Main Idea and Details

Key details give important information to support the main idea.

• True

• False

What is the MAIN IDEA of this passage?

• Miranda and her friend had fun at their sleepover

• Sleepovers are fun

• Miranda's mom dropped her off at her friend's house

• Miranda and her friend were excited to their sleepover

What is the MAIN IDEA of the passage?

• To tell you why dogs are great pets

• Dogs can make you laugh with there silly tricks

• Dogs can keep you company when you take a walk

• To tell about the tricks a dog can do

A bat can fly at night or even with its eyes closed.  But if you cover its ears, it can't fly very well.  Bats make sounds that people can't hear.  The bats find their way by listening to these sounds as they echo off things.  Bats even locate insects to eat by following the sounds that bounce off the bugs.  People use their eyes, but bats use their ears to know where they're going.  This paragraph mainly tells:

• how bats use sound

• what things bats often eat as food

• how bats fly toward people

• how people can hear the sounds of bats

What is the "main idea" of an informational text?

• The definition of a word or phrase

• The most important thought or concept in an informational text

• An important or essential person who impacts the information presented in a text

• A category of texts with similar characteristics or written for similar purposes

What are some strategies you can use to find the main idea of a passage or text?

• Focusing only on the author's opinions, looking for hidden meanings, and assuming the main idea is the same as the thesis statement.

• Identifying the topic sentence, looking for repeated words or phrases, summarizing the passage in your own words, and paying attention to headings and subheadings.

• Skipping the first and last paragraphs, looking for irrelevant details, and relying solely on the title.

• Reading the passage backwards, guessing the main idea, and ignoring headings and subheadings.

Why is it important to identify the main idea of a passage or text?

• To waste time and effort

• To ignore the author's message

• To understand the purpose and message of the author and retain information better.

• To confuse the reader

What is the purpose of finding the main idea in a passage or text?

• To analyze the grammar and vocabulary used in the content.

• To identify the supporting details in the content.

• To summarize the content in a few words.

• To understand the central theme or message of the content.

What is the main idea from the comic Mayah's Lot?

• Mayah's Lot is an awesome comic book

• Mayah's Lot teaches us about environmental protection and community organizing

• Mayah's Lot is a graphic novel with beautiful illustrations

• Mayah's Lot is a romance graphic novel

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

I can't wait until this weekend! We’re going to my grandparents’ house and my entire family will be there. I will spend most of my time playing games with my cousins. We always have such a good time together! The day goes by so fast, and by the end we are all exhausted... but we still don’t want to leave!
What is the main idea?

• Weekends are times to travel.

• The author enjoys spending time with her family.

• The author's grandparents live far away.

• The author is sad to leave her cousins.