English · Year 5

Active learning ideas

Summarizing Informational Texts

Active learning works well for summarizing informational texts because students need to repeatedly filter, prioritize, and condense information to truly understand it. Moving beyond silent reading turns the cognitive load of identifying main ideas into a tangible task they can discuss and revise.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9E5LY05
• AC9E5LY03

• 35–50 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Jigsaw
• 45 min · Small Groups

Jigsaw: Text Sections

Divide a non-fiction text into 4-5 sections and assign one to each small group. Groups read, discuss, and write a 2-3 sentence summary of their section. Regroup to share summaries and construct a whole-class summary on chart paper.

How do we identify the most important information to include in a summary?

Facilitation Tip

During Jigsaw Summaries, circulate and ask each group to justify their chosen main idea before they write it down.

What to look for

Provide students with a short (1-2 paragraph) informational text. Ask them to write one sentence identifying the main idea and list 2-3 key details. Collect these to check for understanding of core concepts.

• Understand
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Relationship Skills
• Self-Management

Activity 02

• Give One, Get One
• 35 min · Pairs

Summary Strips: Sequence and Condense

Cut a text into paragraphs and mix the strips. Pairs sequence them, then underline key details and write summary sentences for each. Class votes on best summaries and combines into one.

Differentiate between summarizing and paraphrasing a text.

Facilitation Tip

When using Summary Strips, remind students to place only one key detail per strip to avoid overloading their summaries.

What to look for

After students write a summary of a text, have them exchange with a partner. Provide a checklist: Does the summary include the main idea? Are there only key details, no minor ones? Is it significantly shorter than the original? Students can provide one specific suggestion for improvement.

• Remember
• Understand
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Activity 03

• Give One, Get One
• 40 min · Pairs

Partner Feedback Relay: Draft and Revise

Students read individually, draft summaries, then pass to partners for feedback on main ideas and brevity. Revise twice in relay style before sharing polished versions.

Construct a summary that accurately reflects the original text's main points without personal opinion.

Facilitation Tip

In Partner Feedback Relay, give students a red pen to mark any opinions they spot in their partner’s draft before revising.

What to look for

Present two short paragraphs on the same topic. Ask students to identify which paragraph is a summary and which is a paraphrase, explaining their reasoning based on length and focus. This checks their ability to differentiate the two skills.

• Remember
• Understand
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

Activity 04

• Give One, Get One
• 50 min · Small Groups

Graphic Organizer Stations: Main Idea Hunt

Set up stations with texts and organizers (e.g., somebody-wanted-but-so). Small groups rotate, complete one per station, then gallery walk to compare summaries.

How do we identify the most important information to include in a summary?

What to look for

Provide students with a short (1-2 paragraph) informational text. Ask them to write one sentence identifying the main idea and list 2-3 key details. Collect these to check for understanding of core concepts.

• Remember
• Understand
• Relationship Skills
• Social Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teach summarizing by modeling think-alouds where you deliberately remove details and explain why they don’t belong. Avoid rushing to the finished summary; focus instead on the process of sorting and condensing. Research shows that students benefit from visual comparisons between original texts and their summaries, so keep samples visible during drafting.

Successful learning looks like students confidently separating essential details from extra information and crafting summaries that are shorter than the original while keeping the core meaning intact. They should explain their choices and respond constructively to peer feedback.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Jigsaw Summaries, some students may include every detail because they believe all parts are equally important.

  Give each group three sticky notes labeled 'Main Idea,' 'Key Detail,' and 'Extra.' Have them physically sort sentences from their section into these piles before drafting their summary.

• During Partner Feedback Relay, students might add personal opinions while revising, thinking it improves the summary.

  Provide a checklist with a clear rule: 'No opinions allowed.' Have partners highlight any sentences that express feelings or preferences and discuss whether they belong in a summary.

• During Summary Strips, students may write long, detailed sentences that resemble the original text rather than condensing it.

  Provide strips of pre-cut sentence starters like 'The main idea is...' and 'One key detail is...' to force brevity. Model how to replace complex sentences with simpler ones that capture the same idea.

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Methods used in this brief

• Jigsaw
• Give One, Get One