8 Department of Education

National Capital Region

SCHOOL S DIVISION OFFICE
MARIK INA CITY

ENGLISH
Fourth Quarter – Module 2
Synthesizing Important Information
from Various Sources

Writer: Cyril P. Santos

Illustrator: Marexcza Z. Salinas
Layout Artist: Shiela Mae A. Cancino

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 What I Need to Know

Hello Grade 8 English language learners! In this module, you will learn how
to:

Synthesize essential information found in various sources

You can confidently say that you have understood the lesson in this module
if you can already:
1. identify different sources of information;
2. get important information from different sources of information; and,
3. write a summary of important information about a given topic.

What I Know

Accomplish the two activities below.

1) Complete the graphic organizer below with what you already know
about the word SYNTHESIZE.

What does it mean? What words mean the

same as synthesize ?
__________________ __________________

synthesize
What are some examples What are the steps to do
of it? it?
_________________ _______________

2) What are the common sources of information that you know of? Write
five below:
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
____________________________________
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 Lesson Summarizing Important Information
1 from Various Sources

What’s In

Hello once again Grade 8 learners. Let us first have a quick review of what you
have learned from your lessons in Quarter 3. Read the paragraph below. After
reading, answer the two questions after the paragraph.

When you look at your hands, you will see swirls and patterns on your palm
and fingers. These are called fingerprints. Our fingerprints are made of skin They are
formed even before a person is born. Skin is made up of many layers. As a baby
grows inside a mother’s womb, the top layer of the skin called the epidermis on the
fingers become folded. Layers of skin below stick to the epidermis and hold it in a
folded pattern. This is how fingerprints are formed, and the patterns remain that way
for life! The ridges and lines of a person’s palms are unique for every person as well.
In fact, palm prints are more commonly used to identify a suspect of a crime than
fingerprints are.

1) What is the topic of the paragraph?

Answer:
_________________________________________________________________________

2) What important information about fingerprints can you get from the
paragraph? Write two.
Answers:
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

What’s New
Do you love playing computer/video games? What is in these games that make
millions of people all over the world enjoy playing it? Read the ideas of the two teens
below about computer games.

Claire: According to an article I read online, video

games have good effects on a teenagers’ problem-
solving skills! When teenagers play role-playing
games and other games that require them to think of
strategies, they are practicing their abilities to solve
problems. Teenagers’ creativity is also enhanced.
Also, playing video games can improve a person’s
mood and make them feel more relaxed and less
anxious.

Roy: Based on a video I watched from YouTube, video

games can have bad effects on a person. Playing too
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much games can cause injuries to the muscles and joints on the hands and arms. Too
much games can lead to lack of sleep. Playing too much games can also make people
lose focus on more important things like education, career, and relationship.

Synthesizing or combining the ideas of Claire and Roy, we will have the
paragraph below:

Video games have positive and negative effects on a person’s body and mind.
Playing video games can improve a person’s abilities to solve problems, creativity, and
mood. However, playing video games can also lead to health problems like muscle
injuries on the hands and arms and lack of sleep. It can also make a person lose focus
on important things in life like education, career, and relationships.

Let’s analyze the ideas of Claire and Roy by answering these questions:

1. What is the main idea of Claire about video games? What about Roy?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

2. Of the two teenagers, who do you agree more when it comes to video games?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

3. Read again the combined ideas of Claire and Roy. What is the main idea of
this paragraph?
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

What Is It

Every day we see and use different kinds of information. Information

can come from various sources. Sources of information can be printed or
digital. Let’s look at some examples:

• printed: textbooks, modules, newspapers, magazines, posters

• digital: YouTube videos, internet articles, websites, social media
posts/pages, infographics, online news
Aside from printed and digital sources, what other sources of
information do we have? How can you tell if the source of information is
reliable?

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 Most of the time, we access different sources of information to get a
more complete information about a topic for an assignment or project. For
example, if your teacher gave you an assignment to research about the effects
of too much computers to our health, you would read many articles from
Google and maybe watch 1 or 2 YouTube videos about the topic. Then, you
will combine all the information you have learned into a paragraph. This is
what you call synthesizing.

To help you better understand how synthesizing works, read another

sample below.

Is it clearer now? Can you see how the information from the two sources
are combined in the synthesis to create a paragraph that talks about the good
things sleep can do to both our body and mind? In synthesizing, it is
important to paraphrase or use your own words/sentences than simply
copying the words/sentences from the source. It is also important to think of
a main idea or topic sentence that will summarize the information you have
collected from the different sources. In our example synthesis, this main idea
or topic sentence can be found in the first sentence of the paragraph.

