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Skim and Summarize

Grade:

3-5, 6-8, 9-12

Uses:

Review of Content or Skill

/ Current Events Connection

Check for Understanding

Materials:

Skim and Summarize handout, devices such as Chromebooks or tablets (one per student), selected informational text, and writing utensils

Description

Students read an informational text and write a structured summary identifying the main idea and two supporting details.

Preparation

Select relevant informational texts from Britannica School, Britannica Library, or Britannica In the News! (elementary or middle), or allow students to choose their own reading materials.

Implementation

Distribute the Skim and Summarize handout to students, and show them where to find the selected text on their devices. Explain that they will have about 5 minutes to read the text and then another 5 minutes to write a three-sentence summary identifying the main idea and two supporting details.

Teaching Tips

Set up the classroom to maximize student focus (e.g., students should put away cell phones, the classroom should be quiet, and students could be allowed to sit in comfortable, quiet corners with pillows or beanbag chairs).
For additional variations or ways to extend this activity, consider using the Teach Britannica Six-Word Summary instructional strategy or Main Idea and Detail graphic organizer.
For accountability, have students note paragraph numbers where they found their evidence.

Supporting All Learners

For students needing additional support: Provide sentence frames (e.g., “The main idea is…,” “One supporting detail is…,” “Another detail that supports this is…”).

For advanced learners: Ask students to analyze how the supporting details connect to each other.

For multilingual learners: Provide key vocabulary with definitions before reading, or encourage them to use the double-click dictionary or translation features available in Britannica School and Britannica Library.

Note: Provide accommodations and modifications based on your learners’ needs to ensure full participation.

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