Main Idea
True or False
The main idea is always the first sentence in the story.
False
the people or animals of a story
character
The boy tripped and fell because his shoes were untied. What is the cause?
His shoes were untied.
Person, place, or thing
Noun
What does the E in PIE stand for?
Entertain
I always have trouble flying a kite. For a kite to fly, the weather needs to be good and windy. If there is no wind, the kite will never fly. You need to find a spacious place to fly your kite. It is dangerous to fly your kite near roads, power lines or an airport.
What is the main idea?
a. Flying kites is hard.
b. Kites can break easily.
c. It is dangerous to fly a kite.
a. Flying kites is hard.
a person that wrote a story
author
Dinner was burned because she fell asleep while she was cooking. What is the cause?
She fell asleep while cooking.
An action word
Verb
What does the P in PIE stand for?
Persuade
If you are feeling sad, you can make yourself feel better by doing a few simple things. You can take a walk (or get another form of exercise), you can talk to a friend, or you can write down your feelings. Writing down the good things in your life will help too. Doing something good for someone else will also help you feel better. If you still feel a little sad, act happy. It works like magic to make you feel better!
The main idea of this passage is:
a. Sometimes people feel sad
b. You should do good things for others
c. We’re not always happy
d. There are many ways to make yourself feel better
d. There are many ways to make yourself feel better
the time and place in which a story takes place
setting
Lee did not clean his room so he can't go to the birthday party. What is the effect?
He can't go to the birthday party.
I, Me, My, You, She
a. noun
b. pronoun
what does the I in PIE stand for?
Inform
The Great Lakes are five freshwater lakes in North America. They formed thousands of years ago as glaciers melted. The Great Lakes contain most of the fresh water in North America. They are also important shipping routes, fishing sites, and sources of drinking water. Because of this, it is very important to keep the lakes clean.
Why it is important to keep the lakes clean.
a person's feelings or attitudes about a topic
a. opinion
b. thoughts
c. emotions
Five little monkeys were jumping on the bed. One fell off and bumped his head. Is "one fell off and bumped his head" the cause?
No
These describe nouns like short, fat, tall.
Adjectives
What does PIE (authors purpose) tell you?
A. Why the author wrote the story or passage.
B. How the author wrote the story or passage
C. When the author wrote the story or passage
You learn about Science, Math, Art and many other subject areas. The school has a lot of books for you to read. The teachers create fun activities to make learning fun. There are also a lot of other kids here, who you can become friends with to study together.
What is the main idea?
School is a great place to learn.
incidents that occur throughout a story
a. events
b. problem
c. conflict
d. happenings
The bell rang and all the children ran for the bus. Is "the bell rang" the cause?
Yes
The sound of lawnmowers roared across the suburb. Nick rose from his bed and slowly walked to the bathroom. He brushed his teeth and threw on a pair of clothes. Then he ran upstairs. His mom was working by the oven. "Care for some eggs, Nick?" Nick smiled and said, "Yeah, that'd be great, Mom." His mom smiled at him and cracked a few more eggs into a large glass bowl. She stirred the eggs while he put his head down on the table. "Don't fall back asleep, Nick," she said. He chuckled.
Who is telling the story?
Narrator
Dear Governor Roy, I think you should send more money to my school to help us buy some new computers for our classroom. We would be able to learn more and have fun. Sincerely, Ms. Fenicle's Class
Persuade