In this lesson, students examine how to determine the central idea of an informational text and how to write a clear and objective summary. Using an adapted excerpt from Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race, students explore how Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson overcame racial and gender discrimination to contribute to NASA’s success during the Space Race.
Students will practice identifying supporting details that develop the central idea, and they will demonstrate their understanding through guided questions, discussion, and a summary writing assignment. Two quizzes assess students’ ability to understand both the concept of central ideas and the details of the excerpt. By the end of the lesson, students will be able to summarize nonfiction texts accurately and with confidence.