These are the four characters that we met today during reading. Most importantly, these characters represent the four different types of summaries. When writing and/or picking out summaries that the "test gods" create and assess, it is important to know that there is a specific kind of summary they are looking for. Enter todays lesson: How to PICK a good summary. I originally got this great lesson idea a while back from Ms. Noran over at www.mylifeasathirdgradeteacher.com/
Poor Granny, she means well, but she writes such LONG Summaries that she cannot even stay awake during them. She tells EVERYTHING about the story, going into great detail about the beginning, middle, and end. Listening to her is like rereading the entire book.
Shorty
The TOTAL opposite of Granny, Shorty's retelling of a story leaves out EVERYTHING! They are too short, too vague, and really don't tell you anything. The important plot points are missing and you are left having no clue what the story was about.
Silly Sally
Being a fun loving cheerleader, Sally is very talkative, friendly, and a bit boy crazy. She like, LOVES telling stories, but they aren't like exactly always on track. She often gets like off topic while telling her stories and tends to like exaggerate a lot. Her connections to what she has read are often shallow and don't like really connect with what the author was trying to tell her.
Detective Dan
Like all good detectives, Dan always asks the right questions, such as, WHO was involved? WHAT was the problem? WHERE and WHEN did the event take place? WHY did the character do what they did? WHAT is the author trying to tell the reader? HOW did you feel about the story?
Dan, as you can see, is the correct summary - it answers all the important questions, shares important details, but does not go into great depth.
After meeting our eccentric characters, we drew pictures of them in our notebooks to help use remember what kind of summaries they represented.
Finally, the kids worked together with their partners to identify DETECTIVE DAN summaries on a mock assessment. I reminded them that it is not as much about finding Shorty, Granny, or silly Sally, if it is wrong don't worry about which wrong - just find DAN!
Like Ms. Noran said, this is a FABULOUS lesson for someone who is willing to dress up and go wild with their kids.
They definitely LOVE it and remember it forever if you've got the guts ;0)
On a Side Note:
During recess a few days ago, I left school to grab some lunch, it took me quite a bit of time to uncover my car from the amount of snow that had accumulated throughout the morning. Upon return, I lifted my windshield wipers up so they would not freeze. Then it hit me .... I went in and found some willing kiddos to help me on our "secret snow elf mission" We went back out and lifted all the windshield wipers on all the cars in the parking lot to help their drivers when they finally left at the end of the day!
Secret Snow Elves in ACTION
They definitely LOVE it and remember it forever if you've got the guts ;0)
On a Side Note:
During recess a few days ago, I left school to grab some lunch, it took me quite a bit of time to uncover my car from the amount of snow that had accumulated throughout the morning. Upon return, I lifted my windshield wipers up so they would not freeze. Then it hit me .... I went in and found some willing kiddos to help me on our "secret snow elf mission" We went back out and lifted all the windshield wipers on all the cars in the parking lot to help their drivers when they finally left at the end of the day!
Secret Snow Elves in ACTION
I LOVE all of the dress up fun! They'll never forget it!
ReplyDeleteThese visual and catchy categories will be so memorable compared to dull lectures about how to write well. The irony that lectures don't often take their own advice, but yours do. I also heard about "popcorn dialogue" -- the meandering back-and-forth talking that stalls a story. We were noticing how JK Rowling uses narrative spliced with dialogue. One description of Hagrid's house made Madelyn exclaim, "Mrs. Bermingham would love the way this is written." You're a marvel. Would you lead workshops for the district? :-)
ReplyDeleteJennifer, truly, I am humbled, thank you! - it is the children, your child, who are the true learners. The mind of a child is so incredible, our job as teachers is to simply awaken it:) I am so glad to hear that Madelyn is making such strong connections and discussing her learning! I am definitely going to check out that description!!!
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