Key Words & Summary Statements-Comprehension

During guided reading in 2nd and 3rd grade, we have been working on determining importance in non-fiction text and summarizing key ideas.  Main idea is currently a focus in second grade as well.  One strategy that I have been teaching my students is to locate key words in the section and then use those words to summarize the information. It has been very helpful in that students are learning to figure out what is truly important information and how to break the text down into a concise summary.

I used the following steps to teach students this strategy.
1. After introducing the new section or book during guided reading, I set the purpose for reading that students need to determine what they thought was really important. 
2. After reading, they were to write on a post it or note card, 3-4 words or phrases that they thought were important.  It helped that we have been working on paraphrasing what they have read, so I told them to think about what they paraphrased and write down a few words they said or thought. 
3.  I also wrote down the key words on my whiteboard.  Then, we each shared our key words and compared with the group.  If students were way off, we talked about their response and what made it not so important in the section. 
4.  Then we took the words that most of us had and formed a summarizing sentence.  When learning this strategy, we only focused on one small section of the text.
5.  The next day, we repeated this process on the next chapter or section of the book/article. 
6.  After they began getting the hang of it, I would have them try the entire process on their own.  They would write the key words and summary statement.  Some days I would have them write them on note cards.  They divided their note card down the middle vertically.  On the left, they had their key words and on the right would be the summary.  We would use the same note card for an entire article or book and just drew a line under each section.  Sometimes,  I would let them do it on whiteboards. 
7.  After reading and responding, all the students in the group share their key words/summaries with a partner, myself, or the whole group.  If students have reading response notebooks, we have used those to record this as well. 

This is a great comprehension strategy to focus on during guided reading.  It encourages students to determine importance and works on summarizing key ideas in the text.  It is quick and works as a good way for students to respond in writing after their guided reading lesson.  I used this in third grade for students around levels 30, 34, & 38.  I also adapted it to second grade guided reading.  Second grade is working on main idea currently.  This is a perfect way to get students to pick key ideas and then write a main idea sentence.  The second graders that I tried this strategy with were just slightly below level or on level in some cases. 

I hope this helps:)  Let me know if anyone tries this or has another approach that I could try!
Brooke