Summarization is one of the hardest skills for my 3rd graders to learn and I am constantly looking for new ways to help them improve their understanding. One way that we have had success with is called the "Who? Wanted? But? So?" strategy. A fellow teacher showed this strategy to me several years ago and it works. This strategy works by having the students talk their way through the reading passage or story by answering those questions and recording their answers as they go.
Here's an example for summarizing The Three Little Pigs.
Who?: The three little pigs
Wanted?: To build their own houses to live in
But?: The Big Bad Wolf blew their houses down and tried to eat them
So?: They stayed in the brick house together because the wolf couldn't blow it down, built a fire, and trapped the wolf in a pot when he came down the chimney
Then, they put it all together in a final summary:
The three little pigs wanted to build their own houses to live in, but the Big Bad Wolf blew their house down and tried to eat them. So, the pigs stayed in the brick house together because the wolf couldn't blow it down, built a fire, and trapped the wolf in a pot when he came down the chimney.
I don't know about you, but if I can get this kind of summary out of my class, I'm thrilled! I would love to hear any of your strategies for teaching summarization. So, come on, share! :^)