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 What’s More
Activity 1.
Classify the different sources of information inside the box whether it is printed
or digital. Also, answer the question you will find below.

information about An article on the a poster about online dictionaries

Typhoon Abi from benefits of being a Covid-19 posted on a
Facebook “plantita” published wall in the market
on a magazine for
women

Science textbook a YouTube video recorded speech of TED-Ed videos from

from the school about digital money the President YouTube
library

an article about an interview with a

different face masks senator published on
from World Health a newspaper
Organization.com

printed sources of information digital sources of information

Question:
1. As a Gen Z student/21st century learner, which is easier for you to use: printed
or digital sources of information? Explain your idea. (5 pts.)
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________

What I Have Learned

In this module, we talked about synthesizing information from various
sources. Express what you have learned about this topic by answering the
questions below.
1. What are some common sources of information?
____________________________________________________________________

2. How do you synthesize information from various sources?

_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

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 What I Can Do

Read the two sources of information below about early or prehistoric humans.
Then, combine the important information from each source to write a 1-paragraph (5-7
sentences only) synthesis.
Source # 1
The Neanderthal Man is an ancestor of the modern human. The fossils of the
Neanderthals are discovered in a place called Neander Valley in Germany. He is
short and stooped with powerful arms. He has a large brain, a low forehead, an
extending jaw, and a round chin. All these features make him look more like an ape-
man than a real, modern human. When the climate became cold, they lived in caves.
They are great hunters: they hunt for animals like bears, foxes, and wild horses for
food. They took the skin as clothing and use the bones for tools as jewelry. The
Neanderthals are also skilled in making tools: they made choppers, drills, and spears.
Scientists also believe that the Neanderthals bury their dead relatives.
Source # 2
The Cro-Magnon is one of our ancestors. They lived on Earth after the
Neanderthals, another kind of early human, became extinct. The fossils of the Cro-
Magnons were discovered by scientists in a village in France. They were six-footers
with a wide face, a high forehead, and a square chin. They look very much like us,
modern man! They live in caves and hunt wild animals. A study of the caves where
they have lived showed drawings of animals and hunters on the cave walls. They
also carve animal figures out of stone and put decorations on their weapons. It looks
like the Cro-Magnons are very artistic! They also use animal bones as needles, and
they sew clothing from animal skin. The Cro-Magnons also learned how to make fire
by rubbing two sticks together.

My synthesis:
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

Tip for writing the synthesis:

➢ You can focus on the similarities and differences of the two early humans
-OR- on the similarities and differences between the early humans and modern
humans.

Rubrics
Criteria Score
The paragraph combines information from different sources of information. 5
The paragraph is clear and easy to understand. 5
The words/sentences are paraphrased and not copied directly, word for word, 5
from the source.
The paragraph has very few errors in grammar, spelling, and correct use of the 5
English language.
Total 20 pts

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 Assessment
Follow the steps below to showcase what you have learned from this module.

1. Think of a topic that is interesting to you or a topic that is popular/trending

right now.

2. Read/view different sources to get information about the topic.

Tip: For every source that you will read or view, you should learn
something new or get additional information about your topic. If a source
is telling the same information as the other sources you already have,
look for another.

3. Combine or synthesize all information you have collected into a single

paragraph (6-7 sentences only). Write a title and main idea for your paragraph.

4. List the titles of the articles, books, or videos you have used as sources of
information at the end of your paragraph.

Rubrics
Criteria Score
The paragraph combines information from different sources of information. 5
The paragraph is clear and easy to understand. 5
The words/sentences are paraphrased and not copied directly, word for word, 5
from the source.
The paragraph has very few errors in grammar, spelling, and correct use of the 5
English language.
Total 20 pts

Posttest
For 1-5, classify whether the students in the following situations are using
printed or digital sources of information.

________ 1. Paulo is watching a YouTube video to learn more about the different
Covid-19 vaccines.
________ 2. Harry read two articles from Google to know more about the symptoms
and cure for Covid-19.
________ 3. For her assignment in Science, Agnes used the information she collected
from the textbooks her brother owned.
________ 4. Joshue learned from a poster posted on the supermarket that washing
hands, wearing a face mask, and avoiding crowded places are the best
ways to fight Covid-19.
________ 5. Leila watched a psychologist interviewed on YouTube. She learned some
tips to handle stress from online classes.

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 For 6-15, read the three sources of information below. Then, combine the
important information from these sources and write a 1-paragraph synthesis.

Source # 1
The Philippine tarsier, (Tarsius syrichta or Carlito syrichta) is one of the
smallest kinds of primates or monkeys. It lives on trees and can be found in the
islands of Samar, Leyte, Bohol, and Mindanao in the Philippines. The locals call the
tarsier “mamags” or “malmags”.
The tarsier is slowly getting endangered. Although the government has banned
the hunting and selling of tarsiers to tourists, they are still in danger due to
deforestation and illegal logging. Luckily, the government is now doing ways to
preserve tarsiers. The Philippine Tarsier Foundation in Bohol is one place where
people can visit tarsiers in their normal habitat.

