The Big Picture
What do we call the most important idea an informational text teaches?
The central idea
What do we call facts or examples that explain a central idea?
Supporting Details.
What do we call a short explanation of a text’s most important information?
A summary.
“The aroma of fresh bread filled the kitchen.” What does aroma mean?
A smell, usually a pleasant one.
“Students had a tactile experience when they felt smooth stones and rough bark.” Which sense does tactile describe?
Touch.
A passage explains how dogs hear quiet sounds, smell hidden objects, and see movement. What is its central idea?
Dogs use their senses to learn about their surroundings.
The central idea is “Hearing helps people stay safe.” Which detail supports it: “A horn warns someone about a nearby car” or “Some songs have drums”?
A horn warns someone about a nearby car.
What should an informational-text summary include?
Hint: Two things a summary should include.
The central idea and the most important supporting details.
A clear window is transparent. What does that mean?
You can see through it.
“I can distinguish the two bells because one sounds higher.” What does distinguish mean?
To recognize or tell the difference between things.
Which is a complete central idea: “Our senses” or “Our senses help us understand the world around us”?
“Our senses help us understand the world around us.”
The central idea is “Smell gives us useful information.” Give one detail that supports it.
Sample: Smelling smoke can warn us about a fire
Should a summary include your opinion about whether the text was interesting? Explain.
No. A summary tells what the text says, without personal opinions.
“The flashlight illuminates the dark hallway.” What does illuminates mean?
Lights up
Perception involves noticing or experiencing things through your senses. Give one example of perception.
Sample: Noticing the smell of popcorn or hearing a dog bark.
Read: “Touch helps us feel rough surfaces. It also helps us notice heat and cold. Touch can warn us when something could hurt us.” State the central idea.
Touch gives us information about objects and helps keep us safe.
Which detail does NOT support “Touch helps us learn about objects”: “We can feel a bumpy surface,” “We can feel a cold cup,” or “We can hear a ringing bell”?
We can hear a ringing bell.
Read: “Owls have strong hearing. They can locate prey by listening for tiny movements. Many owls hunt when it is dark.” Which is the better summary? A: “Owls use strong hearing to find prey, including in the dark.” B: “Owls are my favorite birds because they are amazing.”
A. It includes important information without an opinion.
“The luminous object glowed in the dark.” What does luminous mean?
Giving off light or glowing.
“Use the details to judge which summary is best.” What does judge mean here?
To evaluate or decide after considering information.
A student says the central idea of a passage is “Eyes can be brown.” The passage explains how eyes take in light and send information to the brain. Explain why the student should revise the answer.
Eye color is a small detail. The central idea should explain how eyes help us see.
Read: “People use sight to read signs. They use hearing to notice alarms. They use touch to check whether a surface feels hot.” State a central idea and give two supporting details.
Central idea: Our senses help us gather information. Details: Any two examples from the passage.
Summarize in one sentence: “Our skin helps us feel textures. We can tell whether something is smooth or rough. Skin also helps us notice temperature. These signals help us respond to our surroundings.”
Sample: Our skin helps us understand our surroundings by sensing textures and temperatures.
“A mirror can reflect light.” What does reflect mean in this sentence?
To bounce light back from a surface.
Complete both blanks with luminous or transparent: “The clear glass is _____. The glowing lantern is _____.” Explain the difference.
Transparent; luminous. Transparent means see-through, while luminous means giving off light.