Summarizing Non-Fiction

Summarizing Non-Fiction

By Tiffany Solod

How to summarize effectively

Step 1: Read the paragraph

​Is there a "set point" that determines your level of happiness, regardless of your status in life? Is it something you have little power to change?

For several decades psychologists have wrestled with that question, and in recent years many, if not most, have embraced the idea that we are born with a tendency to be happy, or sour, and it doesn't have much to do with our surroundings or lifestyle. One researcher compared it to height. Try as you may, you probably aren't going to get any taller.

​Click on the video to listen to Mrs. Solod reading the text

Step 2: Highlight/Underline/Annotate repeated items

​​Is there a "set point" that determines your level of happiness, regardless of your status in life? Is it something you have little power to change?

For several decades psychologists have wrestled with that question, and in recent years many, if not most, have embraced the idea that we are born with a tendency to be happy, or sour, and it doesn't have much to do with our surroundings or lifestyle. One researcher compared it to height. Try as you may, you probably aren't going to get any taller.

​​Click on the video to listen to Mrs. Solod explaining the annotation

Is there a "set point" that determines your level of happiness, regardless of your status in life? Is it something you have little power to change?

For several decades psychologists have wrestled with that question, and in recent years many, if not most, have embraced the idea that we are born with a tendency to be happy, or sour, and it doesn't have much to do with our surroundings or lifestyle. One researcher compared it to height. Try as you may, you probably aren't going to get any taller.

​​Click on the video to listen to Mrs. Solod explaining the annotation

​Step 3: Locate any facts or decisions, or even opinions. Annotate.

Step 4: Pull annotated items out for a summary.

Most Psychologists in recent years after researching have embraced the idea that we are born with a tendency to be happy, or sour, and our surroundings/lifestyle have little to do with it.

Subject | Subject

Some text here about the topic of discussion

​Watch video for explanation on the summary from Mrs. Solod:

You will be summarizing the second paragraph from the text on Commonlit.org

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Watch the videos to learn what to do next.​ Video #1 goes over Commonlit's annotation tool.

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Video #2 is me going over how to complete the practice item.​

Practice

Open Ended

Summarize the rest of section 1 in the article from Commonlit.org

Watch the video to see explanation​

Check your answer

A new study shows that happiness is not the same as the genetics for height, ​we have a set-point and that we can move up and down the scale based on that set point. We have to keep our lives interesting and be content.

You will finish the rest of the article.

Make sure you summarize each section correctly. Utilize your annotation tools in Commonlit.org to assist you, then post your answers into this Quizziz.

Watch the video for full directions.​

Open Ended

Annotate in Commonlit.org & then summarize here.

Section 2 (starts from [5] and ends before [10]

Open Ended

Annotate in Commonlit.org & then summarize here.

Section 3 (Starts at [10] and ends just before [15])

Open Ended

Annotate in Commonlit.org & then summarize here.

Section 4 (starts at [15] and ends just before [20])

Open Ended

Annotate in Commonlit.org & then summarize here.

Section 5 (starts at [20] and goes until just before [25])

Open Ended

Section 6 (Starts at [25] and goes to the end of the passage).