Key Ideas and Supporting Details

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

• To understand the overall message or purpose of the text.

• To overlook important details

• To confuse the reader

• To waste time and effort

How can you identify the main idea of a text?

• Read the text backwards

• Guess the main idea based on the length of the text

• Ask someone else to identify the main idea

• Analyze the title, headings, topic sentences, and key supporting details throughout the text.

Do the supporting details help understand better the main idea?

• Sometimes

• Yes

• No

What is the main idea?

• the main idea is that the sun is very bright

• • the main idea is that summer is a wonderful time at West Beach

• the main idea is that babies love the beach

• the main idea is that the sand is soft

What strategies can be used to find supporting details in a text?

• Ignore any evidence or examples provided in the text

• Guess the supporting details based on the title of the text

• Look for specific examples, facts, statistics, quotes, or evidence that support the main idea or argument of the text.

• Read the text quickly without paying attention to details

Luca’s grandpa lives on a farm. His grandpa has a big garden, and many animals. When Luca was little, he was afraid of the chickens. When he helped his grandpa feed the chickens, the chickens chased him, crying, “Cluck, cluck, cluck!” But his grandpa showed him how to shoo the chickens away with his hand, saying, “Shoo chicks, shoo chicks!” Luca still doesn’t like the chickens much, but he isn’t afraid of them now. He feels very grown up. What is a supporting detail?

• Luca drew a picture of the farm.

• Luca helped pick the vegetables.

• The chickens said “Cluck, cluck, cluck!”

How can identifying the main idea and supporting details improve reading comprehension?

• By helping readers identify the author's purpose in writing the text.

• By improving vocabulary and language skills.

• By providing a summary of the text's plot or storyline.

• By providing a clear understanding of the central theme or message of a text.

Molly took her new bike out to the sidewalk. Her dad was going to teach her to ride it. He said it was easy, but she wasn’t so sure. He said not to worry, but she wasn’t so sure. She got on the bike, and her dad ran beside her, holding on to keep her steady. The bike wiggled a little, but Molly rode to the end of the block. She put on the brakes and looked around. Her dad was all the up the sidewalk—she had been riding all by herself! After that, Molly never worried about riding a bike. She knew that she could do it.

What is a supporting detail?

• Molly wore her pink shirt.

• The bike wiggled a little.

• Molly took her new bike to the park.

What is a supporting detail?

• Grandpa’s apartment is on the 18th floor.

• The train station is a busy place.

• There is an elevator in Alex’s grandpa’s building.

The eye doctor said Julie needed glasses. Julie picked out a pair of cute pink glasses. But when the glasses were ready, Julie wasn’t so sure. When she went to school the next day, she kept her new glasses in her backpack. She went into her classroom, and saw her teacher, Mrs. Swan. Mrs. Swan was wearing new pink glasses! Now Julie wasn’t worried about wearing her new glasses. Now she thought her new glasses were wonderful!

What is the main idea?

• Julie’s teacher

• Julie’s new glasses

• Julie’s classroom