Establishing a Main Idea
Main Idea Strategies
Main Idea of Films
100
There are many different kinds of bears in the world. Black bears live in North America. Grizzly bears also live in North America. They are very dangerous. The white Polar bear lives in the Arctic. The biggest bear is the Kodiak bear that is found in Alaska. What is the main idea of this text passage? A. Bears live in North America. B. Bears are dangerous. C. There are many kinds of bears.
What is What is C, "There are many kinds of bears."
100
You use this strategy when reading to draw attention to significant points made in an article.
What is highlighting?
100
In this movie, a small fish is captured. His father and a forgetful fish try to locate his whereabouts.
What is What is Finding Nemo?
200
Bats are fascinating animals. They are not birds, they are flying mammals. Some bats eat fruit, others eat insects. Bats are experts at flying. They use a system called echolocation to fly quickly in the dark. Which is the main idea of this text passage? A. Bats are flying mammals. B. Bats are fascinating animals. C. Some bats eat fruit.
What is B. "Bats are fascinating animals."
200
You use this strategy to ensure complete understanding of a reading.
What is re-reading?
200
In this movie, a girl joins an acapella singing group that is afraid to veer off from their norm.
What is Pitch Perfect?
300
Many types of bacteria are helpful. For example, some are able to take nitrogen from the air. They then put it into the soil. This makes the soil better for growing plants. Some bacteria are helpful in making cheese. Other bacteria are helpful in making vinegar. What is the main idea of this text passage? A. Bacteria puts nitrogen from the air into the soil. B. Bacteria helps make food. C. Some types of bacteria helps humans.
What is C. "Some types of bacteria helps humans."
300
When you use this strategy, you are not copying directly from a text.
What is write the main idea in your own words?
300
In this movie, a group of superheroes bind together to fight off an alien species that is about to invade earth.
What is The Avengers?
400
Our solar system is very large. It includes the eight planets that turn around the sun. These planets include Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. There are also hundreds of thousands of smaller planets in this system. They are called asteroids. Each asteroid is much smaller than any of the eight large planets. What is the main idea of this text passage? A. Our solar system is made up of the Sun, the nine large planets and many asteroids. B. Pluto used to be a planet but now is a dwarf planet. C. There are eight large planets in our solar system.
What is A. "Our solar system is made up of the Sun, the nine large planets and many asteroids."
400
When you use this strategy, you are sorting the vital information from the insignificant information.
What is finding important details?
400
In this movie, a boy is forgotten by his family at Christmas and must fend off 2 not-so-bright robbers.
What is Home Alone?
500
Honeybees form large hives. There are thousands of bees in a hive. One bee is the queen. She lays the eggs. Some bees gather nectar and pollen from flowers to make honey. Other bees protect the hive. Some bees keep the hive clean. Still other bees help the queen. Each bee has a special job to do in the bee hive. What is the main idea of this text passage? A. Bees work together to make honey. B. Each bee has a job to do in a beehive. C. The queen is the most important bee.
What is B. "Each bee has a job to do in a beehive."
500
When you use this strategy, you are putting a lot of key points into one or two sentences.
What is summarizing?
500
In this movie, a man who grew up in Santa’s workshop comes to stay with his father in New York City.
What is Elf?
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