*We have taught these 3 strategies/formats to our students. The children use the strategy that works best for them and/or their book or topic, then use their work as a sort of ‘prewriting’ to help them write a complete summary. (Examples are provided using the story, “Little Red Riding Hood”)
Somebody Wanted But So Then (SWBST)
Write Somebody Wanted But So Then (or SWBST) vertically down the left side of a piece of paper.
Write the answer to each word/question to help organize ideas for a summary.
Example:
Somebody: Little Red Riding Hood
Wanted: to deliver treats to her sick grandmother
But: the wolf found out about Red’s trip, and got to Grandma’s house first
So: the wolf hid Grandma in the closet and pretended to be Red’s grandmother
Then: the woodsman came just in time to keep Red and her grandmother from being eaten by the wolf
Who/What/Where/When/Why/How
This one is pretty self-explanatory. Write an answer to each of the question words.
Who: Red Riding Hood
What: Red was sent to deliver treats to her sick grandmother
Where: She took a different route, and went through the forest
When: The wolf met Red in the forest, and beat her to her grandmother’s house
Why: The wolf wanted to eat Red and her grandmother
How: The wolf tried to trick Red into thinking he was her grandmother, but just as she discovered the trick, the woodsman came in and saved her
Beginning, Middle, End (BME)
Write one or two sentences about the most important details for the beginning, middle and end of the story.
Beginning Red Riding Hood’s mother asked her to deliver a basket to her sick grandmother. | Middle Red meets a wolf along the way, and tells him about her trip to Grandma’s. The wolf races to Grandma’s house to eat both ladies. | End When Red gets to Grandma’s, she notices that something is wrong. Just as the wolf is about to eat her, the woodsman enters and saves them. |