Krysta Stenzel ELA Fourth Grade

Exceeds Fiction Summaries

Focus
After a pre-assessment, I will tier students according to their needs in the skill of fiction
summaries. The higher tier group will have the summarizing curriculum compacted. They will
complete the exceeds level learning in one week, and they will complete a blackout poetry project as
an extension. This project will ask them to take what they know about summarizing and deep
themes, and they will be blacking out words on the text to create a poem that communicates the
summary/theme of the text.

Standards

RL4.2 Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.

Know Understand Able to Do

- What elements to include in a - We include characters, setting, - Read and comprehend
summary problem, solution and theme in fiction text
- How to frame a summary exceeds summaries - Summarize a fictional text
paragraph - We use complete sentences to at an exceeds level
summarize - Eliminate unnecessary
- Summaries are concise words in a story to leave
- We can communicate theme in only words and phrases that
creative ways communicate the deeper
theme of a story in a poem

Differentiation Elements

Strategy: Curriculum Compacting

Students will be pretested using Ima and the Great Texas Ostrich Race. Students scoring a 3 or 4
will have curriculum compacted for summarizing. These students will work on mastering the exceeds
level of summarizing for one week. They will be assessed at the end of that week and will participate
in an enrichment activity.

ELT Learning Progression

Exceeds Secure Developing Beginning

Students can summarize a fictional Students can Students can recount details Is developing
text sequentially in a concise way summarize a fictional from a fictional text (not in with adult
including only story details that text sequentially in a order or not most important) assistance
support and develop the theme concise way
Student Friendly Continuum
Level 4 Level 3 Level 2 Level 1

My summary follows the story’s My summary follows the story’s My summary may My summary
sequence. I have included the main sequence. I have included the not follow the story includes only
character, problem, story events that main character, problem, story sequence. I may random
lead to the solution, and the solution. I events that lead to the solution, have left out details.
have included only details that show a and the solution. I have included important details
pattern to support and develop the only the most important details.
theme of the story.

Students will read The Gold Coin. They will determine the theme of the story. Their work will be to
black out all of the words in the story except for specific words they choose to keep to communicate
the theme. They will develop a poem with the words left on the page.

Content Process Product

The content is differentiated for
these students as they are
working at the exceeds level of
summarizing. All of their work
revolves around the extra
exceeds descriptor, that they
can identify and develop the
theme of a story.
The process will be differentiated
for these students because the
curriculum will be compacted for
this group. They will work for just
one week at the exceeds level and
then move to the enrichment
project. The process of identifying
and describing theme is also
differentiated because they are
communicating the theme in a
creative way.
The product is differentiated
for these students as they
have the option of using the
quad strategy to support
their summarizing. They will
be writing to an exceeds
level. Their final product will
be a creative blackout poem
that they build right on the
text they read.

Student Learner Elements

Readiness Interest Learning Profile

Text will be tiered to students’ These students will be
reading levels. working creatively to
blackout all words except
These students are receiving the phrases that describe
compacted curriculum because the main theme of the text.
they are ready for more of a This project is offering an
challenge. This readiness is option that will fit various
being met with the creative learner preferences.
poem.

Instructional Groupings

Students will be working together as a group during the modeling and guided stages of the process.
They will work with a partner to summarize a text, and they will spend some time working
independently. They will meet in continuum groups to gather peer feedback on their summaries.
They will also be working independently on their enrichment projects.
 Assessment

Pre Assessment Formative Assessment Post Assessment

Students will be pretested
using Ima and the Great Texas
Ostrich Race. Students
scoring a 3 or 4 will benefit
from compacted curriculum.
Students will be formatively
assessed daily. I will provide
formative feedback as they work
with partners and independently to
summarize. Students will also
meet in continuum groups once to
receive peer feedback on their
work.
Students will summarize Fly
Away Home after one week
of compacted curriculum.
Based on this assessment,
they will be tiered for their
needs. At the end of the
unit, they will summarize
Oliver Button is a Sissy.

Teacher Resources

• Read aloud texts – The Old Woman Who Named Things, Crickwing, The Other Side

Student Resources

• Text – Ima and the Great Texas Ostrich Race, Fly Away Home, Oliver Button is a Sissy, The
Gold Coin