Source # 2
The Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi) or the monkey-eating eagle is one
of the largest and most powerful birds in the whole world. It is a native of the
Philippines and can only be found in the forests of Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and
Mindanao. Unfortunately, the Philippine eagle is considered an endangered species,
with only 400 pairs alive in the wild. They are the victims of shooting and hunting;
they are also dying because of deforestation. The Philippine government already have
several laws that provide protection to the Philippine eagle.

Source # 3
The Tamaraw, known scientifically as Bubalus mindorensis is an animal
endemic or native to Mindoro, a province located in Region IVA of Luzon. It belongs
to the family of buffalos, like the carabao which is more common. People used to call
Mindoro the “Land of Tamaraws” but sadly, that was a long time ago. In the 1990s,
around 10, 000 tamaraws were roaming in the province. This number decreased to
369 during the 1980s and in the present time, only around 20 tamaraws are said to
exist in Mindoro. The tamaraws are indeed in great danger of getting extinct.

My synthesis:
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________

References

1. Information about sleep from: https://www.sclhealth.org/blog/2018/09/the-benefits-of-

getting-a-full-night-sleep/
2. Information about Prehistoric Humans in What I can do from “The World: History and
Civilization” by Vibal Publishing

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 DISCIPLINE • GOOD TASTE • EXCELLENCE
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What I Know
1) Below are sample answers (Give 2 points per section):
2) Some sample sources of information: newspapers, Facebook posts, YouTube, internet articles,
and online news
What’s In
Below are sample answers (Give 5 points per section):
1. The paragraph is about fingerprints of humans.
2. Our fingerprints are made up of folded skin.
3. Our fingerprints are starting to develop even before we are born/while still inside our
mothers’ womb.
What’s New
Below are suggested answers (Give 1 point per question):
1. For Claire, video games/computer games have a positive effect on teenagers. For Roy,
video/computer games have negative effects on a person.
2. As a person who also plays games, I agree with Claire more. I think video games can really
help people to develop their problem solving and creativity. It is also a very relaxing
pastime.
3. The main idea of the paragraph is video/computer games have positive and negative effects
on a person’s body and mind.
What’s More
Activity 1
printed sources of information digital sources of information
• an interview with a senator published on a • information about Typhoon Abi from
newspaper Facebook
• Science textbook from the school library • an article about different face masks from
• a poster about Covid-19 posted on a wall World Health Organization.com
in the market • recorded speech of the President
• An article on the benefits of being a • TED-Ed videos from YouTube
“plantita” published on a magazine for • online dictionaries
women • a YouTube video about digital money
What I Have Learned
Below are suggested answers (Give 2 points for each item).
1. Sources of information can be printed or digital. Printed sources of information include
newspapers, books, posters, magazines and other printed materials. Digital sources of
information include online articles, websites, YouTube videos, online news, and even
social media posts.
2. In synthesizing, the first step is to read different sources of information. Then, get the
important information/details from these sources. Finally, combine this important
information to create a synthesis paragraph. In synthesizing, it is important to paraphrase
the words used in the original sources.
What I Can Do
Below is a sample synthesis (Give 20 points).
The Neanderthals and the Cro-Magnons have similarities but also differences from one
another. Both are our ancestors. Also, both are hunters and they live on caves. However, the
Neanderthals lived earlier than the Cro-Magnons. The fossils of the Neanderthals were found in
Germany while the Cro-Magnons were discovered in Germany. Lastly, the Neanderthals look more
like monkeys or apes while the Cro-Magnons look more like the modern man.
Assessment
Give 20 points for the students’ outputs.
Answer Key
 Development Team of the Module

Writer: Cyril P. Santos (SEHS)

Editor: Marjorie Hannie T. Rarugal (PHS)
Internal Validator: Janet S. Cajuguiran (EPS – English)
Illustrator: Marexcza Z. Salinas (PHS)
Layout Artist: Shiela Mae A. Cancino (SRNHS)

Management Team:
Sheryll T. Gayola
Assistant Schools Division Superintendent
OIC, Office of the Schools Division Superintendent

Elisa O. Cerveza
Chief, CID
OIC, Office of the Assistant Schools Division Superintendent

Janet S. Cajuguiran
EPS-English

Ivy Coney A. Gamatero

EPS – LRMS

For inquiries or feedback, please write or call:

Schools Division Office- Marikina City

Email Address: [email protected]

191 Shoe Ave., Sta. Elena, Marikina City, 1800, Philippines

Telefax: (02) 682-2472 / 682-3989

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