Main Idea
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!
What is the main idea?
There are many ways to make yourself feel better.
One winter, a monkey found a snake stiff and frozen. The monkey felt sorry for the snake and so he picked the snake up and held it to his chest to try to warm it. The snake was quickly revived by the warmth, and because of its instincts, bit the monkey with all its might. What is the theme?
A Even though you have good intentions, others may not
B Don't hold snakes close to your chest.
C Snakes are dangerous.
A.) Even though you good intentions, others may not.
Anansi was once sitting high in a tree, and saw in the distance that Goat was tending his garden. Goat's fruit and vegetables looked delicious! Anansi made his way to Goat's garden and waited until Goat was gone. He then ate as much melon as he could until he was no longer able to move. He was stuck! Goat soon came back to the garden, and Anansi decided to play a trick to get free. Anansi was still stuck in the melon so he shouted out, "Over here!" Goat looked around and said, "Who's there??" Anansi laughed and shouted, "It's me, the melon!" Goat was so frightened he stamped on the melon. Anansi was stamped flat! He was able to crawl away without being noticed, but he was badly hurt. When Anansi healed, he decided he should not play tricks like that again.
What is the Author's Purpose?
To Entertain. This story was not explaining how anything came to be, so it is only for entertainment.
The young girl was very ALOOF. She never spoke to anyone and she refused to work in groups.
Using context clues, what does aloof mean?
Unsociable or unapproachable
Lauren worried as she handed her mom the paper from the school. She carefully watched her mom looking over the numbers on the paper. Lauren was relieved when she saw a smile spread across her mom's face. Mom said, "let's go get ice cream to celebrate!"
What paper was Lauren's mom looking at?
How do you know?
Report Card
Clues: Lauren was worried; mom smiled as she looked at it; Lauren was relieved; Let's go get ice cream to celebrate.
Robots are being used in sumo wrestling contests. Sumo wrestling is a sport that started in Japan. It takes place in a ring. Two players try to score points by holding each other down or pushing each other out of the ring. Robot sumo uses robots instead of humans. The robot that scores the most points wins.
What is the main idea of the passage?
1. Sumo wrestling is a sport that started in Japan.
2. Sumo wrestling takes place in a ring.
3. The robot that scores the most points wins.
4. Robots are being used in sumo wrestling contests.
4. Robots are being used in sumo wrestling contests.
The Monkey and the Cookies A monkey put his hand into the jar of cookies. He grasped as many as he could possibly hold, but when he tried to pull his hand, he was prevented from doing so by the neck of the cookie jar. Unwilling to lose the cookies, and yet unable to withdraw his hand, he burst into tears and cried bitterly. What is the theme?
A Eating cookies can be dangerous.
B If you are greedy, you might get nothing.
C Don't put your hand in a jar.
B.) If you are greedy, you might get nothing.
Once there was an armadillo who loved music more than anything in the world and desperately wanted to sing. He would sit and watch the frogs, crickets, and birds, all of whom could sing beautifully, and sigh. The other animals made fun of him because no one believed armadillos could sing. The armadillo finally decided to go see the wizard who lived in the forest. He wished that he would be able to sing. The wizard agreed, but warned the armadillo he would have to pay a terrible price. The armadillo didn't care, he only wanted to sing. So the wizard turned him into an instrument, and gave him to a musician in town. The musician played the armadillo instrument, and all the animals sadly said, "finally armadillo has learned to sing."
What is the Author's Purpose of this story?
To entertain.
Vegetables are ESSENTIAL to a healthy diet.
Using context clues, what does essential mean?
Necessary
When they entered the gate, the woman gave them a wristband. They looked around at all the rides and shops and couldn't decide which one to go to first. Their mom yelled, "Look, there's Mickey!" They saw his mouse ears from a mile away.
Where are they? How do you know?
Disney World or Disneyland
Clues: Wristband, Rides and shops; Mickey; Mouse ears
Before clocks were made, people kept track of time by other means. In ancient Egypt, people used a water clock. Water dripped slowly from one clay pot into another. People measured time according to how long it took one pot to empty and the other one to fill. Candle clocks were common during the Middle Ages. As such, when a candle burned, marks on its side showed about how much time had passed. A final ancient way to measure time was the sundial, which used the movement of the sun across the sky. The shadows moving across the face of the sundial showed the current time.
What is the main idea?
1. As such, when a candle burned, marks on its side showed about how much time had passed.
2. Before clocks were made, people kept track by other means.
3. In ancient Egypt, people used a water clock.
4. All of the above.
What is the main idea?
