Main Idea and Context Clues

A woman risks her life to spy for the Union during the Civil War.

The sentence above is an example of a

• plot

• character

• main idea

• theme

What is a main idea?

• the main character in a story

• the life lesson the author expresses

• the sequence of events in a story

• a description of what the story is mostly about

What is the main idea?

• The church has a choir.

• Sandy goes to church.

• Sandy is a great singer.

• Sandy sang a solo each week.

What is the main idea?

• Bobby ran away.

• Tommy forgot to make sure the gate was closed.

• Tommy was forgetful.

• Tommy’s mother was bossy.

Joy sat on the bench at the baseball field and waited. She didn’t like waiting alone. All of the other kids had been picked up by their parents. Where was her mother? Suddenly, her mother came running to her. “Oh Joy, I’m so sorry. Next time I will make myself a note.”

What is the main idea?

• Joy’s mother forgot to pick her up.

• Joy hated sitting alone.

• Joy plays baseball.

• Joy’s mother writes notes.

I went to the ice cream shop and ate a huge sundae. When I got home, supper was ready. Mom had cooked my favorite meal. No matter how I tried, I couldn’t make myself eat.

What is the main idea?

• I like ice cream.

• Mom is a good cook.

• I was too full to eat supper.

• I was sick.

What is the main idea?

• The koala is not a bear.

• The kangaroo and koala are mostly alike but have some differences.

• The kangaroo is nothing like the koala.

• The kangaroo and koala are exactly alike.

What is the main idea?

• There is glue on the rug.

• Lucy's friends are messy.

• A tornado hit the house.

• Lucy's friends ate chocolate.

Tim and his family went fishing today. They stopped on the way to the lake and bought all of their favorite snacks. When they got to the lake, they ate and then started fishing. Tim caught four fish, and his brother caught three. They laughed and gave each other a high-five every time they caught a fish. The whole family had a great time. Maybe they would go fishing again soon.

What is the main idea?

• Tim caught four fish.

• He ate his favorite snack.

• The family had a great time.

• They ate fish for supper.

Many people are afraid of spiders. But spiders can be very helpful. For one thing, spiders are predators and feed on insects. They can help reduce pests from your home or garden. They also get rid of annoying insects such as mosquitoes.

What is the main idea?

• Spiders are dangerous and should be avoided.

• Although many people are afraid of them, spiders are very helpful.

• Spiders are not beneficial to the environment.

• Spiders primarily eat plants and fruits.