Smekens Education Access logo

Readers retell &
SUMMARIZE LITERATURE

PRIMARY GRADES: Retell literature focusing on the plot

K-2 TEACHERS: Choose one visual/graphic organizer for the anchor chart and all retelling lessons and activities.

LESSON RESOURCES: Introduce the story elements placed within a Storyboard.

Use the Story Element Strips for students to point to each story element as they orally retell a text.

Simple summaries of popular picture books & fairytales.
Google Sheets

Simple and sophisticated summaries of short stories & video shorts. Google Sheets

Retell details in order.

Collect details using Ride-the-Story-Plot Roller Coaster.

UPPER GRADES: Summarize only the most important

Add “and so” to account for the increasing rising action found in longer stories

Acknowledge that different characters experience different “rides” or subplots of the larger story.