Summarising Key Ideas Mind Map

Year 6 EnglishReading Comprehension2 pages

About this worksheet

Pupils read The Blackout, a three-paragraph story, and summarise it on a mind map. A storm cuts the power, Leo and Maya spot a looming shadow on the patio, and the monster turns out to be a wheelie bin wrapped in next door's tarpaulin. Four branches (inciting incident, rising panic, truth revealed, resolution) each ask for a main idea and its supporting details. A fifth branch lets pupils invent their own category. Two pages, written for the England National Curriculum objective on summarising main ideas in Year 6.

Remix for free

Page 1 of 2

Summarising Key Ideas Mind Map: Reading Comprehension - page 1
Summarising Key Ideas Mind Map: Reading Comprehension - page 2

When this preview is focused, use the left and right arrow keys to move between pages.

Curriculum objectives covered

Reading - comprehension

“Summarising the main ideas drawn from more than one paragraph, identifying key details that support the main ideas”

Each of the four branches asks for a main idea and the details that back it up, across all three paragraphs.

What's inside this worksheet

Extract: The Blackout

Rain like handfuls of gravel, a frantic search for the emergency torches, then Dad dragging the runaway wheelie bin through the back door.

The Inciting Incident

Pupils record what kicks off the action and the details about the weather and the sudden darkness.

The Rising Panic

How Maya and Leo react to the blackout, and the misshapen shadow they spot swaying outside the patio doors.

The Truth Revealed

Who comes in through the back door, plus a summary of what the "terrifying monster" really is.

The Resolution

Pupils note how the mood changes and find the detail that shows the family is calm again, such as the promise of hot chocolate.

Make Your Own Connection

A blank branch where pupils name a category, for example Atmosphere and Mood or Author's Word Choices, and summarise it.

How teachers use it

Modelling a summary

Fill The Inciting Incident branch together on the board, then leave pupils to complete the other three.

SATs preparation

Summary questions ask for one idea across several paragraphs. The branches break that job into steps pupils can see.

Stretch task

Ask confident readers to use Unanswered Questions for the last branch, then compare what each pupil chose.

More Year 6 English worksheets

WritingSPaGSpelling

Get started today

Create your own lesson plans, worksheets, and classroom activities in minutes using our AI-powered tools.

Try Chalkie for free