Summarizing Non-Fiction Texts

English · Reading Comprehension · ages 10-11

Name ______________________ Date ____________

How is a summary of an article different from the article itself?
- It adds your own opinions to the article's facts
- It repeats the article word for word
- It is shorter and covers the main ideas
You want to find the main idea of one section of an article. Which question should you ask yourself?
- How many words are in this section?
- What is this section mostly about?
- Do I like what this section says?
An article has three sections, each covering a different topic. How many main ideas should you look for?
- One idea for the whole article
- One idea for each section
- One idea for every sentence
What do key details do inside a section?
- They support the section's main idea
- They replace the need for a main idea
- They tell you what to think about the topic
An article section's main idea is 'Walking to school helps kids stay healthy.' Which detail best supports it?
- Crossing guards help kids cross streets safely
- Walking gives kids exercise before classes begin
- Some kids live close enough to walk
An article has 4 sections, and each section covers one different main idea. How many main ideas should your summary mention?
Answer: ______________
Read this section: 'Many schools start the day with a morning meeting. These meetings help the class feel like a team. Students greet each other, share news, and plan the day together.' What is the main idea?
- Many schools start the day with a morning meeting
- Students greet each other, share news, and plan the day
- Morning meetings help the class feel like a team
A summary of a long article should include every small detail from every section.
Circle one: True False
Jake summarized an article: 'The text says whales migrate long distances, and I think that is incredible.' What mistake did Jake make?
- He added his own opinion instead of only stating facts
- He used too many facts from the text
- He forgot to mention whales at all
A section's main idea is 'Libraries lend more than books.' Look at three details: 'Many libraries lend tools like drills and sewing machines.' 'Some libraries lend passes to local museums.' 'The library on Elm Street is painted blue.' Which detail does NOT support the main idea?
- Many libraries lend tools like drills and sewing machines
- Some libraries lend passes to local museums
- The library on Elm Street is painted blue

Answer key

For grown-ups. Fold this page away before handing over the rest.

Summarizing Non-Fiction Texts W1-mt_XnRhhEqJLJ-s1

It is shorter and covers the main ideas · A summary joins the main ideas of the sections into a few sentences. It does not copy the article or add opinions.
What is this section mostly about? · Asking what the section is mostly about points you to the main idea. Word counts and your own likes do not.
One idea for each section · Longer articles usually have one main idea per section, not just one for the whole piece or one for every sentence.
They support the section's main idea · Key details back up the main idea with facts, examples, or reasons.
Walking gives kids exercise before classes begin · Only the exercise detail shows how walking keeps kids healthy. The other two are true, but they are about safety and distance, not health.
4 · Each section holds its own main idea, so a full summary mentions all 4.
Morning meetings help the class feel like a team · The first sentence just sets the scene and the last one lists what happens. The middle sentence is what it all adds up to.
False · A summary keeps the main ideas and their key details. Packing in every small detail just rebuilds the whole article.
He added his own opinion instead of only stating facts · The phrase 'I think that is incredible' is Jake's feeling, not a fact from the text.
The library on Elm Street is painted blue · Tools and museum passes are both things libraries lend besides books. A blue wall says nothing about lending.