Main Idea

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Main Idea
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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.

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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.

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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.

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Lets Practice

• We will read several paragraphs and Identify the
  main idea and supporting details.
• Well fill in the information on an organizer.

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Main Idea in the First Sentence

• From Split-Screen View by Susan Mondshein
  Tejada
• If youve ever tried to swat a fly, you know its
  hard to hit. Thats 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 insects brain,
  which tells a fly to fly away fast!

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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
  someones 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 didnt look like his
  parents.

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Implied Main Idea

• From The Birds Peace by Jean Craighead George
• On the day Kristys 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.

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Guided Practice

• Open your National Geographic Explorer to the
  article, Viking Voyages on page 6.
• Well read page 7 and the top of page 8 together.
• Now lets look at the section Rowing Ashore.
  With a partner you will read the section.
  Identify the main idea and supporting details.

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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.

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Bibliography

• Readers Handbook A Student Guide for Reading
  and Learning, Great Source,
• 2002.
• Reading for Comprehension Series Getting the
  Main Idea, Educational Insights.