Important: When someone tells a story, some details help us understand what happened. Other details are extra. Extra details are like noise — they are not wrong, but they do not change the main point. Helpful details are signal. Extra details are noise. Our class words: Remove the noise.

The story

Yesterday Tom woke up late. He made coffee. He looked for his blue cup but used a white cup instead. Then he checked his phone and saw that his boss had called three times. Tom called his boss back. His boss said Tom should be at work at half past eight. Tom forgot that his work time had changed this week.

What is not important

These details are noise. You can delete them and still understand the story:

• Tom made coffee
• He looked for his blue cup and used a white cup
• He woke up late
• He checked his phone
• His boss called three times

What is important

These details are signal. Keep them — they tell us what really happened:

• Tom was late for work
• His boss called him
• Tom should be at work at half past eight
• Tom forgot that his work time had changed this week

Remove the noise — what happened?

One sentence only: Tom forgot his work time had changed, so his boss called because he was late.

Talk about it

1. What happened? — say it in one sentence.
2. Noise or signal? — pick one detail from the story and explain your choice.
3. Why remove the noise? — so the listener hears the main point fast.