Stuart Little is a great book to practice summarization on both the chapter level and the story level. As the chapters are styled as vignettes, students who are working on beginning summarization may benefit from focusing on one chapter to practice summarizing. This could also be a helpful tool for comprehension of the entire story if each chapter is summarized. It is helpful to limit the number of cells students can use, to help them be more concise.
Consider having students plan their storyboard using a blank template prior to creating the full storyboard online. Students should begin with the narrative in each box before adding character dialogue. This will allow them to focus on the purpose of summarizing and determining importance, before getting distracted by the details of the storyboard. Students can also be given a set number of frames to use for the storyboard to help them be concise. After planning on a template, students can compare the important events they chose with a partner's, and the class could discuss why different events in the story were included in the storyboard over others.
Here is an example of chapter level summary storyboard:
Chapter 9: A Narrow Escape
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a storyboard summarizing a chapter in Stuart Little.
Invite students to share their storyboard summaries with the class. Display a few examples and encourage students to explain their choices. This builds confidence and lets everyone see different perspectives.
Pair students and have them compare their storyboard summaries. Ask guiding questions like, 'Why did you each choose these events?' This promotes critical thinking and respectful discussion.
List important story events on the board as students mention them from their boards. Discuss together which details are most important and why, reinforcing the purpose of summarization.
Ask students to review their storyboards after discussion. Suggest adding, removing, or clarifying events based on what they learned. This step helps refine summarization skills.
To summarize a chapter of Stuart Little for elementary students, identify the beginning, middle, and end of the chapter. Focus on the most important events, use clear language, and limit details to keep the summary concise and easy to understand.
An example storyboard for Chapter 9: A Narrow Escape—Beginning: Stuart hides from a dog and ends up on a garbage truck. Middle: He fears for his life as the truck dumps trash at the river. End: Margalo rescues Stuart and flies him home.
Tips include: use a template to plan summaries, limit the number of storyboard frames, start with narrative before adding dialogue, and encourage comparing summaries with classmates to discuss key events and importance.
Summarizing chapters helps students identify main ideas and determine importance, which improves comprehension. It allows them to focus on the story's key points without getting lost in details.
Teachers can structure a recap by providing a blank storyboard template, setting a frame limit, guiding students to describe the beginning, middle, and end, and having students illustrate scenes. Comparing storyboards in pairs or as a class enhances learning.