Summarizing Nonfiction: Four Digital Lessons Using Google Slides

This digital summarizing resource features four complete lessons. It is compatible with Google Slides. The lessons feature both instructional slides AND practice slides where students complete a task related to the instructional slides. Use these lessons over the course of four days to provide targeted instruction on how to write a strong summary of a nonfiction text. They can be used as a large group activity, in a small group setting, OR as an engaging self-paced reading lesson.

The slides in each lesson progress from basic to more complex. Answer keys are included. CHECK OUT THE PREVIEW to see some of the slides in these lessons.

Lesson #1: Starting a Summary with a Strong Main Idea Sentence (12 slides)

• This lesson includes five instructional slides. This lesson begins by explaining what a summary is, and how breaking it down into two steps is helpful. This lesson focuses on the first step: writing a strong main idea sentence. Students are taught the "combination" of words they can use to write a strong main idea sentence. Students are also given a list of strong verbs that are often used in summaries.
• The lesson contains six practice slides. On the first two practice slides, students read strong main idea sentences and identify the four parts (identify the text, verb, topic, and big idea). On the remaining four slides, students are presented with nonfiction passages, and they write a main idea sentence for each passage.

Lesson #2: Finishing a Summary with 2-3 Important Details (10 slides)

• This lesson includes three instructional slides. This lesson begins by reviewing the two steps that students can follow to write a strong nonfiction summary. This lesson focuses on the second step: identifying two or three important details from the text. Then, students are asked to recall one of the passages they read in Lesson #1. They watch as a "student" identifies two important details from the text, and then writes a complete summary using the main idea sentence she wrote yesterday and the two details she just identified.
• The lesson contains six practice slides featuring two nonfiction passages. After reading each passage, students write a strong summary by following the two steps they have learned.
  

Lesson #3: Practice, Practice, Practice! (8 slides)

• This lesson begins with one instructional slide that serves as a review. Students are asked to type the two steps they have learned in their own words.
• The lesson contains six practice slides featuring three nonfiction passages. After reading each passage, students write a strong summary by following the two steps they have learned.

Lesson #4: Analyzing Summaries & More Practice (10 slides)

• This lesson begins with three slides where students read a completed summary and analyze whether it is strong or weak. They must justify their answer with reasons for their thinking.
• Then, students are presented with six slides with three more nonfiction passages. After reading each passage, students write a strong summary by following the two steps they have learned.

**IMPORTANT NOTE!**

This digital lesson resource is an expanded version of my printable summarizing nonfiction trifolds. Many of the practice activities in my printable trifolds are the same as the practice activities in these digital lessons. The main difference between the two versions is that this digital version offers complete lessons with additional instructional slides that are not included in the printable trifolds. I really want to stress the overlap to teachers who have previously purchased my summarizing nonfiction trifolds so that they are aware of this overlap before they purchase this expanded, alternate version.

**Check out my FREE CHARACTER TRAITS LESSON if you want to view the structure of these lessons a bit more closely.

If you happen to be looking for additional resources related to summarizing nonfiction, feel free to check out my summarizing nonfiction bundle!

Click on the following links to check out my other Digital ELA Lessons!

Figurative Language: Seven Digital Lessons

Main Idea: Four Digital Lessons

Context Clues: Four Digital Lessons

Inferences: Four Digital Lessons

Author's Purpose: Four Digital Lessons

Plot: Four Digital Lessons

Text Evidence: Four Digital Lessons

Themes: Four Digital Lessons

Summarizing Fiction: Four Digital Lessons

Cause and Effect: Four Digital Lessons

Digital Lesson ELA BUNDLE: ALL 11 Topics

Copyright by Deb Hanson

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