Main Idea vs. Topic

A statement that tells what a passage is mostly about -

• Topic

• Main idea

• Claim

• Transitional sentence

What the whole paragraph or story is about - the general subject

• The Main Idea

• The Summary

• The Topic

• A paragraph

Kangaroos are interesting animals. They have excellent hearing. Kangaroos cannot walk backwards, but they are good swimmers. Most Kangaroos eat grass.

What is the topic?

• Animals

• Kangaroos

• Swimmers

• Hearing

Kangaroos are interesting animals. They have excellent hearing. Kangaroos cannot walk backwards, but they are good swimmers. Most kangaroos eat grass.

What is the main idea?

• Kangaroos have excellent hearing.

• Kangaroos are good swimmers.

• Kangaroos are interesting animals.

• Most kangaroos eat grass.

Why did you say "Kangaroos are interesting animals." was the main idea of the paragraph?

• Because it was the first sentence of the paragraph.

• Because kangaroos are interesting animals!

• Because the rest of the paragraph is not true.

• Because the rest of the sentences support this idea.

There are 17,500 species of butterflies in the world. Butterflies love to eat sweet food. They like to eat oranges, peaches, apples, watermelon, and ripe bananas. They also like rotting fruit, molasses, and brown sugar.

What is the topic?

• Species of Butterflies

• Food

• Butterflies

• The World

There are 17,500 species of butterflies in the world. Butterflies love to eat sweet food. They like to eat oranges, peaches, apples, watermelon, and ripe bananas. They also like rotting fruit, molasses, and brown sugar.

What is the main idea?

• There are 17,500 species of butterflies in the world.

• Butterflies love to eat sweet food.

• They like to eat oranges, peaches, apples, watermelon, and ripe bananas.

• They also like rotting fruit, molasses, and brown sugar.

Mount Rushmore is a huge carving in a stone cliff. The carving shows the faces of four U.S. presidents. They are George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. Mount Rushmore is in South Dakota. Each year many people visit this amazing sight.

What is the main idea?

• Mount Rushmore is a carving in a stone cliff.

• Mount Rushmore is in South Dakota

• George Washington is one of the faces on Mount Rushmore.

• Mount Rushmore attracts visitors.

 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. There are many fun things to do at the beach.
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.

Elephants use their trunks for many things. Elephants use their trunks to smell. In fact, elephants can smell better than bloodhounds. Baby elephants sometimes suck their trunks to soothe themselves the way human babies suck their thumbs. Elephants do not drink with their trunks. They use their trunks to suck up water and then pour it in their mouths. Elephants also greet each other with their trunks the way humans do by shaking hands.
What is the main idea?

•  How much water elephants drink
• Where elephants live
• Elephants use the their trunks for many things.
• Elephants use their trunks to smell.