Main Idea/Controlling Idea
The most important point the author is trying to make.
What Is the Main Idea?
Details that help explain or prove the main idea
What is supporting evidence?
Name two ways to identify the main idea.
First, look for what the text is mainly about.
Next,find information supporting the main idea.
Strong or Weak Evidence
You should go to school because you have to....
Weak Evidence
Located typically in the first and last sentence of the paragraph
Where can you find the main idea?
Facts, examples, statistics, quotes
Things that support the main idea.
What does it mean to infer?
Why should you infer when reading?
Infer is to make a educated guess.
To figure out something the author didn't tell us or didn't directly state in the passage.
Which is stronger?
A. “I think pizza is good”
B. “80% of students prefer pizza over other foods”
B. “80% of students prefer pizza over other foods”
Annotate the title and first sentence.
Underline main idea throughout the text
Circle key point
What are How Key Steps for Controlling Idea?
True or False: Supporting evidence should relate to the main idea
True
What is the difference between the main idea and the central idea(theme)?
The main idea is what the story or text is about and the central idea is the lesson learned or moral of the story.
Which is weak evidence?
A. A fact
B. An opinion with no proof
B. An opinion with no proof
My dog is called Buttons, and he learns new tricks really quickly. When I say “Hands”, he will give me one of his front paws. He can even walk on two legs when I tell him to. It only took me three days to teach him these tricks. I don’t think other dogs can learn as quickly as Buttons. He is the best.
What is the main idea?
a. My dog is not clever.
b. My dog is the smartest dog.
c. I wish I can be a good dog trainer.
b. My dog is the smartest dog.
Kangaroos are strange looking animals. Some kangaroos act as guards to protect the mob. They have small front legs and huge hind legs with great big feet.
What is the supporting detail in the paragraph?
They have small front legs and huge hind legs with great big feet.
Sometimes you have to come up with a main idea on your own because it is not written in the text.
True or False
False
Which is stronger?
A. “Many people like school”
B. “A survey showed 75% of students feel safe at school”
B. “A survey showed 75% of students feel safe at school”
Which would be a good title for the following paragraph?
The little turtle wanted to see what was beyond the pond where he lived. One sunny morning, he packed his leaf bag and slowly started his journey. Along the way, he met new friends and learned that being brave doesn’t mean being fast—it means trying something new.
Why Turtles are Cute
Turtle's Big Adventure
How to Take Care of Your New Pet Turtle
Turtle's Big Adventure
Find two supporting details: The rain began early in the morning. It fell as hard drops, one after another. The sky was full of dark purple clouds. Thunder began as a soft rumble and became louder and louder. Lightning crashed every few minutes, making the sky a brilliant w
Supporting details: 1)The clouds were dark purple. 2)Thunder became louder and louder. 3)The raindrops fell one after another.
My grandma may not look very strong, but with the help of hydraulic power, she can stop a car with her foot. How does hydraulic power work? First, fluid is rapidly released into a chamber through a valve. As the fluid collects, the valve is slammed shut. This causes a pressure spike, but since the chamber is sealed, the pressure has nowhere to go. The hydraulic mechanism channels the pressure and provides great power. And that's how, with the help of hydraulics, my grandma can stop a speeding car with one foot.
What is this paragraph talking about?
How hydraulic power works
Why is “because I said so” weak evidence?
It gives no proof or explanation