Summarizing | Grade 3 ELA | FAST Success Kit

Florida B.E.S.T. Standard

ELA.3.R.3.2

Summarize a text to enhance comprehension.

Include: Characters, Setting, Problem, Key Events, Solution, Theme (lesson)

Include: Topic, Central Idea, Most Important Details, Key Facts

Somebody

Who is the main character?

Wanted

What did they want?

But

What was the problem?

What did they do?

Then

How did it end?

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5-day lesson plan, SWBST strategy, common misconceptions, question stems

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Summary vs. retelling comparison, SWBST introduction with "The Lost Kitten" story

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4 passages (fiction & nonfiction), 14 questions covering key vs. minor details

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2 passages with 10 test-format questions - mirrors actual FAST assessment

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TV summaries, bedtime stories, book jacket activity (includes Spanish)

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Complete answers with explanations, rubric for written responses, scoring guide

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Shrink Ray Analogy: Tell students a summary is like using a shrink ray—you keep the most important parts but make it much smaller!

Would It Change the Story?: Ask "If we left this out, would someone still understand?" If yes, it's not needed in the summary.

Movie Trailer Test: A summary is like a movie trailer—only the highlights that make someone want to know more!

Hand Summary: Use fingers for fiction: Thumb=Character, Pointer=Setting, Middle=Problem, Ring=Events, Pinky=Solution.