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Practice summarizing a story by including only the most important parts.
Imagine you just saw a movie about a space-traveling cat, but your bus is leaving in one minute! How do you tell your friend the whole story before the doors close?
A summary is a short way of retelling a story. Think of a story like a pizza. The crust, cheese, and sauce are the important parts—without them, it isn't a pizza! The sprinkles of oregano or the shape of the pepperoni are small details. When we summarize, we only talk about the 'crust, cheese, and sauce.' We want to tell the story in just to sentences. If we tell every single tiny thing that happened, our summary would be as long as the book itself!
Quick Check
If you are summarizing a story about a girl winning a race, is the color of her shoelaces an 'important part' or a 'small detail'?
Answer
It is a small detail.
To write a great summary, we use a special tool called SWBST. It stands for: Somebody (the main character), Wanted (what they tried to do), But (the problem they faced), So (how they tried to fix it), and Then (how the story ended). Using this tool helps you keep your summary organized and prevents you from getting lost in the tiny details.
Let's use SWBST for this famous fable: 1. Somebody: A young shepherd boy. 2. Wanted: He wanted to have some fun and get attention. 3. But: He lied about a wolf coming, and the villagers got angry. 4. So: When a real wolf actually came, no one believed his cries for help. 5. Then: The wolf ate the sheep because the boy had lost everyone's trust.
Quick Check
In the SWBST tool, what does the 'But' help us identify?
Answer
The 'But' helps us identify the main problem or conflict in the story.
Every good story has a central message. This is the 'Big Lesson' the character learns or the author wants you to learn. To find it, look at the 'Then' part of your summary. Ask yourself: 'What did the character learn at the very end?' or 'How did the character change?' Usually, the message is about things like honesty, kindness, or bravery.
1. Summary: The Hare challenged the Tortoise to a race. The Hare was so fast he took a nap, but the Tortoise kept moving slowly and steadily. Eventually, the Tortoise passed the sleeping Hare and won. 2. Finding the Message: The Hare was lazy and overconfident. The Tortoise was hard-working. 3. The Big Lesson: Slow and steady wins the race!
Imagine a story where a boy named Leo is nervous about a new school. He sits alone until a girl named Mia shares her crayons. They draw a dragon together and become best friends. 1. Somebody: Leo. 2. Wanted: To make friends at his new school. 3. But: He was too shy to talk to anyone. 4. So: Mia reached out and shared her crayons with him. 5. Then: Leo felt happy and found a new friend. 6. Central Message: A small act of kindness can make someone feel welcome.
Which of these is the best definition of a summary?
Which part of SWBST describes the problem in the story?
A summary should include the color of the main character's shirt even if it doesn't matter to the plot.
Review Tomorrow
Tomorrow, try to remember the five parts of the SWBST tool. Can you name what each letter stands for?
Practice Activity
Pick your favorite bedtime story tonight. Try to tell the whole story to a family member using only sentences!