Main Idea Tips and Tricks
True or False: The main idea is what the story is mostly about?
True
Earthquakes can make buildings fall down and set off landslides.Underwater earthquakes can create huge waves called tsunamis that can reach speeds up to 300 miles per hour. Earthquakes have killed millions of people over the years which is why buildings are being made that much safer.
What is the main idea?
Earthquakes are dangerous.
Many animals live at the zoo. Lions play and eat at the zoo. There are brown bears and white bears who live there too. The zoo has elephants that swing their long trunks. You may even see an ostrich’s really long neck on your trip to the zoo.
What is the main idea of this passage?
Many animals live at the zoo.
Melanie is in the fourth grade. Her favorite sport is soccer. she loves soccer because she gets to play with her friends. Scoring goals and celebrating with her team is what Melanie loves best. She also enjoys eating the oranges at half-time, they are delicious.
What is the main idea of this passage?
Melanie’s favorite sport is soccer.
The sun is shining on a cool fall day. The students’ backpacks are filled with new notebooks and pencils. They wait at the bus stop, talking with their friends who they haven’t seen all summer. The teachers are happy as they greet the new students in the hallway on their way to class. Everyone is excited for the first day of school.
What is the main idea of this passage?
Everyone is excited for the first day of school.
In the winter it is very cold outside. If your want to play outside you have to wear warm clothes. A thick coat and a scarf are a great start. Putting on a wool hat will keep your head warm. Mittens will keep your hands from getting too cold.
What is a key detail that supports the main idea?
Possible answers:
To play outside you need warm clothes.
A thick coat and scarf are a great start.
Putting on a wool hat will keep your head warm.
Mittens will keep your hands from getting too cold.
Being a clown isn’t all fun and games. Rodeo clowns expose themselves to great danger every time they perform. When cowboys dismount or bull suck them off, rodeo clowns jump in front of the bulls and motion wildly to get their attention. In this way rodeo clowns provide an alternate target, and in doing do protect the rider. Of course, this is a very dangerous thing to do. So you see, sometimes clowning around can be serious business.
Summarize the main idea in one sentence.
Response:
Rodeo clowns have the dangerous job of protecting the rider.
The main idea of a story can be stated or ___________.
Implied
Hydroelectric dams are large structures in the water hat use the energy of falling water to turn a turbine. Then a generator covers the mechanical energy of the spinning turbine into electrical energy.
What is the main idea of this passage?
How hydroelectric dams work.
Have you ever been to the playground? There are so many fun things to do at the playground. The swings can go really its. the slide is fun to go down. If you like to go up and down then you will really like the see saw. Some playgrounds even have a sandbox!
What is the main idea of this passage?
There are many fun things to do at a playground.
Bang! The thunder crashes and the wind blows the leaves off the tres. Summer thunderstorms can cause damage to yards and homes. Thunderstorms bring heavy rains that cause flooding in basements and sheds. Heavy winds and lightening can damage power lines, causing people to lose electric power in their homes.
What is the main idea of this story?
Summer thunderstorms can cause damage to yards and homes.
A penny for your thoughts? If it’s a 1943 copper penny, it coul 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. These pennie’s were mistakenly double stamped, so they have overlapping dates and letters. If it is uncirculated, it’d easily fetch $25,000 at an auction. How that’s a pretty penny!
What is the main idea from this passage?
The 1943 copper penny is a rare valuable penny.
Bang! The thunder crashes and the wind blows the leaves off the trees. Summer thunderstorms can cause damage to yards and homes. Thunderstorms bring heavy rains that cause flooding in basements and sheds. Heavy winds and lightening can damage power lines, causing people to lose electric power in their homes.
What is a key detail in the story that supports the main idea of this story?
Possible answers:
Summer thunderstorms can cause damage to yards and homes.
Thunderstorms bring heavy rains that cause flooding in basements and sheds.
Heavy winds and lightening can damage power lines, causing people to lose electric power in their homes.
Wolverines are medium sized mammals. They weigh no more than 50 lbs. Yet they have earned their reputation for ferocity by killing pre 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 wold might be enjoying a hard earned carcass, a hungry wolverine may try to take his lunch. As you might imagine, this style of hunting gets the wolverine in plenty of fights.
Summarize the main idea in one sentence.
