using their arms and siphon to propel itself.

What is the best summary of the selection?

• When a quid feels threatened, they let out dark stuff that helps hide them. When they are hidden, they cannot be eaten by their predators.

• Squids are the coolest ocean animal. Unlike most other ocean animals, these creatures use a different method of escaping their predators.

• Squids do not use venom or teeth to escape their predators. They use black ink.

• Squids are unique by the way they protect themselves from predators. They use black ink that makes the water cloudy and hard to see. While the water is cloudy, the squid swims away.

What is the best summary of these directions?

• This project takes a lot of time and materials.

• It is simple to build a bottle rocket with only a few household items.

• Bottle rockets are fun to make.

• It can be difficult to build a bottle rocket.

What is the best summary for the caption?

• You can stay in one of the original cabins at the park.

• The history of the park is lengthy.

• There are still original buildings at the park.

• There's no more buildings at the park.

What is the best summary of the directions section of the recipe?

• The oven should be preheated, all ingredients mixed together, and cooked.

• The recipe only calls for 6 ingredients

• The recipe is only 5 steps to make

• this recipe is rated highly