One-Sentence Summary - Active Learning Activity

One Sentence Summary

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Category

Information

Alias 25 Word Summary
Bloom's Level Understand
CAFE Level Appetizer
Class Size Any Class Size
Difficulty Easy
Modality Face-to-Face
Prep Time/
Materials
Minimal Time
Notecards or Paper, Digital Friendly
Time to Run 3-5 Minutes

Students are asked to summarize a given topic within the constraints of a single, informative, and grammatically correct sentence. Students start by answering the questions, “WHO does WHAT to WHOM, WHEN, WHERE, HOW, and WHY?” and then synthesize it into one sentence. The constrained response format allows teachers to scan and compare responses quickly and easily. For students, they get practice in “chunking” information - condensing it into smaller, interrelated bits for long-term retention.

RETURN TO INDEX

Give students feedback on their summaries, perhaps with peer review.

  • Canvas
  • Top Hat

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