Plagiarism and Summarizing Resources for Elementary Teachers

This article (which students can have read to them!) can be used with upper elementary students (or lower elementary if broken into digestible parts) to introduce the concept of plagiarism. The author writes in an amusing way and outlines what plagiarism is and why we avoid it.

This article from Varsity Tutors' blog is geared toward parents of upper elementary students and would be a great resource for teachers to send home. It outlines how parents should talk to their kids about plagiarism and recommends praise for originality.

This lesson from BrainPop would be perfect for use in the elementary classroom! While some concepts are geared toward older students (such as proper citations), it does a great job of explaining the how and why of avoiding plagiarism. It also includes lots of extension activities such as quizzes, games, writing prompts, and the opportunity to make a movie about the topic!

This article from the blog Cult of Pedagogy has 5 different exercises teachers can use in the classroom. While the exercises are geared toward older students, the writer explains how they can be modified for younger students and why we should start teaching these concepts in elementary.

This short, funny video can be used in a lower elementary classroom. It teaches very basically the concept of plagiarism and why we should avoid it. A great introduction for younger kids!

This article from the Rethink ELA blog has helpful vocabulary that elementary teachers can use while teaching about plagiarism. It also has interesting information about how plagiarism can negatively affect the victims, which is important for students to understand.

This video does a great job of framing plagiarism in terms of how it can be accidental and why that's still not okay. Teachers can use this resources in the classroom after introducing the idea of plagiarism to start a discussion about how to avoid it.

This lesson from Khan Academy would be a perfect independent activity for elementary students. It includes a video about summarizing nonfiction text and even practice opportunities using a simple informational piece!

This article from the Young Teacher Love blog has tons of resources (including some full lessons) on teaching the summarizing of informational text in the elementary classroom. This is so helpful in teaching students the skills they need to find their own information in what they're reading to help them avoid plagiarism!

This lesson, though meant for upper elementary teachers, could be easily modified for the lower grades. It includes a full 60 minute lesson explaining the concept of summarizing informational text.