Six-Word Story Summarizing Strategy

As I prepare for my upcoming classes, I wanted to share a simple but powerful strategy that I plan to sprinkle in throughout my sessions. 

Mark Twain once said, “I didn’t have time to write you a short letter, so I wrote you a long one.” Think about this! The ability to only select six words to tell an entire story requires time, thought, and deliberate word choice. 

My daughter suffers from something her 5th-grade teacher calls, “word vomit”. ALL of her wonderful knowledge she has gained over the last 10 years either by reading books, traveling, listening in her classes, or just by living life always seems to find its very detailed way into her writing assignments. She wants to share it all.

Teaching kids to intentionally think about their word choice during writing takes practice. One great strategy is the Six-Word Story. This strategy helps kids practice answering a writing prompt in just six words. For example, Ernest Hemingway was once said to have written the shortest memoir. “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” Six simple words strung together to invoke such profound emotion, empathy, passion, and curiosity. 

Although the Six-Word Story has been around for quite some time, I’ve recently been inspired by the podcast, VrainWaves, to add some creativity and fun to the activity. Students can create a video using their story that incorporates both imagery and tone. Adding creativity to critical thinking bumps this activity up a notch. 

So, during your next family dinner, try asking your kids to describe a character or event from their latest book by using only six words. Encourage kids to pay more attention to “the big idea” rather than specific details. Remember, it’s okay to guide them or just give them examples. This takes practice. 

Here are some stories I’ve found for inspiration:

Stories that convey a sense of fear:

• “I can never outrun this clown”
• “Surfboarding: Dangling feet equals shark bait”

Stories that convey the 2020 global pandemic:

• “Not a criminal, but running masked.”
• “Hallway hike, bathtub swim, Pandora concert.”

Random Stories:

• “Social media: friend, foe, and accomplice” 
• “Stuffies are real no matter what”