Here, we offer up-on-your-feet approaches to text summary—adaptable for either before or after reading—giving your students ways to enter a new text, review, and analyze creatively.
In a Snap!
This activity will introduce students to the story of Romeo and Juliet while speaking Shakespeare’s words for the first time and physically activating key lines.
Parts of a Whole
We love this activity as a way to actively and imaginatively summarize or analyze a text you’ve read—or as a quick community builder to foster collaboration and trust in a classroom.
Pearls on a String
This low-stakes improv game is one of the most engaging ways we know to summarize material—and to work together as a group doing it. You can recap faithfully—or create your own twist on a familiar story!
Pictures Worth 1,000 Words
We tried this activity with our staff as a fun team-builder and loved it! You can use it as a way to encourage students to work as a team, start their creative juices flowing, and help them engage with a text in a new way!
