Summary

Simply the Best: How to Keep a Summary Short and Sweet

How to write a compelling summary

Objective:  Upon completion of this activity, each student will be able to write a summary in their speeches.

Materials:  Each student will need pen and paper.

Steps:

1.  Each student will be asked to pick out a person in the room.
2. They will then need to pick out at least three of the best qualities of that person.
3.  They will have 15 minutes to take quick notes on that person (these qualities would serve as the three main points in a speech). *BE SURE TO SCAN THE STUDENTS’ WRITING TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE BEING APPRORIATE*
4. They will be asked to write down one short explanation of why these are the person’s best qualities (no more than 3 sentences all together: 1 sentence per point).
5. Finally, the students’ will need to develop these short notes into a paragraph no longer than 8 sentences.  This will serve as their “summary” of that person.
6. The teacher will explain that in summary writing the speaker must be able to pick out the best and most important points (qualities) of the speech for the audience to remember, keeping it short and sweet is key.

Results: Each student will understand that a summary is simply the best qualities of a given speech, basically the most memorable points.  Each person will be able to write a compelling and memorable speech summary due to the activity above.  Also, the next day in class each person will return with a developed speech (3 main points and sub points), thus will be asked to make a short (3 to 5 minute speech) on their person of choice.

Katie Hall
9 September 2009