How to help dd with non-fiction summaries

[mom31257]

Could anyone give me some advice on how to help dd with summaries? In MOH, she is supposed to make a memory index card for each lesson. She's really struggling with it. She did a research report last year and didn't seem to have a problem, so I'm thinking the fact it was about a person made it easier somehow.

 

Does anyone know of a specific approach to teach making a summary of material? My first thought was to outline the material, but I'm not sure that's a good way to start.

 

Thank you in advance for any ideas!

[Julieofsardis]

We did not do the memory cards the way they were intended, but I did have my dd outline and/or summarize certain lessons. After she had some trouble doing that, I looked at it and it is hard. The reason is because her organization of information is not very clear. I actually gave up on it after a while. Now, SOTW is perfect for summarizing and outlining.

 

I don't know how old your dc is, but is this something that you could work into lessons with another resource, maybe in science or in some of his/her additional history reading. Oh, and if you dc has never done summaries of one paragraph, that would make a huge difference.

 

Now that I've criticized MOH for its disorganization -- how'd you like mine. LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:tongue_smilie:

[mom31257]

Thanks! I do think that it's a little hard to summarize, especially on just one small index card. I will try to have her do some summaries in other books to see how she does. She is 11, and just started 6th grade.