Summarising the main idea

Duck overboard
My learning intention is to identify the main ideas in a text
Summarising the Main Idea

L.I. To look for keywords and phrases

Good readers notice key words.  Here are some clues to help you find key words:

• Key words are directly connected to the topic
• Key words are often repeated in the title and the text
• A key word helps you to remember an important idea

Use this table to help you summarise the main ideas in a text in your own words.  It is important that you use your own words to show your understanding and to avoid plagiarism.  If you don’t know what some words mean, look them up.

Keywords from the title Summarising

Keywords from subheadings The main idea

New words I need to look up Phrases

Read the text and record key words/phrases that answer these questions:

What? In January 1992 a stupendous storm washed three containers off a ship.

Where? Sea water

When?Hong kong to Tacoma, washington in the unit States

Who?Curtis Ebbesmeyer

Why?After falling overboard,the sea water destroyed the card-packaging and the plastic ducks, turtles and frogs broke free and began to float.

How?One container spilled its contents into the sea.

Curtis Ebbesmeyer	Years	Great Britain	North America	Turtles
In January  1992	Sea water	stamped	Float	Unit States
Titanic	Sank	Duck	Frog	Ice

Now using the words you wrote down summarise the text in 25 words or less.

The ducks went around