SIM Virtual Professional Learning: Canvas Course


The Fundamentals of Paraphrasing and Summarizing Strategy

The Fundamentals of Paraphrasing and Summarizing Strategy helps older students acquire the fundamental skills they need to be able to identify and paraphrase main ideas and details. Lesson topics include paraphrasing words, phrases, and sentences; identifying details, topics, and main ideas; creating summaries; and more. These skills are foundational to being able to paraphrase and summarize information and are required when students write answers to questions or write reports in school.


This is a self-paced and self-guided course housed in the Canvas Learning Management System.  We estimate that it will take approximately 6-8 hours to complete.

This time estimate includes time to:

  • watch the brief videos,
  • complete quick experiential activities in the modules, and
  • read the accompanying materials (modest estimate).

Among many individual factors, the length of time will vary due to reading and working speed, or if you implement the lessons with students between participating in the modules. Another factor for time variance is whether this is your first SIM Learning Strategy.

This course includes access to a virtual SIM Professional Developer on Zoom. These online coaching sessions include additional time of approximately 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on your requested level of support.

We've had great feedback from people who've attended this course with a colleague, so think about attending with someone from your school or district.

Register Anytime and Complete the Course at your own pace. 

Course Price: $200 (*plus guidebooks)

Participants will receive the following materials as part of their registration: Access to the Fundamentals of Paraphrasing and Summarizing Strategy Professional Development Course on Canvas, access to digital teacher resources, and two one-hour follow-up coaching sessions.

  • *Note: If you do not have them already, you will need to purchase the Fundamentals of Paraphrasing and Summarizing Strategy guidebooks (student and teacher) separately through the publisher, Edge Enterprises, Inc.)

Registration Step One: Fill out the Online Registration Form

Registration Step Two: Payment

Registration Step Three: Purchase Guidebooks (if you do not already have them) For this session you will need the following materials:

Refund Policy: There will be no refunds issued for this course.


An accessible version of the documents on this site will be made available upon request. Please contact the KU CRL Professional Development Research Institute, at simpd@ku.edu to request the document be made available in an accessible format.