How to Summarize a Story

Khan Academy

This engaging video lesson breaks down the skill of summarizing stories using a clever mix of humor, clear definitions, and a familiar example. The narrator defines a summary as a shorter version of a passage that retells only the main ideas, adopting a "reporter" persona to emphasize efficiency: "Get in, get the facts, get out." The video playfully starts by summarizing itself in ten seconds before diving deeper into the nuances of the skill. Using the fairy tale "The Three Little Pigs," the video demonstrates three types of summaries: the "Just Right" version that captures the characters, decisions, and outcomes; the "Too Little" version that misses the resolution; and the "Too Much" version that gets bogged down in irrelevant details like the pigs' middle school friendships and investment strategies. This "Goldilocks" approach helps clarify exactly what information belongs in a summary and what should be cut. This resource is an excellent tool for upper elementary classrooms working on reading comprehension and narrative writing. It specifically targets the common struggle students have with distinguishing between a summary and a retelling. By providing concrete non-examples (too short vs. too detailed), it gives teachers a shared language to use when guiding student writing. The clear checklist at the end—events in order, characters, and problems—provides a ready-made anchor chart for the classroom.