Summarise a Story

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Team Digital

Basics on the topic Summarise a Story

Join Ari and Zayd and learn about summarising a story.

Transcript Summarise a Story

Zayd and Ari are at a comic book convention. “Look! A contest to win a meet and greet with Shelldon, the Space Crab.” “All we have to do is write the best summary of this book.” In order to win the contest, Ari and Zayd will have to summarise a story. A summary is a short description of the most important events in a story. We summarise by paraphrasing story elements. An organiser like this shows us what is included. A summary includes the main character or characters, with a general description of who they are, any secondary characters that are needed to move the story along, the overall setting of the story, including time and place, the problem of the story, the main event that explains how the character tries to solve the problem, how the problem is solved and a statement about character change or the story’s moral. A summary does not give specific details or events in a story. Nor does it include our opinions. We summarise to show understanding of what we read as well as to help others know if they’d be interested in reading a story themselves. Let’s read and summarise The SeaSpace Crab Chronicles, Part Three. Shelldon was travelling the galaxy looking for a place to eat when his spacecraft's warning system sounded the alarm. Commander Calamari appeared on the screen with an urgent message! We need you, Shelldon! All the space plankton is being consumed by Mr. Eight's Shrimp Army! We're in danger of our ecosystem becoming unbalanced and wiping out the galaxy! I...I can't! I'm sorry, but I can't face Mr. Eight again. Shelldon, you are the Sea Forces' greatest fighter pilot! The fate of the sea-a-verse is in your claws! Shelldon carefully considered these words and what would happen if he did not stand up to Mr. Eight! He quickly got to work on his plan. Shelldon attached a large net to the back of his spaceship and flew as fast as he could into the sea of shrimp! As he sped off, Mr. Eight was right behind him. Shelldon hurled the shrimp into deep space, and Mr. Eight had no choice but to follow his beloved army. Later that night, Shelldon stopped at his favourite place for the plankton special. Now, we'll organise the parts of the story using notes to write the summary. Who is the main character in the story? Shelldon, the Sea Forces' best fighter pilot. Who is the secondary character? Mr. Eight, an evil space octopus that wants to destroy the galaxy. We don't need to include Commander Calamari because his character isn't necessary to understand the plot. What is the setting of the story? SeaSpace Galaxy some time in the future. What is the main problem? Shelldon must stop Mr. Eight from destroying the sea-a-verse, but he is afraid. What does Shelldon do to try to solve the problem? He comes up with a plan to save the sea-a- verse that doesn't require him to battle Mr. Eight. How does the problem get solved? Shelldon captures the Shrimp Army in a net and casts them into deep space. How does Shelldon change? He realises that there is always a way to overcome challenges. Once the thoughts are organised, we summarise them in paragraph form. Here is an example of what it could look like. The SeaSpace Crab Chronicles, Part Three is about Shelldon, the best fighter pilot for the SeaSpace Force, defeating the evil Mr. Eight and his plan to eliminate all the space plankton in the galaxy, but he has lost confidence. Finally, he overcomes his fears and devises a plan to capture the Shrimp Army and send Mr. Eight further into space. Whilst Ari and Zayd submit the summary, let's review. Remember, a summary is a short description of the most important events of a story. We summarise by paraphrasing story elements. We summarise stories to show our understanding of what we read, as well as to help others know if they’d be interested in reading it themselves. “We did it!”

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Summarise a Story exercise

Would you like to apply the knowledge you’ve learnt? You can review and practice it with the tasks for the video Summarise a Story .

What is unnecessary in a summary?

Hints

Think of the questions, who, what, where, when and how. The answers to these questions make up the essential information that should be in a summary.

A summary should be much shorter than the original story. Are there any choices here that would make a summary longer? These should not be included in a summary.

Are personal opinions and interpretations a good way to explain to someone what happens in a story?

There are two choices that should not be included in summaries.

Solution

Specific details and elaborate descriptions and personal opinions and interpretations should not be included in summaries as these are not essential information about the story and make the retelling too long.
Organise a summary of a story.
Hints

Summaries include only essential information. Captain Calamari is not necessary to understand the plot of the story.

The setting is where or when the story takes place. Can you find any descriptions of where Shelldon is?

Why does Shelldon need to face his fear and come up with a plan? This is the problem in the summary.

Solution
- The main character in this story is Shelldon.
- The secondary character in this story is Mr. Eight.
- The setting of this story is The SeaSpace Galaxy.
- The problem of this story is Mr. Eight is destroying the sea-a-verse.
Organise a summary of a story.
Hints

The main event usually takes place after the problem has been introduced, and before the solution has taken place.

How is Shelldon different at the end of the story from how he was at the beginning? This is the character change.

The action that ends the problem is the solution.

Solution
- Problem: Shelldon must stop Mr. Eight from destroying the sea-a-verse, but he is afraid.
- Main event: Shelldon comes up with a plan to save the sea-a-verse, where he does not need to battle with Mr. Eight.
- Solution: Shelldon collects the Shrimp Army in a net, and throws them into Deep Space. Mr. Eight has to follow them.
- Character change or moral of the story: Shelldon realizes there is always a way to overcome challenges.
Complete the organiser.
Hints

The main character is the character who is the focus of the main event and who experiences the character change.

Why does Luna need to face her fear? This is the problem in the summary.

The main event usually takes place after the problem has been introduced, and before the solution has taken place.

How is Luna different at the end of the story than she was at the beginning? This is the character change.

Solution
The organiser should be filled in as follows:
- Main Character: Luna the flashlight fish
- Secondary Character: Zara the seahorse
- Setting: In the ocean
- Problem: Zara falls and become stuck
- Main Event: Luna goes down the sea shelf
- Solution: Luna uses light to free her friend
- Character Change: Luna overcomes her fear of the seafloor
Explain the benefits of using summaries.
Hints

A summary uses paraphrasing to put an idea into different words. You cannot paraphrase information if you do not really understand what it means.

A summary is a shorter version of a story, containing only essential information to understand the story.

When people decide if they will read a new book or story, they like to have a general idea of what it is about. This way they can decide if it may be interesting.

There are two correct choices.

Solution
We summarise stories in order to:
- Help others decide if they would also like to read the story.
- Demonstrate that we have read and truly understand the story.
We do not explain personal opinions or include explicit details as this would be too long, and the purpose of a summary is to cover only the essential information.
Complete the summary.

Hints

A plot twist is a surprise. What event happens in the story that Luna and Zara were not expecting?

Why does Luna hesitate to help her friend? What is she afraid of, and why?

What is different about Luna at the end of the story? This is the answer for the last sentence.

Solution

This story is about a flashlight fish named Luna and her friend, Zara the seahorse.
Luna is afraid of the seafloor because her brother has told her there are ghosts there. But when Zara unexpectedly becomes trapped on the sea floor Luna must overcome her fears and help her friend.
In a plot twist, she discovers abilities she never knew she had! The story ends with the friends exploring the seafloor together, and Luna is no longer afraid.