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Summary Challenge

Grade:

3-5, 6-8, 9-12

Uses:

Review of Content or Skill

/ Preview and Engage

Check for Understanding

/ Self-Assessment and Reflection

Materials:

Summary Challenge handout, printed copies of a selected text (one per student), writing utensils

Description

Students read a text passage, brainstorm key ideas, and then create concise summaries that capture the text’s central idea.

Preparation

Select a short text or excerpt from Britannica School, Britannica Library, or another source related to your learning objective, theme, or unit of study.

Implementation

Tell students they will write a 6- to 10-word summary about the selected text passage. Distribute a Summary Challenge handout and the printed text to each student. Instruct students to first read the text carefully and then use the Brainstorm section of the handout to jot down key words or concepts that stand out to them. Remind students that effective summaries capture the main idea, not just interesting details. After brainstorming, have students craft their 6- to 10-word summary in the designated space. Allow adequate time for this independent task. When students are finished, have them pair up to share and discuss their summaries. Close the activity by inviting volunteers to read their summaries aloud and recording key ideas on the board.

Teaching Tips

Consider selecting texts with clear main ideas for students who are new to summarizing. Model writing a one-sentence summary about a familiar topic before this activity to familiarize students with the process.
Encourage students to write multiple drafts and then select their best version. This teaches revision and word choice without overwhelming students.
To extend the activity, refer to Teach Britannica summary-writing instructional strategies and graphic organizers, such as Build a Summary, Summarization Note-Taking, and Paraphrasing.

Supporting All Learners

For students needing extra support: Provide a word bank of powerful verbs and key content vocabulary from the text. Consider allowing students to create summaries that use 8–12 words.

For advanced learners: Challenge students to create multiple summaries that emphasize different aspects of the text (e.g., main idea, author’s purpose) while maintaining the word limit. Invite students to proofread each other’s summaries and provide feedback.

For multilingual learners: Provide students with word banks to support the summary-writing process, including bilingual vocabulary lists for key terms in the text. Offer brief sentence frames for task initiation (e.g., “This text explains…” or “The main idea is…”).

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

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