Summarize and Visualize

Standards

Georgia ELA Standard 3.P.EICC.3.d
Summarize and visualize sections of the text to maintain understanding.

This standard aligns with Common Core State Standards:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.2: Recount stories, determine their central message, lesson, or moral.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.3: Describe characters in a story and explain how their actions contribute to the plot.

Learning Objectives

I can summarize parts of a story in my own words.
I can create pictures in my mind to help me understand the story better.
I can share my summary and visualization with others clearly.

Success Criteria

I retell the main events from a section of The BFG.
I draw or describe a mental picture related to the story.
I use key vocabulary words when discussing the story.
I listen carefully and respond during discussions.

Language Function

Explaining and describing (summarizing and visualizing ideas about the text).
Using sequencing words: first, next, then, finally.
Asking and answering questions about the text.

Content Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Definition	Example
Giant	A very large person or creature	The BFG is a friendly giant.
Dream	Pictures or stories in your mind while sleeping	The BFG catches dreams.
Summarize	To tell the main ideas in a short way	I can summarize the story in two sentences.
Visualize	To make a picture in your mind	I visualize the BFG’s big ears and eyes.
Section	A part of the story	We read the first section of the book.

Syntax & Discourse

Use simple sentence structures: “The giant is friendly.”
Use past tense verbs to recount events: “Sophie met the giant.”
Use transition words to order ideas: “First, Sophie saw the giant. Next, they talked.”
Encourage complete sentences when sharing: “I think the giant is big because...”

Materials and Resources

The BFG by Roald Dahl (dyslexia-friendly edition or audiobook version available)
Chart paper or whiteboard for teacher notes
Summary frames (graphic organizers with spaces for “Who,” “What,” “Where,” “When,” “Why”)
Drawing paper and coloring supplies
Audio player for reading aloud
Visual vocabulary cards with images
Headphones for ELL and students needing audio support

Lesson Structure (20 Minutes)

Part	Time	Activity
Instructional Time	7 minutes	Teacher reads aloud a selected short section from The BFG (3-4 pages). Uses think aloud to model summarizing and visualizing. Writes a 2-3 sentence summary on chart paper while drawing a simple visual image next to it. Model using vocabulary.
Guided Practice	6 minutes	In pairs, students read (or listen to) a new short section. Together, they fill out the summary frame and draw a picture representing the section. Teacher walks around supporting and prompting with questions: “What happened?” “Can you make a picture in your mind?”
Independent Practice	5 minutes	Students individually write or verbally share their summary sentence and show their drawing. English learners may use vocabulary cards or sentence starters. Students record their sentence or share with a partner.
Closure	2 minutes	Quick class discussion/reflection: “How does summarizing help you understand the story?” “What pictures did you see in your mind?” Teacher reinforces vocabulary and gives praise for effort. Preview next reading section.

Differentiation Strategies

Learner Type	Strategy
English Language Learners	Use visual vocabulary cards with pictures; provide sentence starters (“I see…” “The giant is…”); allow oral summaries; use paired reading.
Diverse Learners	Multisensory approach: listen to audiobook + see text; use graphic organizers; allow drawing for understanding.
Dyslexia-Friendly	Provide dyslexia-friendly edition of The BFG; offer audiobooks; use large font and colored overlays; break text into small chunks; allow oral responses.

Extension Activities for Advanced Learners

Write a longer paragraph summarizing their favorite part of the story with a detailed drawing.
Create a comic strip visualizing a section with captions and speech bubbles.
Use new descriptive vocabulary to rewrite a scene from another character’s perspective.

Notes for Teachers

Use expressive reading with gestures to engage all learners.
Encourage visualization by asking guiding questions like “What do you see in your imagination?”
For ELLs, pre-teach vocabulary and review after reading.
Consider pairing stronger readers with ELLs or struggling readers for peer modeling.

This lesson blends comprehension strategies from Common Core with differentiated, multisensory instruction aligned with Georgia ELA Standard 3.P.EICC.3.d to support all learners in summarizing and visualizing The BFG by Roald Dahl.

Teaching Instructions