You will need a large beach ball and a magic marker for this activity. Using the magic marker, divide the beach ball into six sections, and label them "who, what, where, when, why and how." Assign a reading passage in accordance with the skill level of the students. Look for educational material that is poised to hold the class' attention, such as short mysteries, topics of historical fascination or tales of the unusual or bizarre. After reading the material, have the students toss the ball around in a small group. Once the ball is caught, have the catcher answer the question closest to her right thumb, in regard to the passage. As each student answers, jot down the responses on a chart paper. This will comprise the group summary.
After reading a designated passage, students can complete this activity with a paper folded into fourths and a pencil. After folding the paper twice so that there are four squares, students place "somebody" at the top of one section, "wanted" at the top of the next, "but" in the square just beneath "somebody" and "so" in the final square. This structure will force students to summarize the reading material in short statements. "Somebody" should state the main character. "Wanted" should state the desire driving the story. "But" lays out the obstacle and "so" the outcome.
In this activity, students must summarize a reading passage in one word. Afterward, they must defend their word selection. The challenge here is in the defense of the world selection, which will call on summary techniques and critical thinking skills.
In this activity, students are challenged to summarize a reading passage in 20 words. To aid in the process, remind them of the six questions: who, what, where, when, why and how. They can also attempt this model using the "Somebody, wanted, but, so" model.