Mini-me What is a Summary? English 2 textbook p. 97 A. Milo Cho What is a summary?! Manatee, the Cows of the Sea Long, long ago, sailors thought they were mermaids. Even Christopher Columbus thought so! Many people call them sea cows. They can grow to be 15 feet long and weigh over 2,000 pounds. They are the huge but gentle manatees. They live in warm sea waters. Florida has manatees in its waters. Manatees are pretty funnylooking. They have whiskered lips and huge round bodies. Their ears are tiny holes on the sides of their heads. You can't see them unless you get very close. Scientists have ways to keep track of how manatees are doing. Many manatees have been run over by boats. This leaves scars on their backs. Scientists take pictures of the scars. This helps to identify certain manatees. They also put special radio collars on the tails of the manatees. Then the manatees are let loose into the sea. The collars give signals that let the scientists follow the manatees. Some manatees are very curious and friendly. People have been able to swim with them. Manatees have gently touched or "kissed" a person with their mouths! Sometimes they even roll over. They like to have their stomachs scratched. Manatees are so sweet and friendly, and just about everyone I know likes them. Who wouldn't want to save these lovable giants? Manatees are very large but lovable animals. They live in the warm waters of Florida. They are being studied and tracked by scientists to protect them from dangers. Manatees are so friendly and gentle that people are able to swim and play with them. Because they are sweet and friendly, everyone likes them. What is a summary? must understand the passage completely you use discretion as to choosing: the main points appropriate vocabulary relevant sentence structures
Goal To give as accurately as possible... the full sense of the original... in a condensed form. A summary restates the author s main point, purpose, intent and supporting details in your own words. Benefits Helps you to better grasp the original. Shows a reader that you understand it as well. Helps you analyze and critique the original. p. 144-149 example
Find the main idea--the thesis statement underline the 1st sentence of each paragraph read the conclusion read the essay highlight important points cross out minor information note the supporting details include the thesis/main idea include the supporting details write the summary main idea--thesis supporting details
Helps/tips how the author supports, defines and/or illustrates the main idea use simple language use synonyms avoid repetition of facts use full sentences use your own words Double Check Have I rephrased the author s words without changing their meaning? Have I restated the main idea and the supporting points accurately and in my own words? use only the author s views and not your own Thesis 1st sentence
highlight important points cross out minor information note the supporting details Outline Two friends were walking in the desert and learned an important lesson. In an argument, one slapped the other and then wrote that he was slapped in the sand. The slapped friend was rescued from drowning, but he wrote that his friend saved him. When asked why he wrote in the sand then stone, he said that hurts should be written in sand to be blown away like forgiveness but good should be written forever in stone. Outline Two friends were walking in the desert and learned an important lesson. In an argument, one slapped the other and then wrote that he was slapped in the sand. The slapped friend was rescued from drowning, but he wrote that his friend saved him. When asked why he wrote in the sand then stone, he said that hurts should be written in sand to be blown away like forgiveness but good should be written forever in stone. Summarize Two friends were walking in the desert and learned an important lesson. In an argument, one slapped the other and then wrote that he was slapped in the sand. The slapped friend was rescued from drowning, but he wrote on a stone that his friend saved him. When asked why he wrote in the sand then stone, he said that hurts should be written in sand to be blown away like forgiveness but good should be written forever in stone. A story tells that two friends were walking through the desert. During some point of the journey they had an argument, and one friend slapped the other one in the face. The one who got slapped was hurt, but without saying anything, wrote in the sand: "TODAY MY BEST FRIEND They kept on walking until they found an oasis, where they decided to take a bath. The one, who had been slapped, got stuck in the mire and started drowning, but the friend saved him. After the friend recovered from the near drowning, he wrote on a stone: "TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY The friend who had slapped and saved his best friend asked him, "After I hurt you, you wrote in the sand and now, The other friend replied: "When someone hurts us, we should write it down in sand where winds of forgiveness can erase it away. But, when someone does something good for us, we must engrave it in stone where no wind can ever erase