Creating a lesson plan for teaching students how to summarize notes involves outlining the objectives, materials needed, procedures, and assessments. Below is an example of a structured lesson plan focused on note summarization skills.
Lesson Plan: Note Summary Skills
Grade Level: 6th β 8th Grade
Subject: English Language Arts
Duration: 60 minutes
Objective:
By the end of the lesson, students will be able to:
- Understand the purpose of summarizing information.
- Identify key ideas and details from a lecture or reading material.
- Write a concise summary of a given text or lecture.
Materials Needed:
- Whiteboard and markers
- Handout with a passage or excerpt (about 200-300 words)
- Note-taking templates (graphic organizers)
- Highlighters or colored pencils
- Example summaries
Standards:
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.2: Determine a central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details.
- CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas.
Lesson Procedure
Introduction (10 minutes):
- Begin with a brief discussion on summarizing. Ask students:
- What is a summary?
- Why is summarizing important?
- Where do we use summarization in our daily lives?
- Write their responses on the board to visually capture their thoughts.
Direct Instruction (15 minutes):
- Explain the main components of a summary:
- Main Idea: What is the text about?
- Key Details: What important facts support the main idea?
- Conciseness: Summaries should be brief and to the point.
- Introduce a step-by-step process for writing a summary:
- Read the text carefully.
- Highlight or underline key ideas and important details.
- Paraphrase the key ideas into your own words.
- Combine paraphrased ideas into cohesive sentences.
- Review and edit for clarity and length.
Guided Practice (15 minutes):
- Distribute the passage handout to each student.
- Ask students to read the passage and highlight key points using the provided highlighters.
- In pairs, students will discuss the main idea and supporting details from their highlighted notes.
- After discussion, instruct students to draft a summary based on their notes, emphasizing clarity and conciseness.
Independent Practice (15 minutes):
- Provide students with a new, short passage (or a video clip if resources permit).
- Ask them to individually read or watch the material, take notes, and write a summary using the steps discussed.
- Ensure they stay within a specific word limit (e.g., 50-100 words) to encourage conciseness.
Closure (5 minutes):
- Invite a few students to share their summaries with the class.
- Give constructive feedback on their summaries, focusing on strengths and areas for improvement.
- Reinforce the importance of summarization in academics and personal learning.
Assessment:
- Monitor students during guided practice and independent practice for understanding and engagement.
- Collect and evaluate their summaries on clarity, conciseness, and relevance to the original text.
- Use a rubric that assesses the main idea identification, inclusion of key details, and overall coherence.
Homework (Optional):
- Assign students to summarize a news article of their choice, using the skills learned in class. They should be prepared to discuss it in the next lesson.
Example Passage for Practice:
(Provide a brief passage about a relevant topic, such as a historical event or a natural phenomenon.)
Example Summary: βOn July 20, 1969, Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first humans to walk on the moon. Armstrong's famous words, 'That's one small step for [a] man, one giant leap for mankind,' marked a significant milestone in space exploration. The successful mission demonstrated human ingenuity and propelled further space research.β
This example can be used during guided practice and as a reference for students to understand how to structure their summaries effectively.
With this lesson plan, students will gain both the theoretical understanding and practical skills necessary for effective note summarization. Make sure to adapt the materials and strategies to suit the specific needs and learning levels of your students.