Teaching Main Idea, Teaching Main Idea, Theme, and Details Theme, and Details

through your through your curriculum curriculum

Teaching Main Idea, Teaching Main Idea, Theme, and Details Theme, and Details

through your through your curriculum curriculum

ReadingReading

Main Idea • Every story or paragraph has a

main idea.• The main idea tells you what the

story is mainly about. • The main idea is the most

important part of a story or paragraph.

Supporting Details•The supporting details are the

things that describe the main idea.

•These supporting details make the main idea stronger.

•Supporting details supports or backs up the main idea.

Theme

• An underlying insight or message about life that runs throughout a story.

Theme

Main Idea

Supporting Details

The main idea of a reading passage is like a dock. Just as a dock is supported by posts, the main idea is supported by important details. The water in which the dock sits is like the underlying theme of a passage

10 KEY TIPS FOR IDENTIFYING

MAIN IDEA

• Tip 1: Preview the passage and predict what it will be about

• Tip 2: Summarize the passage

• Tip 3: Sometimes the main idea will be stated directly.

• Tip 4: Sometimes the main idea will be implied.

• Tip 5: When answering questions about the main idea, look out for answer choices that are merely details from the passage.

• Tip 6: When answering questions about details, scan the passage for key words from the question.

• Tip 7: Notice which details best support the main idea.

• Tip 8: When a main idea question requires a written response, be sure to support your answer with details from the passage.

• Tip 9: Theme questions ask about the

author’s message.

• Tip 10: Universal themes are those that are common to different types of writing, time periods, and cultures.

5 Key Questions to ask yourself

•Who•What •When•Where•Why

•and Sometimes “H” for How

Identify the Main Idea and Supporting Details in this

Passage

• The Erie Canal changed the way people moved goods in the 1800’s. (A) The 363 mile canal connected Albany, New York to Lake Erie in Buffalo for the first time. (B) When the Canal opened in 1825, building supplies and goods could be transported quickly and cheaply across New York State. (C) Canal boats pulled by mules carried people and supplies across New York. (D)

Question Main Idea: Lake Erie changed the

way people moved goods. • What are the supporting details of

this passage?

Main idea activity• Look at the handout with the short

passages. • Go to #2• What TEST TAKING SKILL do we

know about reading the questions?

Look at #2About eighty million people read “the funnies” every day. About twice as man people read the comics as read the editorials. Even when adults were interviewed regarding what they read in newspapers, the comic strip page was by far the most widely read section of the newspaper. Strangely enough, the most highly educated adults read the funnies with the same frequency as those who are less well educated. A study of young readers of comic strips revealed that ninety percent of young people regularly read one or more comic strips seven days a week.

As you read the questions, what should you annotate?

• 2. the paragraph mainly tells:• A. Why so many people read “the

funnies.”• B. How so many young people

read “the funnies.”• C. How popular the comic strips

are• D. Why people like the

newspaper.

Now…• Lets go through 3-5 together.• Remember:

– READ THE QUESTIONS FIRST. MARK KEYWORDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

– ANNOTATE THE PASSAGE AS YOU READ!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

– YOU CAN DO IT DOUBLE CHECK YOUR WORK.

FINALLY….

• COMPLETE 2-5 ON THE BACK.

• WHEN YOU ARE FINISHED, YOU MAY TURN IN THE BOX.

• THEN, READ YOUR NONFICTION.