Summarize Central Ideas

7/27/2019 Summarize Central Ideas

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COMMON CORE: LiteracyLessons

for

Social

Studies

Educators

ReadingStandard2. SUMMARIZECENTRALIDEAS

ReadingStandards:Gr.68 ReadingStandard:Gr.910 ReadingStandard:Gr.1112

2. SUMMARIZE CENTRAL IDEASDetermine the central ideas orinformation from a primary or secondarysource; provide an accurate summary ofthe source, distinct from prior knowledgeor opinions.

Determine the central ideas orinformation from a primary or secondarysource; provide an accurate summaryof how key events or ideas developed

over the course of the text.

Determine the central ideas orinformation from a primary or secondarysource; provide an accurate summarythat makes clear the relationships

among the key details and ideas.

Overview: Understandingthetopicofatextualpassage,thegist,orthecentralidea(s)ofatextbook

chapter,anarticle,orprimarysourceisasophisticatedreadingtask.Beingabletodrawconclusions,

evaluate,andcriticallyinterprettextisimportantforoverallcomprehensioninreading.Textbook

chapters,articles,andevenindividualparagraphsallhavemain(central)ideas.Thetopicofatextisthe

broad,generaltheme.Itiswhatsomecallthesubject.Themain(central)ideaisthe"keyconcept"

beingexpressedorthemessage.Details,whethermajorandminor,supportthecentralideabytelling

how,what,when,where,why,andhow.Locatingthemainideaandsupportingdetailshelpsastudent

understandthepoint(s)thewriterisattemptingtoexpress.

LessonIdeas:

1. Aparagraphisagroupofsentencesrelatedtoaparticulartopic. Everyparagraphhasakeyconcept

ormainidea.Themainideaisthemostimportantpieceofinformationtheauthorwantsyoutoknow

abouttheconceptofthatparagraph. Awriterwillstatehis/hermainideaexplicitlysomewhereinthe

paragraph.Thatmainideamaybestatedatthebeginningoftheparagraph,inthemiddle,orattheend.

Thesentence

in

which

the

main

idea

is

stated

is

the

topic

sentence

of

that

paragraph.

Read

one

paragraphfromthestudenttextbookorprimarysource. UsingtheThink,Pair,Sharestrategy,ask

students,workingindividually,theninpairs,tounderlinewithahighlighterthestatementorphrase

whichstudentsbelievetobethetopicsentenceexpressingthecentralideaoftheentireparagraph.Ask

studentpairstosharewiththeclasstheirfindings.Doeseverypairagree?Whyorwhynot?Dostudents

see patterns used by one author? (For example is the topic sentence always found at the beginning of


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studentstosummarizethemainideasofeachindividualparagraphofatext,intheirownwordsin20

wordsorless.Allowstudentstoworkinpairs,ifdesired,discussinghowbesttosummarizethe

informationinashort20wordorlessstatement.UsetheGISTtemplatetochartouttheentire

textbook

section

or

multi

paragraph

primary

source.

3. Teachingstudentsstructuredapproachestonotetakingofvitalinformationfromprimaryor

secondarysourcesisanexcellenttoolforbothlearningthecontent,aswellassummarizingcentralideas

necessaryforcomplexreadingcomprehension. TheCornell(twocolumn)notetakingstrategyisthe

mostwellresearchedandcommonlyusedstrategyinsecondaryandcollegeclassrooms.Itcanbe

adaptedandusedeffectivelyforstudentsofallages.

4.To

support

an

active

level

in

reading

and

summarizing

text

involving

the

pairing

of

good

readers

with

strugglingreaders,usethehighlystructuredSixStepPairedReadingandNoteTakingstrategywhich

encouragesstudentstointeractwithtextastheyofferbriefsummarizationsofchunkedtextual

passagesinaverynonthreateningenvironment.

5.Teachstudentshowtocreateformaloutlinesoftheirsummariesfromtextualreading(notes)asa

methodtovisuallyseethestructureoftheauthorsmainideasandsupportingdetails(evidence,facts,

reasoning,

examples,

etc.)

Most

textbooks

and

secondary

sources

are

written

with

the

first

or

last

sentenceofeachparagraphbeingthetopicsentence.Identifyingthesetopicsentencesfirstwillhelp

guidetheconstructionaformaloutline. FollowupbydevelopingaformaloutlineforthearticleEffects

oftheDeclarationofIndependenceinordertomodeltheoutliningprocess.(Tip:Formaloutlineswhich

requirestudentstowritecompletesentencesaremoreeffectiveasareadingcomprehensionstrategy

becauseitrequiresadeeperthoughtprocessasstudentsrestatethecentralideasintheirownwords

andcompletethoughts.)

