Spooky Summaries Worksheet
SPOOKY SUMMARIES 5th Grade Reading
Deconstruct the plot with the SWBST organizer, then compose a concise summary.
Name:
Date:
SWBST STRATEGY:
Somebody (Character) • Wanted (Motivation) • But (Conflict) • So (Resolution Step) • Then (Outcome)
Story 1
The Vanishing Pumpkin
Lexile 780L
Maya spent three weekends carving an elaborate fire-breathing dragon onto her prize pumpkin for the annual town festival. But on Halloween morning, the giant gourd had vanished from her front porch, leaving only a squiggly orange smear trailing toward Mrs. Higgins’s hedge! Grabbing her magnifying glass, Maya tracked the pulpy trail and found three stray raccoons wearing pumpkin-ring "collars" while feasting merrily on roasted seeds. Rather than cry, Maya used the leftover shell scraps to construct a hilarious "goblin snack bar" display, earning the judges' special ribbon for creative problem-solving.
Somebody Who is main character?
Wanted What did they desire?
But What went wrong?
So How did they act?
Then What was result?
Written Summary: Synthesize SWBST notes into 1-2 complete sentences.
Story 2
The Attic Phantom
Lexile 810L
Julian ventured into his grandfather’s shadowy Victorian attic to find an authentic bowler hat for his detective costume before dusk. But whenever he reached toward the brass-latched trunk, a raspy, eerie groan echoed from the rafters, freezing him in his tracks! Refusing to show up empty-handed, Julian mustered his courage and swept his flashlight beam along the ceiling beams. Perched above was Barnaby, his aunt’s escaped green parrot, who had learned to imitate the wind rattling through the chimney flue. Julian coaxed the bird onto his arm with an apple slice, retrieved the hat, and gained a feathered sidekick.
Somebody Who is main character?
Wanted What did they desire?
But What went wrong?
So How did they act?
Then What was result?
Written Summary: Synthesize SWBST notes into 1-2 complete sentences.
Spooky Summaries • Grade 5 Reading Comprehension (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.2) Page 1 of 2
SPOOKY SUMMARIES (Continued)
Identify core conflict and resolution before drafting each summary.
Student Name:
Story 3
The Midnight Scarecrow
Lexile 800L
Farmer Josiah took immense pride in his straw guardian, "Barnaby," stationed in the center of his pumpkin field. But throughout the week before Halloween, Josiah found Barnaby standing in a completely different row each morning, holding miniature paper riddles! Convinced a neighborhood prankster was trespassing, Josiah waited quietly inside his tractor shed on a moonlit night. At midnight, he spotted his twin granddaughters tiptoeing through the stalks, carefully shifting the scarecrow to design an elaborate Halloween treasure hunt for local children. Delighted by their festive spirit, Josiah volunteered to write the final riddle himself.
Somebody Who is main character?
Wanted What did they desire?
But What went wrong?
So How did they act?
Then What was result?
Written Summary: Synthesize SWBST notes into 1-2 complete sentences.
Story 4
The Clocktower Phantom
Lexile 790L
Elena led her school robotics teammates to the abandoned town hall clocktower to retrieve their runaway camera drone before dusk. But as they climbed the rusty spiral stairs, the dormant clock hands suddenly spun counter-clockwise while bronze chimes tolled frantically! Panicked by rumors of a phantom watchman, her friends fled down the stairs. Elena pressed onward and discovered that long orange banners from the harvest street festival had blown into the belfry, tangling the mechanical gears. She carefully snipped the cloth free with her safety scissors, recovered the unharmed drone, and was hailed a hero.
Somebody Who is main character?
Wanted What did they desire?
But What went wrong?
So How did they act?
Then What was result?
Written Summary: Synthesize SWBST notes into 1-2 complete sentences.
Spooky Summaries • Grade 5 Reading Comprehension (CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.2) Page 2 of 2
Spooky Summaries Answer Key
TEACHER ANSWER KEY & GUIDE Grade 5 ELA
Model SWBST breakdown, sample synthesized summaries, and diagnostic tips.
Target Standard CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.2
4 • Exemplary
All 5 SWBST parts accurate; summary fluently combines them without minor fluff.
3 • Proficient
SWBST complete; summary captures problem/resolution in 1-2 grammatical sentences.
2 • Developing
Misses 1 element (usually "So" or "Then"); summary relies heavily on copied text.
1 • Beginning
Only names main character; summary retells single isolated detail or is incomplete.
Story 1 Answer Key
The Vanishing Pumpkin
Model Answers
Somebody
Maya, a dedicated pumpkin carver
Wanted
To win the town contest with her giant dragon pumpkin
But
Stray raccoons stole and ate the pumpkin on Halloween morning
So
She turned the leftover scraps into a funny "goblin snack bar"
Then
The judges awarded her a special ribbon for creative thinking
Exemplar Student Summary (1-2 Sentences):
"Maya wanted to win the festival carving contest, but after wild raccoons destroyed her pumpkin, she repurposed the leftover pieces into a humorous goblin snack bar and won an award for creativity."
Teacher Watch-Out:
Watch for students who spend their whole summary detailing the dragon carving and omit Maya's solution.
Story 2 Answer Key
The Attic Phantom
Model Answers
Somebody
Julian, a boy dressing as a detective
Wanted
An authentic bowler hat from his grandpa’s attic trunk
But
A spooky, groaning noise from the ceiling rafters terrified him
So
He shone his flashlight and found an escaped pet parrot
Then
He coaxed Barnaby down, got his hat, and made a new pet friend
Exemplar Student Summary (1-2 Sentences):
"Julian ventured into a creepy attic for a costume hat but was frightened by mysterious groans, so he used his flashlight to reveal a trapped parrot and successfully retrieved the hat."
Teacher Watch-Out:
Ensure students explain why the attic seemed haunted (the parrot mimicked the chimney wind) rather than stating there was a real ghost.
Teacher Resource • Spooky Summaries Answer Key Page 1 of 2
