Main Idea

1. Main Idea

2. What is the main idea? • The who or what the paragraph or passage is about. • The most important information about the who or what. • It is usually one general statement. • Every sentence must refer back to that main idea in some way if it really is the main idea.

3. Supporting Details • The main idea ALWAYS has supporting details. • It is your text evidence to prove the paragraph is about the who or what you identify. • Imagine a chair. The seat of your chair is the main idea and legs of the chair are your supporting details. The seat of your chair cannot hold you up without the legs and your main idea will not stand without supporting details.

4. Finding the Main Idea • Sometimes the main idea is in the first sentence of the paragraph. • Sometimes the main idea is in the last sentence of the paragraph. • At other times the main idea is implied.

5. Let’s Practice • We will read several paragraphs and Identify the main idea and supporting details. • We’ll fill in the information on an organizer.

6. Main Idea in the First Sentence • From “Split-Screen View” by Susan Mondshein Tejada • If you’ve ever tried to swat a fly, you know it’s hard to hit. That’s because a fly can detect moving objects extremely well. Flies view the world through compound eyes---eyes with multiple lenses. Each lens faces a different direction and views a small part of a scene. The parts add up to a complete picture in the insect’s brain, which tells a fly to fly away fast!

7. Main Idea in the Last Sentence • From The Magic Paintbrush by Laurence Yep • Reverently he removed the wrapping and held up a black and white photo. It seemed to be of someone’s living room. On a table sat a big old-fashioned radio. In front of it a man and woman stood together. The man was in a tuxedo, and the woman was in a fluffy gown. They were holding hands, as if they were about to dance. They were so young, they didn’t look like his parents.

8. Implied Main Idea • From “The Birds’ Peace” by Jean Craighead George • On the day Kristy’s father went off to war, she burst out the back door and ran down the path to the woods. Her eyes hurt. Her chest burned. She crossed the bridge over the purling stream and dashed into the lean-to she and her father had built near the edge of the flower-filled woodland meadow.

9. Guided Practice • Open your National Geographic Explorer to the article, “Viking Voyages” on page 6. • We’ll read page 7 and the top of page 8 together. • Now let’s look at the section “Rowing Ashore”. With a partner you will read the section. Identify the main idea and supporting details.

10. Independent Practice • You will read the article, “Merry Christmas, My Friend”. • As you read use strategy. • Answer the questions after the story using strategy. • That means you use a highlighter or red marking pen to underline text evidence for your answer. • If it asks you about a particular paragraph go back and reread the entire paragraph.

11. Bibliography • Reader’s Handbook: A Student Guide for Reading and Learning, Great Source, 2002. Reading for Comprehension Series: Getting the Main Idea, Educational Insights.