Non-Fiction Elements

Mark wanted to be a great skater. But he didn't want to spend the hours practicing. He wished he could just do the tricks easily. Mark's dream was to have everyone stop and stare when he entered the skate park. He  wanted them to say, "Mark is the best skater in the whole world."
What is the main idea?

• Mark wants everyone to think he's a great skater without doing the hard work.
• Mark practices very hard to become a great skater.
• Mark is the best skater at the park.
• Mark wants to learn how to skate so he can compete.

Tags

CCSS.RI.2.2

CCSS.RL.2.2

CCSS.RI.3.2

CCSS.RI.1.2

CCSS.RL.1.2

If you are feeling sad, you can make yourself feel better by doing a few simple things. You can take a walk (or get another form of exercise), you can talk to a friend, or you can write down your feelings. Writing down the good things in your life will help too. Doing something good for someone else will also help you feel better. If you still feel a little sad, act happy. It works like magic to make you feel better!
What is the main idea?

• Sometimes people feel sad.
• You should do good things for others.
• We're not always happy.
• There are many ways to make yourself feel better. 

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.2

CCSS.RL.3.2

CCSS.RI.2.2

CCSS.RL.2.2

CCSS.RI.4.2

There are many fun things to do at the beach.  Swimming is one thing that can be done at the beach.  Snorkeling is another thing that can be enjoyed.  Playing beach volleyball can be a lot of fun.  It is also fun to look for shells.  Some people simply like to sunbathe.
What is the main idea?

• There are many fun things to do at the beach.
• It is also fun to look for shells.
• Some people simply like to sunbathe.
• Going to the beach to swim can be fun.

Tags

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

Seated on his throne, King Midas wore a golden crown. He had golden rings on each finger and held a golden scepter. His vest was embroidered with golden thread and even his shoes had golden ornaments. He had a golden box filled with gold coins. He named his daughter Marigold.
What is the main idea of this paragraph?

• King Midas loved gold.
• King Midas sold lots of gold.
• King Midas had a heart of gold.
• King Midas hated gold.

Tags

CCSS.RI.4.1

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RL.4.1

What text features can give you a clue of what the main idea is?

• Title
• Headings
• Pictures
• All of these

Tags

TEKS.ELA.2.9D.I

TEKS.ELA.3.9D.I

TEKS.ELA.4.9D.I

TEKS.ELA.1.9D.I

TEKS.ELA.5.9D.I

Do you ever wonder what makes gum so chewy? Gum has been around for about 3,000 years. Until the 1940’s, gum was made out of chicle, a type of tree sap. Flavorings were added during the 1860’s to make gum taste better. Now, gum makers use a soft, chewy, and edible type of rubber-like substance to make gum. 

•  The different flavors of gum
• Types of tree sap
• What gum is made of

In 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright were the first people to successfully fly an airplane. As children, the brothers enjoyed building and tinkering with things. Later, they owned printing and bicycle making businesses. The skills and money made from these businesses helped them create several aircrafts during the 1890’s. Finally, in 1903, the Wright brothers successfully flew the first controlled airplane at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

• The Wright brothers were the first to fly.
• What the weather is like at Kitty Hawk, NC
• What the first airplane looked like

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.1

Ice-cream is a delicious frozen treat that comes in a many different colors and flavors. Two of my favorite flavors are strawberry and chocolate. Though both of these flavors are delicious, strawberry may contain pieces of fruit while chocolate usually will not. Even though more chocolate ice-cream is sold across the country annually than strawberry, each flavor tastes great inside of a milk shake. 

The author structured this paragraph to--

• list the differences
• explain the difference between strawberry and chocolate ice cream
• show that people are not interested in strawberry
• suggest chocolate is superior to strawberry

Freezer burn may have wasted more ice-cream than sidewalks. If you don’t know, freezer burn is when ice crystals form on the surface of ice-cream. These ice crystals can ruin the texture and flavor of the ice cream. But you can prevent freezer burn. Since freezer burn is caused when melted ice-cream is refrozen, rather than eating your ice-cream from the container as it melts, scoop your ice-cream into a bowl and put the container back in the fridge immediately. Doing this ought to help you solve your issues with freezer burn. 
This author structures this paragraph to explain  --

• the sequence of freezer burn
• the similarities and differences of freezer burnt ice cream
• a solution to the freezer burn problem
• the effect of freezer burn

Have you ever had an ice-cream headache? That’s when a painful sensation resonates in your head after eating something cold (usually ice-cream) on a hot day. This pain is produced by the dilation of a nerve center in the roof of your mouth. The nerve center is overreacting to the cold by trying to heat your brain. Ice-cream headaches have turned many smiles to frowns. 
The author sturctures this paragraph to --

• provide information about ice cream headaches
• give the chronological order of an ice cream headache
• show what ice cream can do to a person
• explain what the effect of an ice cream headache can dp