Summary Writing Exercises

Summary Writing Exercises-6

This summary writing exercise about extra-curricular activities will provide adequate practice for middle school students.

Are Extra-Curricular Activities Necessary?

Extra-curricular activities do not fall under the school curriculum, but they help in enhancing so many areas of a student’s life. It is well-known that a student's life spent entirely in learning stuff from books is unhealthy for the mind and body.

First and foremost, extracurricular activities can offer a good break needed from studies and homework, particularly for students who have school in the morning and tuition for the rest of their waking hours. For this reason, many students look forward to these activities. By participating in activities outside of the classroom, a child also can discover their interests beyond the textbook. It is difficult for a child to develop a talent in basketball for example, if he or she has never engaged in the activity. Or, if a child constantly has earphones on, perhaps, joining a choir or a music club will be beneficial as the interest can then be developed into nurturing music skills. If you look at the lives of great sports stars, you will see that they started playing from a very early age.

A child who takes on additional activities outside a normal school day is also learning about time management. Time management has always been the number one problem in the lives of many people. Time management is the skill of prioritizing important things and giving enough amount of time for all tasks. Such skills learned while young will stay with the person lifelong. Would you believe that by doing after-school activities, a student can also boost his/her academic performance? A lot of the skills that lie at the heart of extracurricular activities can be used during studying too. Education requires solid problem-solving and critical thinking skills. In research done by Texas A&M University, important academic outcomes like reading and math achievement were all found to be positively influenced by children who engaged in extracurricular activities.

Let us be honest, making friends can be hard, but one of the easiest ways to make friends is through extracurricular activities. Each activity you engage in provides you with the opportunity to expand your social circle. The best part about joining after-school activities would be the benefit it provides when it comes to applying for universities or jobs. Extracurricular activities are great to include on a university or job application as it would demonstrate how well-rounded the applicant is.

Evidently, there are so many pros of committing to extracurricular activities. It is no surprise that in many schools around the world, extra-curricular activities are not optional, but an unavoidable part of school life.

• List six benefits of being engaged in extra-curricular activities.
• Using your points in the list above, write a summary about the benefits of joining extra-curricular activities in no more than 100 words. Begin your summary with the following words:
  ‘By joining extra-curricular activities, students can…..’

Answer Scheme

1. List six benefits of being engaged in extra-curricular activities.

• Extracurricular activities can offer a good break needed from studies and homework.
• By participating in activities outside of the classroom, a child also can discover their interests beyond the textbook.
• A child who takes on additional activities outside a normal school day is also learning about time management.
• Students can boost their academic performance by doing extra-curricular activities because skills such as problem-solving and critical thinking that are required in education lie at the heart of extra-curricular activities.
• Being engaged in extra-curricular activities is an easy way to make friends.
• Extra-curricular activities are great to include in on a university or job application as they show how well-rounded a student is.

2. Using your points in the list above, write a summary about the benefits of joining extra-curricular activities in no more than 100 words.

By joining extra-curricular activities, students can take a break from the pressure of school and allow themselves to discover new hobbies. Additionally, students will learn how to manage time, as they will have to juggle school work and activities. Besides, a lot of extra-curricular activities involve problem-solving and critical thinking skills, so by being engaged in them students can do better in studies which makes use of these skills too. Moreover, one is able to make new friends by joining such activities. Finally, these activities, when mentioned in a college or university application, convey the idea that the student is a well-rounded person.