The wolverine is a tough animal that takes its meals from other animals.
A tip for identifying the main idea is to re-read the ___________ and ____________ sentences of a passage or paragraph.
first and last
Elephants have the largest rain of all the land animals. Than identify languages and understand human body language. Elephants even comfort each other when they are upset. They can use tools such as sticks to scratch themselves. In addition, almost everyone knows that elephants have great memories.
What is the main idea?
Elephants are very smart animals.
In the winter it is very cold outside. If your want to play outside you have to wear warm clothes. A thick coat and a scarf are a great start. Putting on a wool hat will keep your head warm. Mittens will keep your hands from getting too cold.
What is the main idea of this passage?
In the winter it is very cold outside.
Before you put on that skeleton costume and rove door-to-door pandering for candy, take a minute to reflect on this tradition. Halloween is believed to have come from an ancient Celtic festival dating back some 2,000 years. November 1st was the Celtic New Year and marked the end of summer to the Celts. They celebrated on its eve by wearing costumes made from animal skins and dancing around bon fires. Over the next two millennia, this primitive celebration grew to e the candy fueled costume ball that we know today.
What is the main idea of this passage?
Halloween originally was a festival held by the ancient Celts.
Screech! When a driver pushes on the brake pedal, it initiates a recess that causes the vehicle to stop in motion. We literally trust braking systems with our very lives every time we get into a vehicle or cross at a busy intersection. How does this life threatening process work? It begins when the pedal is pushed. At this moment brake fluid is released into the braking mechanisms. As the flui collects, this creates a leverage, which causes a friction to be applied. This friction will create a force that will cause the wheels to stop and allow you to reach your destination safely. Beep! Beep!
What is the main idea from this passage?
The main idea is how braking systems function.
There is a lot to see at the circus. Clowns are a big part of the show. They make people laugh. There are a lot of animals at the circus. Lions and elephants perform tricks. You can see people flying on the trapeze and so much more!
What are two key details from this passage?
Possible answers:
Clowns are a big part of the show.
They make people laugh.
There are a lot of animals at the circus.
Lions and elephants perform tricks.
You can see people flying on the trapeze and so much more!
Sometime in December of 1891, Dr. James Naismith was teaching gym at the YMCA College in Springfiled, Massachusetts. It was raining, and Dr. Naismith was trying to keep his students active. He wanted them playing a vigorous game that would keep them moving. He rejected a few ideas that were too rough. Then Naismith had his breakthrough. He wrote out the rules for a game with peach baskets fixed to ten-foot elevated tracks. Naismith’s students played against one another, passing the ball around and shooting it into the peach baskets. Dribbling wasn’t a part of the original game. Also it took a while to realize that the game would run more smoothly if the bottoms of the baskets were removed. But this game grew to be one of the most popular sports in America today. Can you guess which one?
Summarize in one sentence what the main idea of this passage is.
The main idea of this passage is about the invention of basketball.
True or False: Using repetitive words can help you to identify key details.
False- Using repetitive words can help you identify the main idea of a story or passage.
Space is so vast it is nearly impossible to imagine. Our Earth is one of8 planets orbiting the Sun.Our Sun is one of hundreds of billions of stars in our galaxy, called the Milky Way. Even our galaxy is only one of about 00 billion other galaxies in our entire universe. Many scientists think there could event be other universes!
What is the main idea?
Space is a very large place.
There is a lot to see at the circus. Clowns are a big part of the show. They make people laugh. There are a lot of animals at the circus. Lions and elephants perform tricks. You can see people flying on th trapeze and so much more!
What is the main idea of this passage?
There is a lot to see at the circus.
When one hears the term “reality” applied to a show, one might expect that the events portrayed occurred or, at the least, were not scripted. This is not always the case. Many reality shows occur in unreal environments, like rented mansions occupied by film crews. Such living environments do not reflect what most people understand to be ”reality.” Worse, there have been accusations that events not captured on film were later restated by producers. Worse still, some involved in the production of “reality” television claim that the participants were urged to act out story lines premeditated by producers. With such accusations floating around, it‘s no wonder many people take reality TV to be about as real as a sitcom.
What is the main idea of this passage?
The paragraph is about how reality television isn’t always “real.”