6.TheCentralIdeaConceptMapisvisualstrategyeffectiveforgraphicallyorganizingtherelationships

ofkeydetailstocentralideas.Usethisgraphicorganizertodemonstratehowshort,summary

statementscanbedevelopedoverthecourseofatextualreading.Usethegraphicorganizerto

trace/discussthedevelopmentofanauthorsideathroughouttheentiretextualpassage. Forexample,

usingtheCentralIdeaConceptMap,tracetheideaofthegloballegacyofAmericanidealsthrough

selectedportionsofthearticle,EffectsoftheDeclarationofIndependence.


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INCONGRESS,JULY4,1776

Theunanimous

Declaration

of

the

thirteen

united

States

of

America

(Paragraph1.)WhenintheCourseofhumaneventsitbecomesnecessaryforonepeopletodissolvethepoliticalbandswhichhaveconnectedthemwithanotherandtoassumeamongthepowersofthe

earth,theseparateandequalstationtowhichtheLawsofNatureandofNature'sGodentitlethem,a

decentrespecttotheopinionsofmankindrequiresthattheyshoulddeclarethecauseswhichimpel

themtotheseparation.

(Paragraph2.)Weholdthesetruthstobeselfevident,thatallmenarecreatedequal,thattheyareendowedbytheirCreatorwithcertainunalienableRights,thatamongtheseareLife,Libertyandthe

pursuitofHappiness.Thattosecuretheserights,GovernmentsareinstitutedamongMen,deriving

theirjustpowersfromtheconsentofthegoverned,ThatwheneveranyFormofGovernment

becomesdestructiveoftheseends,itistheRightofthePeopletoalterortoabolishit,andtoinstitute

newGovernment,layingitsfoundationonsuchprinciplesandorganizingitspowersinsuchform,asto

themshallseemmostlikelytoeffecttheirSafetyandHappiness.

(Paragraph3.)Prudence,indeed,willdictatethatGovernmentslongestablishedshouldnotbechangedforlightandtransientcauses;andaccordinglyallexperiencehathshewnthatmankindaremore

disposedtosuffer,whileevilsaresufferablethantorightthemselvesbyabolishingtheformstowhich

theyareaccustomed.Butwhenalongtrainofabusesandusurpations,pursuinginvariablythesame

ObjectevincesadesigntoreducethemunderabsoluteDespotism,itistheirright,itistheirduty,to

throwoffsuchGovernment,andtoprovidenewGuardsfortheirfuturesecurity.Suchhasbeenthe

patientsufferance

of

these

Colonies;

and

such

is

now

the

necessity

which

constrains

them

to

alter

their

formerSystemsofGovernment.

(Paragraph4.)ThehistoryofthepresentKingofGreatBritainisahistoryofrepeatedinjuriesandusurpations,allhavingindirectobjecttheestablishmentofanabsoluteTyrannyovertheseStates.To

provethis,letFactsbesubmittedtoacandidworld.

Line4.1HehasrefusedhisAssenttoLaws,themostwholesomeandnecessaryforthepublicgood.Line4.2HehasforbiddenhisGovernorstopassLawsofimmediateandpressingimportanceLine4.3HehasdissolvedRepresentativeHousesrepeatedly,foropposingwithmanlyfirmnesshisinvasionsontherightsofthepeople


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Line4.8ForimposingTaxesonuswithoutourConsentLine

4.9

For

depriving

us

in

many

cases,

of

the

benefit

of

Trial

by

Jury

Line4.10Hehasplunderedourseas,ravagedourcoasts,burntourtowns,anddestroyedthelivesofourpeople

Line4.11Hehasexciteddomesticinsurrectionsamongstus,andhasendeavouredtobringontheinhabitantsofourfrontiers,themercilessIndianSavages

Line4.12

In

every

stage

of

these

Oppressions

We

have

Petitioned

for

Redress

in

the

most

humble

terms:

OurrepeatedPetitionshavebeenansweredonlybyrepeatedinjury

(Paragraph5.)We,therefore,theRepresentativesoftheunitedStatesofAmerica,inGeneralCongress,Assembled,appealingtotheSupremeJudgeoftheworldfortherectitudeofourintentions,do,inthe

Name,andbyAuthorityofthegoodPeopleoftheseColonies,solemnlypublishanddeclare,Thatthese

unitedColoniesare,andofRightoughttobeFreeandIndependentStates,thattheyareAbsolvedfrom

allAllegiancetotheBritishCrown,andthatallpoliticalconnectionbetweenthemandtheStateofGreat

Britain,isandoughttobetotallydissolved;andthatasFreeandIndependentStates,theyhavefull

PowertolevyWar,concludePeace,contractAlliances,establishCommerce,andtodoallotherActsand

ThingswhichIndependentStatesmayofrightdo.AndforthesupportofthisDeclaration,withafirm

relianceontheprotectionofDivineProvidence,wemutuallypledgetoeachotherourLives,our

Fortunes,andoursacredHonor.

