Main Idea
What is a main idea?
The main idea is what the text is mostly about.
What is a supporting detail?
Supporting details are key points that tell you more about the main idea.
My older sister Claire is always telling me what to do. She is so ___________.
bossy
What is the homework for tonight
? question mark
What is the homework for tonight?
the cafeteria had pizza for lunch today.
T
capital letter at the beginning of the sentence
The cafeteria had pizza for lunch today.
Niagara Falls is one of the most beautiful sights in North America. It is on the Niagara River about halfway between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. Niagara Falls is on the American and Canadian border. The American Falls is 167 feet high. On the Canadian side, the Horseshoe Falls is 161 feet high. What is the main idea of the paragraph?
Niagara Falls is one of the most beautiful sights in North America.
Yellowstone national park has 3500 miles of beautiful land. It is located in several states, including Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana. Yellowstone was created by volcanoes and earthquakes. It has a variety of natural features. There are fast moving rivers in large lakes. There are snow covered mountain tops, green forests, and deep canyons. The park has over 300 geysers, including Old Faithful, which Arabs every 90 minutes.
Yellowstone has a variety of natural features. Which one is NOT a supporting detail?
A) the park has over 300 geysers
B) it is located in several states
C) there are rivers and lakes
B) it is located in several states
Harry has great manners and always says "please" and "thank you" when he orders food at a restaurant. Harry is so ____________.
polite
I am walking home with my friend after school
. period
I am walking home with my friend after school.
John and peter played soccer together over the weekend.
P
Peter is a person's name so it is capitalized
John and Peter played soccer together over the weekend.
Some animal mothers carry their babies in unusual ways! The wolf spider carries hundreds of babies on her back. The American alligator spends most of its time underwater. He carries its babies on its head, snout, or even inside its mouth. The kangaroo has a built-in pouch to carry her baby. Sloth babies cling to their mothers tummies. They hang on by their claws and stay very close to their mother for up to a year.
What is the main idea of this text?
A) Kangaroos carry babies in their pouches
B) Wolf spiders carry babies on their backs
C) Animals carry their babies in different ways
C) Animals carry their babies in different ways
Detail
Most rainforests are found in South America, Africa, or southeast Asia. Rainforests are important for a number of reasons. First they are a habitat for over 30 million species of plants and animals. Rainforest trees help clean the air by changing carbon dioxide into oxygen. Rainforest trees stop erosion by helping to keep dirt from being washed away. Rainforests also help scientist create new medicines to cure diseases.
Rainforests are important. Which of the following is NOT a supporting detail?
A) They help scientist create a new medicines.
B) They are found in many places around the world.
B) They are found in many places around the world.
Sarah always says "hello" to everyone she walks by in the hall. She is so _______________.
friendly
I just won a million dollars
! Exclamation point
I just won a million dollars!
My brother has a green bike with black Wheels.
lowercase w
wheels
My brother has a green bike with black wheels.
Few animals see the world the way we do. Human eyes have three kinds of cells which let us see different colors. Dogs only have two. Dogs aren’t able to see as many colors as people do. At night, we see things in gray. Gecko lizards though, are able to see things in color, even when it’s dark! Jumping spiders have eight pairs of eyes. Their eyes, especially the two biggest in the front, help them see details. Their eyes help them out.
Which one is the main idea?
A) Dogs don’t see as many colors as people do
B) Animal see differently than people do
C) Geckos lizards see color in the dark
B) Animal see differently than people do
Leonardo da Vinci was a famous artist. He painted the Mona Lisa and the last supper. Besides painting pictures as art, Leonardo was very interested in science. He drew scientific sketches of the human body. He drew pictures of muscles, tendons, and the human skeleton. He drew pictures of organs, such as the heart. Sides drawing the human body, eater scientific pictures of horses, frogs, monkeys, and other animals.
Which one is not a supporting detail of the text?
A) He painted the Mona Lisa
B) He drew pictures of human skeletons
A) He painted the Mona Lisa
Derek is constantly dropping his school supplies and tripping in the hallway. He is so ________________.
clumsy
How long do we have to take this quiz
? question mark
How long do we have to take this quiz?
Johnny likes to play basketball and video games after school?
. period
wrong ending punctuation
Johnny likes to play basketball and video games after school.
When Thomas Jefferson asked Lewis and Clark to explore new lands, they asked Sacagawea to travel with them. Sacajawea was helpful in many ways. She worked as an interpreter with the Shoshone Native American group. She gathered fruits and vegetables and helped with the cooking. She helped set up camp each night. She also rescued compasses, books, and clothing when their boat tipped over in the river.
Which one is the main idea?
A) She rescued items from the boat when it tipped over
B) Sacagawea was very helpful
C) Sacagawea was an interpreter
B) Sacagawea was very helpful
Animals communicate in different ways. They use their senses and communicate with sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell. For example, the Australian frilled-neck lizard opens it’s frills when it is scared. This makes it look larger. Besides echolocation, dolphins whistle to each other. They know each other by their sound. Cats use touch and That’s all those they love. Lions you smell to send a message when they spray to mark their territory.
Which of the following is not a supporting detail of the text?
A) Dolphins whistle to each other
B) Lions spray to mark their territory
C) There are many lizards in Australia
C) There are many lizards in Australia
Billy saw his friend fall and scrape their knee on the playground. He went over and helped his friend up off the ground and asked if they were okay. Billy is so ______________.
caring
My dog likes to run in circles in my backyard
. period
My dog likes to run in circles in my backyard.
Joey and Larry always go skatEboarding at the park on Thursdays.
e
lowercase e in skateboarding
Joey and Larry always go skateboarding at the park on Thursdays.