2. Before clocks were invented, people kept track of time by other means.
Growing up, Sally was always in the shadow of her older sister Mary. Mary always got better grades, was better at sports, and seemed to even be prettier. Sally spent a lot of time in the family's garden feeling sorry for herself. Then one day Mary needed help on a science project about plants. Due to all of her time in the garden, Sally knew a lot about plants and was able help Mary with the project. Sally was shocked that she was better at something than her sister. What is the theme?
A Accept yourself for who you are.
B Sports are not important
C You can learn a lot from plants.
A.) Accept yourself for who you are.
What type of author's purpose is an encyclopedia?
To inform.
Last night I had COPIOUS amounts of homework, but tonight I don’t have any!
Using context clues, what does copious mean?
Large amount or much
Rick had been training hard all summer. It was his sophomore year and he wanted to make the varsity football team! Two days after tryouts, the coach posted the list by the boys' locker room. When Rick saw the list, he smiled and said, "Yes!"
How did Rick feel? Why did he feel that way? How do you know?
Rick felt happy; excited; proud
Because he made the team.
Clues: Training all summer; Wanted to make varsity football team; Saw the list; Smiled and said, "Yes!"
Mary has a new pet. Her pet is a baby kitten. It is soft and cuddly. The kitten likes to sleep a lot. Mary put a soft blanket in a box for its bed. Mary plays with her kitten when it is awake. She never forgets to feed her kitten.
What is the main idea?
Mary’s new pet is a kitten.
What is the difference between the main idea of a story and the theme of a story?
The main idea is mostly what the story is about (a short summary). The theme is the life lesson or moral that the author wants us to remember. It may have nothing to do with the details of the story itself.
What is the definition of persuading in author's purpose?
The author is trying to convince to the reader of something or change their mind.
I love chocolate cake, but on the other hand, I absolutely LOATHE vanilla icing.
Using context clues what does loathe mean?
Hate or abhor
Lots of white flakes fell from the sky and covered the roads. Lucy woke up and crawled out of bed to peek out the window. She immediately turned on the news. Her eyes lit up and she smiled when she saw her school listed. Then she crawled back to bed and threw the covers over her head.
What did Lucy find out when she saw the news? How do you know?
Snow Day or School was closed because of the snow.
Clues: Lots of white flakes fell from the sky; She turned on the news; She saw her school listed; She went back to bed.
Soccer players learn many skills when playing soccer. Soccer players learn how to dribble and pass the ball. They also learn how to control the ball so they can eventually score. Most importantly, soccer players learn how to work together with their teammates.
What is the main idea?
Soccer players learn many skills when playing soccer.
Alan had very few responsibilities, but one of them was to clean his room. It did not take long, but Alan still didn't like doing it. One day Alan thought of a way to save some time. Rather than putting everything neatly back in its place, he decided to just throw all the stuff on the floor into his closet. His mom would think that he had cleaned his room, and it would only take a fraction of the time. Alan was pleased with himself for thinking of this brilliant idea. He figured that this would save a lot of time and energy. The next time his room got messy, he piled everything up in the closet and the pile grew. It grew and grew. Then Alan's friend Steve called. "Alan, everyone is playing baseball at the park. Do you want to play too?" Alan loved baseball. "That sounds great, Steve. I'll be right there." Alan went to grab his baseball mitt when he realized that it wasn't in its usual place. Alan thought to himself, I guess it's in the closet. When he opened up the closet door, he was faced with a huge, unnavigable mess, some of which poured out as he opened the door. Alan began digging through the pile in a frantic attempt to find his mitt. He dug and dug, and as he dug his room got messier and messier. Soon his room was the messiest that it had ever been, and he still hadn't found his mitt. Alan sighed in despair. By the time he found his mitt, the boys had long concluded their game and Alan had hours of cleaning ahead of him before he'd be allowed to leave. What is the theme?
Cutting corners comes at a cost; do things right the first time.
What is the definition of inform in author's purpose?
The author is trying to teach the reader about a certain topic.
My sister always sleeps with the door closed, but I prefer to sleep with it slightly AJAR.
Using context clues, what does ajar mean?
Open or cracked
Rachel climbed up the ladder. She got more and more nervous with every step she took. She finally reached the top, walked out on the board, and looked way down into the deep blue. Her friends had dared her, but could she do it?
What was Rachel afraid to do? How do you know?
Jump off the high diving board.
Clues: Climbed the ladder, walked out on the board; looked way down into the deep blue.