Key Facts and Summaries

Unit: Exploring Non-Fiction Narratives

Grade 6 (Ontario Curriculum - English Language Arts)

Duration: 30 minutes

Class Size: 24 Students (Consideration of diverse learning needs)

---

Curriculum Expectations (Ontario Language Curriculum, 2023):

Overall Expectations:

• Reading - 1. Reading for Meaning: Apply a range of reading comprehension strategies to understand a variety of grade-appropriate texts. (1.1, 1.2)
• Understanding Texts: Locate information and ideas in texts using a variety of strategies. (1.3)
• Text Forms and Genres: Demonstrate understanding of a variety of non-fiction narratives and their features. (1.4)
• Writing - 2. Developing and Organizing Content: Develop ideas and opinions about topics and texts through writing. (2.2)

Specific Expectations for this Lesson:

• 1.3 locate, select, and organize relevant information from texts and explain how the information contributes to meaning
• 2.1 generate, gather, and organize ideas and information to write for an intended purpose and audience
• 2.2 draft and revise writing, using a variety of forms or genre-specific structures
• 2.3 use appropriate vocabulary and sentence structures for specific purposes and audiences

---

Learning Goals ("I Can" Statements):

• I can identify important facts in my chosen non-fiction book.
• I can summarize key information clearly and concisely in my own words.
• I can explain why the facts I chose are important for understanding the topic.

---

Success Criteria:

• I have picked out at least 3 key facts from my chosen non-fiction text.
• My summary tells the main ideas without extra details.
• I used my own words to share what I learned.
• I can explain why these facts help tell the story or topic.
• I listened to others’ ideas and gave respectful feedback.

---

Materials:

• Student's chosen non-fiction book (or teacher-selected excerpts for alternative reading)
• Graphic Organizers (Fact-Extraction Chart, Summary Grid)
• Whiteboard & Markers
• Dyslexia-friendly texts or text-to-speech devices/tablets
• Sentence starters chart
• Visual aids with summarizing steps
• Timers for time management

---

Lesson Breakdown:

1. Introduction & Connection - 5 minutes

• Activate prior knowledge: Brief class discussion - "What makes a fact important when telling about a topic?"
• Write key points on the board: Who? What? When? Where? Why?
• Show a short model summary on the board from a familiar non-fiction book (3-4 sentences), highlight key facts.
• Share I Can statements and success criteria.

---

2. Mini-Lesson: How to Find and Summarize Key Facts - 7 minutes

• Direct instruction on identifying key facts:
  • Read a paragraph aloud from a non-fiction book or article.
  • Think aloud to pick out 3 important facts.
  • Show how to write these facts simply (avoid copying verbatim).
• Introduce summarizing steps:
  1. Read carefully.
  2. Highlight or write down important facts.
  3. Put facts together in own words as a summary.
• Use a graphic organizer on board to demonstrate.
• Emphasize using own words to avoid plagiarism.

---

3. Guided Practice - 10 minutes

• Students work in pairs (mixing IEP students with peers for peer support).
• Each pair chooses a short section from their non-fiction books.
• Use a fact-extraction chart to note:
  • The important facts (3-4).
  • Why these facts are important.
• Next, write a 3-4 sentence summary using the summary grid.
• Teacher circulates, prompting through sentence starters:
  • "One important fact is..."
  • "This fact helps us understand..."
  • "In summary, this section is about..."
• Support students with IEPs and community classes by using simplified text excerpts and one-on-one assistance.
• Use dyslexia-friendly texts and formatting (coloured overlays, dyslexic font printouts) and allow text-to-speech apps for reading help.

---

4. Sharing and Reflecting - 5 minutes

• Select 3-4 pairs to share their summaries with the class.
• Model positive listening and feedback ("I liked how you..." or "Can you tell me more about...")
• Ask: "What facts helped you the most in your summary?"
• Reinforce summarizing concept and value of key facts.

---

5. Wrap-Up & Extension Opportunity - 3 minutes

• Recap learning intentions and success criteria.
• For homework or advanced learners:
  • Extension: Create a one-page “Fact Sheet” on their non-fiction topic including bullet point facts and a paragraph summary. Use visuals or diagrams to enhance understanding.
• Offer an extra challenge to advanced students: Compare facts from two different books or sources on similar topics and write a summary highlighting differences and similarities.

---

Differentiation Strategies:

Learner Group	Strategy
Students with Autism & Behaviour	Quiet workspaces, clear step-by-step instructions, breaks, visual schedules, positive reinforcement
Students with IEPs (Gr 3-4 level)	Simplified text excerpts, one-on-one support, graphic organizers with sentence starters, oral responses allowed
Students with ADHD	Frequent check-ins, movement breaks, use timers to support focus, seating away from distractions
Dyslexic Learners	Dyslexia-friendly fonts and coloured overlays, auditory support (text-to-speech), chunked reading
Advanced Learners	Extension activities involving critical thinking and comparison; creating fact sheets or dual-text summaries

---

Assessment:

• Use exit ticket: each student writes or dictates one key fact and one summary sentence from today’s work.
• Teacher observes participation and understanding during pair work and sharing.
• Review written summaries to check if key facts are correctly identified and paraphrased appropriately.

---

This lesson engages diverse learners using multiple modalities, promotes higher-order thinking about non-fiction texts aligned with the Ontario curriculum, and empowers students to confidently extract and communicate key factual information.