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A-B-C Summarize

By: Amanda Ambrocik

A-B-CSummarizeBy: Amanda Ambrocik

Background

While researching teaching strategies, I was looking for one that I could use in my Head Start three and four year olds classroom where we use the creative curriculum. I found a useful strategy that I like to use in my classroom to help the students learn the ABC’s. The strategy is called A-B-C Summarize, where I would give the students a blank white paper, then a letter, and cards with pictures to choose words that start with the letter A. They would have to draw pictures that start with the letter they were given.

When reading about A-B-C Summarize, it made me think that some of the students think the letter S is called snake because in our classroom there is always a snake with the letter S. This made me think that if I could have my students connect more letters with pictures, they would remember more letters and letter sounds.

Example

A-B-C Summarize.

1. Give student letter A.

2. Let them pick from clue cards (alligator, apple, ant eater, aunt, ball, crown, snake, zebra, airplane, acorn, art, ant).

3. Let them pick the words that start with the letter A that they want to draw.

4. Let them create their project

5. Put it together as a e-book for all children to use.


Look at examples in the photo gallery.

Challange

Pick a topic that you are studying this unit. Introduce the concept of A-B-C-Summarize. Give the students the challenge to use synonyms to define vocabulary words.

Challenge children of all ages to use this to study for tests and have older students create an e-book on the computer.

Bonus

Have the students make their own book that they can put it in the class library so that they can share it with their other friends in the class. Also, have them make a cover page which includes a title, illustrator, and author.

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Letter A

Here is an example that one of my students made. I titled their pictures. It took a lot of coaching to get the children to only draw pictures that start with the letter A. The student drew an apple, alligator, and me Miss Amanda.

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Letter B

Here is an example of the letter B that I made as an example to show my students.

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Blank A

This is what the students were given when they started that way they knew what letter they would be working with. I wrote the letters because most of the students are not ready to write there own letter at this time.

We are the Alphabet

Credits/Citations

Cobb Schools. Summarizing strategies [Web log message]. Retrieved from http://www.cobbk12.org/Cheathamhill/LFS Update/summarizing_strategies.htm

Gardner, Howard. (2007). Five minds for the future. Boston: Harvard Business School Press.

PA Head Start Assocation. (2013). Retrieved from http://paheadstart.org/index.php/head-start-in-pa/phsa_programs/somerset

Rowan, K. J. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.beesburg.com/edtools/glossary.html

Teaching Strategies, LLC. (2002-2013). Teaching strategies for early childhood. Retrieved from https://www.teachingstrategies.com/page/adwords-learn-Leaders-page-cc-latest-edition-4-2013.cfm?gclid=CI3GjLyLg7oCFY87MgodYjMASg


Pictures taken by: Amanda Ambrocik