While there are different levels of summarization-from a thorough Have students
summarization of a main idea and supporting details, to a one or two- write a one- word summarization-One Sentence Summary falls between the two sentence extremes. Using this strategy, students summarize the main idea and summary after a vital details in one sentence. direct teach portion of a lesson, lecture, Steps for Implementing This Strategy video, quest, 1. Teach each type of One-Sentence Summary, modeling how to speaker, etc. summarize using content that is already familiar to the student. Use at the (You may teach one sentence type at a time or all at once beginning of the depending on students skills.) lesson to activate prior knowledge 2. Read content specific text, then model selecting one of the or as a closure summarization sentences and summarizing the information. activity at the end 3. Write summaries together before having students write One- of a lesson. Sentence summaries independently. Can be completed orally, used as a 4. Students require many examples and practices before being journal entry, or expected to use independently. written on a post-it. Example Can be used to summarize, One-Sentence Summary Template describe, sequence, Description A __________ is a kind of _________ that ______________. compare and contrast and show Sequence problem/solution. _______ begins with, continues with _______ and ends with _______.
Compare/Contrast ____ and ____ are similar in that both ____, but ______ while _____.
Problem/Solution __________ wanted _______ but ______ so ___________.
2009, Stetson & Associates, Inc.
Adapted from: Comprehension Shouldnt be Silent, M. Kelley and N. Clausen-Grace, 2007. Creating Independence Through Student-Owned Strategies, C. Santa, L. Havens, B. Valdes, 2004.