NewHampshire:JosiahBartlett,WilliamWhipple,MatthewThornton

Massachusetts:JohnHancock,SamuelAdams,JohnAdams,RobertTreatPaine,ElbridgeGerry

RhodeIsland:StephenHopkins,WilliamEllery

Connecticut:RogerSherman,SamuelHuntington,WilliamWilliams,OliverWolcott

NewYork:WilliamFloyd,PhilipLivingston,FrancisLewis,LewisMorris

NewJersey:RichardStockton,JohnWitherspoon,FrancisHopkinson,JohnHart,AbrahamClark

Pennsylvania:Robert

Morris,

Benjamin

Rush,

Benjamin

Franklin,

John

Morton,

George

Clymer,

James

Smith,GeorgeTaylor,JamesWilson,GeorgeRoss

Delaware:CaesarRodney,GeorgeRead,ThomasMcKean

Maryland:SamuelChase,WilliamPaca,ThomasStone,CharlesCarrollofCarrollton

Virginia:GeorgeWythe,RichardHenryLee,ThomasJefferson,BenjaminHarrison,ThomasNelson,Jr.,

Francis Lightfoot Lee Carter Braxton


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Think, pair, share

Overview:

This strategy allows students to individually evaluate information prior to sharing theirdiscoveries with fellow members of the class. The process becomes one which moves

from quiet contemplation to class debates over the varying perspectives of class members

toward the same set of data. Students will have time to think before having to share their

ideas and eventually all students will have the opportunity to rehearse in pairs beforetalking to the whole group.

Materials:

Data to examine, charts, photos, short readings, etc.

Paper and pencil or chart paper and markers

Procedure:

1. Students are given a topic or a question and are given time to individually reflect

on the topic or question and write down their responses.

2. Students are then asked to share their responses with one partner. This couldinvolve putting their response together to form a shared response.

3. Students could then share their responses to the whole class.


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GIST

The ability to distill a lengthy paragraph, passage, or article into itsessential ideas is the mark of a proficient reader in any content area.

Moreover, writing a summary enhances students' reading comprehension. Yet,writing a coherent summary is more difficult than one might assume. It is far

more complex than simply copying a text passage verbatim into a notebook.Rather a coherent summary requires a student to select key information by

deciding what to leave out, what to include, and how best to organize this

information in a memorable fashion. Learning to write summaries in a content classroom can best beaccomplished through a carefully guided sequence of instruction like the one that follows. A number

of strategies for teaching students to summarize text effectively have been developed and explored. Astrategy called GIST (which denotes "generating interactions between schemata and text,") can

effectively improve students' reading comprehension and summary writing.

Procedure:

1. (Modeling) Select a short passage in a chapter that has an important main idea. A passage of three to

five paragraphs is ideal. These paragraphs should be typed on an overhead transparency.

Place the transparency on the overhead and display only the first paragraph (cover the otherparagraphs). Put 20 blanks on the chalkboard. Have students read the paragraph and instruct them to

write a 20 word (or less' summary in their own words.

2. As a class, have students generate a composite summary on the board in 20 or fewer words. Theirindividual summaries will function as guides for this process.

3. Reveal the next paragraph of the text and have students generate a summary statement of 20 or

fewer words that encompasses both of the first two paragraphs.

4. Continue this procedure paragraph by paragraph until students have produced a gist statement forthe entire passage under consideration. In time, they will be able to generate gist statements across

paragraphs without the intermediate steps. By restricting the length of students' GIST summaries, the

teacher compels the students to use the three major strategies necessary for comprehension andretention of key ideas in any text. They must delete trivial information, select key ideas, and generalize

in their own words. Thus, GIST produces dual benefits by advancing students reading comprehension

and writing fluency.

