Duck Overboard

Summarising the Main Idea

L.I. To look for keywords and phrases

Good readers notice key words.  Here are some clues to help you find key words:

• Key words are directly connected to the topic
• Key words are often repeated in the title and the text
• A key word helps you to remember an important idea

Use this table to help you summarise the main ideas in a text in your own words.  It is important that you use your own words to show your understanding and to avoid plagiarism.  If you don’t know what some words mean, look them up.

Keywords from the title January 1992 Three containers Storm The First Years Reward

Keywords from subheadings 2900 Bath toys was spread around the ocean to Indonesia,Australia,Japan,South America and North america.

New words I need to look up

Read the text and record key words/phrases that answer these questions:

What? 3 Containers of bath toys,Storm,Ship,Ocean.

Where? Japan,Australia,Indonesia,South american and North america.

When? January 1992.

Who? The First Years,Scientist,Curtis Ebbesmeyer,Mr Ebbesmeyer.

Why? Stupendous strom,Bath Toys floating around the world.

How? Stupendous storm

Now using the words you wrote down summarise the text in 25 words or less.  January 1992,stupendous storm,Three containers,Hong Kong to Tacoma, Washington in the United States,29,000 plastic bath toys,different directions,Australia, Japan,South America and North America,17,000 kilometres away ,great ocean currents , "The First Years",sealed watertight,Great Britain,fifteen years.

LI: to look for keywords and phrases

Today I Learnt about how to find Keywords and Phrases. I learnt this by using the strategy skimming and scanning and also answering questions using keywords.