Strategies for teaching literature & nonfiction
Retell & Summarize Literature
First, identify the type of problem
Teacher Resource | Learn more about
problems & solutions.
Lesson series explanation for introducing problems
Second determine the solution/resolution
Reveal specific pages within lesson models.
Return to previously-read literature to reveal the different story solutions.
Primary Grades: Retell literature focusing on the plot.
Use the Story Element Strips for students to point to each story element as they orally retell a text.
Retell details in order.
Grades K-1
Mini-Lesson Resources
Grades 2-3 Mini-Lesson Resources
PDF | Landscape | Portrait | Spanish
Google Slide | Jamboard
Grades 2-3 Mini-Lesson Resources
Lesson resources with
I-do and We-do examples
Collect details using Ride-the-Story-Plot Roller Coaster.
Upper Grades: Summarize only the most important
Grades 4-6 Mini-Lesson Resources
Lesson resources with
I-do and We-do examples
Grades 7-12 Mini-Lesson Resources
Lesson resources with
I-do and We-do examples
Retell & Summarize Informational Text
Recall details
Identify the types of details readers should collect.
These who, what, where, when, and why question cards are great to scrimmage looking for
key details during whole-class read alouds and small-group conversations.
Collecting important information about many primary nonfiction concepts is often easier with do, is, has, can. Project these JPEGs when engaging in a recall with young readers.
Understanding “can” details
Excerpt about a squirrel | Excerpt about tigers
Here is a list of the does, is, has, can details students noted while reading I Pick Fall Pumpkins by Mary Lindeen (on EPIC!) and pages 2-3 from “Pick a Pumpkin” (Scholastic News, Oct 2022, Grade 1).
Riverdale Elementary teacher Leslie Davis (Saint Joe, IN) taught her first graders Round 1 of Retell Information—including how to read for does, is, has, can details. When practicing during read alouds, Leslie helped students talk through their thinking. (When recalling a fact, she would ask if it was something that the subject CAN do SOMETIMES or DOES ALL the time.) “I am really impressed with how they are able to work through the information and determine if it’s a do or a can. They are noticing author words like sometimes or might and announcing ‘That’s a can!'”
Use Figjam to collect informational text details.
ESL Resources
Provide opportunities for low-stake interactions.
Project Turn & Talk expectations.
Play Headbands to have students ask questions or act out and guess the vocabulary words of your choice.
Utilize these online apps for continued practice.
Provide pictorial text to allow students to sort concepts.
Figjam – Animal Sort
Figjam – Feelings Sort
Use digital storytelling to simplify the process.
Incorporate books that tell relatable stories. Consider titles from this multi-cultural book list.
Incorporate book clubs into your reading block