5. After modeling, the teacher can assign students to work either individually or in groups to create

GIST statements, summarizing a few paragraphs or an entire reading. IF student groups compose GIST

statements, the teacher might wish to display their results and conduct a class discussion evaluatingtheir strengths and weaknesses in including major, pertinent elements of the reading.


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Formal Outlines

Summarizing information takes a more rigid in a formal outline. The formaloutline actually VISUALLY displays the relationships among ideas in an orderlyfashion. A formal outline can be a topic outline (incomplete thoughts andpassages or key words) or a sentence outline. (Using a sentence outline format is

a stronger instructional strategy to reinforce reading comprehension in the content areas!)

Formal Outline PatternTopic : ___________________________________________________I. First main (central) idea

A. First subdivision of the main (central) idea

1. First fact, example, or reason used to support the main (central idea)a. One additional supporting detailb. Second additional supporting detail

2. Second fact, example, or reason used to support the main (central idea)a. One additional supporting detailb. Second additional supporting detail

B. Second subdivision of the main (central) idea


2. Second fact, example, or reason used to support the main (central idea)a. One additional supporting detail

b. Second additional supporting detail

II. Second main (central) idea

A. First subdivision of the main (central) idea


2. Second fact, example, or reason used to support the main (central idea)a. One additional supporting detailb. Second additional supporting detail

B. Second subdivision of the main (central) idea


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SIXSTEPPAIREDNOTETAKING

STEPS: TIPS: Student

Responsibility:

Textbook:

1.READ Studentssilentlyreadsmallchunkoftext.(Teachercallstimeafter1minute.)

Independent OPEN

2.SUMMARIZE

Partner#1verballysummarizesallhe/sheremembersofimportancefromthechunkoftext. (Teachercallstimeafter 1minute.)

Partner#1

CLOSED

3.ADD Partner#2mayaccesstexttoverballyadd importantinformation

omitted

by

Partner#1.(Teachercallstimeafter 30seconds.)

Partner#2 OPEN

4.NOTE Individualstudentsjotdownallimportantinformationhe/sherecallsfromthechunkoftext.(Teachercallstimeafter

1

minute.)

Independent CLOSED

5.SHARE Partnerssharenotes,discussingcommonalities.(Teachercallstimeafter 1minute.)

Partners CLOSED

6.CHECK Partnersmayaccesstexttoidentifyanyremainingimportantinformationtheywishtoincludeintheirnotes.(Teacherallowsfortime,asneededbeforerepeatingtheprocessfornextchunkoftext.)

Partners OPEN


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EffectsoftheDeclarationofIndependence

Where better to begin analyzing the impact of the United States than at the beginning,

with the Declaration of Independence? No document is as familiar to students or so

deeply entwined with what it means to be an American. The "self-evident truths" it

proclaimed to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" have guaranteed it a significant

place in our culture; a testament to the special qualities of our people. Little wonder,

then, that it stands as a cornerstone of Americans' sense of uniqueness.

In the latter half of the 18th

century, the Age of Reason, as it was called, was spreading

rapidly across Europe. Scientists and writers like John Locke were challenging the old

order. Newton's laws of gravity and motion described the world in terms of natural laws.

In the wake of political turmoil in England, Locke asserted the right of a people to

change a government that did not protect natural rights of life, liberty and property. In

America, intellectuals were reading these ideas as well.

However, it is the Declaration of Independence which remains the one document that

frequently served as the inspiration for most all other anti-imperial and anti-colonial

independence movements for over two centuries. The Declaration was quickly

translated into major languages and immediately sparked serious discussion in Europe

and Latin America about the legitimacy of empires. By 1826, fifty years after the

drafting, twenty nations already had declarations of independence modeled on it.

The great majority of the declarations of independence issued after 1776 made direct

reference to the American Declaration. For example, a great admirer of the American

Revolution, Francisco de Miranda, proclaimed on July 5, 1811, that the United

Provinces of Venezuela now stood "among the sovereign nations of the earth the rank

which the Supreme Being has assigned us" as "Free, Sovereign and Independent

States". Likewise, the Texas Declaration of Independence of 1836 affirmed the

necessity of "severing our political connection with the Mexican people, and assuming

an independent attitude among the peoples of the earth. Similarly, The Declaration of

Sentiments, 1948, mirroring both the language and ideals as claimed in the American

Declaration, was the first summary of the complaints and agenda of what has become

known as the womans rights movement


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CentralIdeaSummary:

ParagraphTopicSentence: ParagraphTopicSentence:ParagraphTopicSentence:ParagraphTopicSentence:

Summarizedetailssupportingtopicsentence:




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Summarize Central Ideas