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 the production of Tootsie Rolls. Over 64 million Tootsie Rolls are produced every day! 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. Now that’s a mouthful!
What is the main idea from this passage?
The main idea of paragraph is how much certain popular candies are produced each year.
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 the production of Tootsie Rolls. Over 64 million Tootsie Rolls are produced every day! 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. Now that’s a mouthful!
What are two key details from the passage that support the main idea?
Possible answers:
Twenty million pounds of Candy Corn are sold in the US each year.
Brach’s is the top manufacturer.
Over 64 million Tootsie Rolls are produced each year.
Confectioners manufacture over twenty billion pounds of chocolate in the United States.
What’s that humming sound? Could it be the hummingbird, the only bird capable of backward flight? Hummingbirds have many unique flight habits that distinguish them from other birds. Most birds flap their wings up and down to fly, but the hummingbird moves its wings forward and backward very rapidly in a figure eight pattern. This allows the hummingbird to hover in position. They can also fly upside down and move about very rapidly. Other birds have to push off with their feet to begin flying and work their ways up to their top speeds. The hummingbird can both start flying at maximum speed and stop flying instantaneously. Once you’ve seen a hummingbird in flight, it’s unlikely that you’ll mistake them for another bird.
Summarize the main idea in one sentence.
Hummingbirds fly in unique and unusual ways.
_______________ help the reader by giving more information about the main idea.
Key details
Benjamin Franklin’s was a smart man who was able to contribute a lot for early Americans. He is most famous for his kite experiment, which proved lightning is electricity. He had over ten inventions and founded the first library, fire department, and hospital in America. He was also an important founding father who signed both the United States Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.
What is the main idea of this passage?
Benjamin Franklin contributed a lot to America.
The ocean is filled with many different kinds of animals. There are tons of fish in many different colors. You can also find seahorses and jellyfish in the ocean. Have you ever seen a dolphin? They live in the ocean too.
What is the main idea of this passage?
The ocean is filled with many different kinds of fish.
There are many types of lethal venom in the animal kingdom, but perhaps no stranger carrier than the platypus. the platypus is one of the few venomous mammals. Male platypus carry a venom mixture in their ankle spurs. This venom incapacitates victims with excruciating pain. Stranger still, the platypus is the only mammal that uses electroreception. That means that the platypus uses its bill to sense the electricity produced by the muscular movements of its prey. Electroreception is a sixth sense different from seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, or feeling. Perhaps most odd, the platypus is the only mammal that lays eggs rather than giving birth to live young. What an odd creature indeed.
What is the main idea of this passage?
The main idea is the strange and unique qualities of the platypus.
Yellowstone National Park is mainly located in Wyoming, although three percent is located in the state of Montana. The Continental Divide of North America runs diagonally through the southwestern part of the park. the park sits on the Yellowstone Plateau, which is an average elevation of 8,000 feet above sea level. This plateau is bounded on nearly all sided by mountain ranges. There are 290 waterfalls that are at least fifteen feet in the park, the highest being the Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River, which falls 308 feet.
What is the main idea of this passage?
The main idea is the physical features of the Yellowstone National Park.
The sun is shining on a cool fall day. The students’ backpacks are filled with new notebooks and pencils. They wait at the bus stop, talking with their friends who they haven’t seen all summer. The teachers are happy as they greet the new students in the hallway on their way to class. Everyone is excited for the first day of school.
List the key details that support the main idea of this passage.
The students‘s backpacks are filled with new notebooks and pencils.
They wait at the bus stop, talking with their friends who they haven’t seen all summer.
The teachers are happy as they greet the new students in the hallway on their way to class.
Remember, if something is worth doing, it is worth doing correctly. That said, the key to making perfect cookies is merely a matter of preparation and precision. To begin with, read your cookie recipe thoroughly before baking. Make sure that you have all the necessary ingredients before you continue. Next, use good tools. By using good tools you minimize mistakes and improve the quality of your product. Last, use top quality ingredients. Unlike characters in fairytales, you can’t turn lead into gold. If you use poor quality, you’ll create inferior products. So, to make perfect cookies you should use the highest quality materials, you should use the highest quality materials available. Bon appetite!
Summarize the main idea of this passage in one sentence.
The main idea of this passage is how to make perfect cookies.