Vocabulary
To draw a conclusion (put the pieces together) from what you read and from what you already know
What is synthesize?
What are supporting details?
Details that support the main idea.
Main Idea: Benjamin Franklin was an important inventor. Which is a supporting detail? A. He created bifocal glasses and the Franklin Stove. B. He flew a kite during a storm.
He created bifocal glasses and the Franklin Stove.
Sandy sings in the church choir. She sings a solo every week. Everyone looks forward to hearing her sing. Last Sunday Mrs. Smith said, “Sandy has the voice of an angel.” We all agreed with her. I think she will be famous one day. What is the main idea?
Sandy is a good singer
I love the month of October. It's so much fun to see the leaves change color and I love the cooler weather. Also my favorite holiday is Halloween because people dress up in crazy costumes and you can get a lot of candy. What is an appropriate title? A. Months of the year B. October is the best C. Halloween
October is the best
To break apart and look at more closely
What is analyze?
What is main idea?
The chief point the author is making about a topic.
The Louisiana Purchase was the first major expansion of U.S. land. Which is a supporting detail? A. The Louisiana Purchase occurred in 1803. B. The land purchased was 828,000 square miles.
The land purchased was 828,000 square miles.
Tommy ran down the street chasing his dog. “Bobby! Bobby!” he yelled. He knew he should have checked the gate before letting Bobby into the back yard. His mother has told him a hundred times. How had he forgotten? If he had closed it, Bobby would still be in the back yard.
Tommy forgot to make sure the gate was closed.
The Olympic Games is a huge sporting event. Many countries send their best athletes to compete. Athletes can compete in sports such as swimming, gymnastics, track and field, archery, volleyball, and more! Winning athletes or teams can place to get a bronze, silver, or gold medal. Millions of people around the world watch the Olympic Games to see who will win. What would be an appropriate title? A. The Excitement of the Olympic Games B. Champions of the World C. The Greatest Games of all Time
The Excitement of the Olympic Games
To give the shortened version
What is summarize?
When writing a paragraph you must have sentences that support your main idea. What are these sentences called?
Supporting details
Jaguars use their jaws to crush their prey's skulls.
It is estimated that over twenty million pounds of candy corn are sold in the US each year. Brach’s, the top manufacturer, sells enough candy corn to circle the earth 4.25 times if each piece were laid end to end. That’s a lot of candy corn, but that’s nothing compared to Tootsie Roll production. Over 64 million Tootsie Rolls are produced every day! But even Tootsie Rolls have got nothing on the candy industry’s staple product, chocolate. Confectioners manufacture over twenty billion pounds of chocolate in the United States each year. What's the main idea?
The U.S. eats a lot of candy.
A penny for your thoughts? If it’s a 1943 copper penny, it could be worth as much as fifty thousand dollars. In 1943, most pennies were made out of steel since copper was needed for World War II, so the 1943 copper penny is ultra-rare. Another rarity is the 1955 double die penny. These pennies were mistakenly double stamped, so they have overlapping dates and letters. If it’s uncirculated, it’d easily fetch $25,000 at an auction. Now that’s a pretty penny. What would be an appropriate title? A. A rare penny B. Big money C. Old money
A rare penny
To create
What is formulate?
Name two tips to help you find the main idea.
1. Read the title 2. Ask yourself "What is the WHOLE passage trying to tell me about?" 3. Look at the first and last sentences. 4. Make sure every detail sentence would fit into the main idea.
Main idea: The job of a rodeo clown is very dangerous. Which is a supporting detail? A. Rodeo clowns wear silly outfits. B. Rodeo clowns distract the bull once the cowboy is knocked off.
Rodeo clowns distract the bull once the cowboy is knocked off.
Marie Curie not only the first woman to have won a Nobel Prize, she is also the only person to win a Nobel Prize in two different sciences. Most notably, however, Marie Curie discovered radiation. She was also the first person to use radiation to treat tumors. Curie experimented extensively with radioactivity during her scientific career. Unfortunately, the damaging effects of radiation were not known then. Her exposure to radiation most likely was the cause of her blindness and early death. Still today her scientific papers are considered too dangerous to handle without protective equipment. These documents are stored in lead-lined boxes. Even her cookbook is radioactive. She must have made some really hot food in her lifetime. What is the main idea?
Marie Curie was an important scientist who discovered radiation.
Wolverines are medium sized mammals. They weigh no more than 50 lbs. Yet they have earned their reputation for ferocity by killing prey many times their size. But why do they get in so many fights? The reason why wolverines have so many conflicts with other animals (including wolves, cougars, and even bears) is probably because of the wolverine's preferred hunting style. Rather than chasing down or tricking its prey like most hunters, the wolverine prefers to take its meals directly from other hunters. So while a polar bear or a lone wolf might be enjoying a hard earned carcass, a hungry wolverine may try to take his lunch. As you might imagine, this style of hunting get the wolverine in plenty of fights. What would be an appropriate title? A. Mean animals B. Hunting or Stealing C. How the Wolverine Hunts
How the Wolverine Hunts
A type of non-fictional text that is factual
What is informational text?