Main Idea & Text structres
Some kids bring phones to school when they are not supposed to. Some use it during class for important stuff. Stuff like calling 911 when help is needed and calling a family member when they have forgotten their homework at home.
What is the Main Idea?
Phones can be used for lots of important stuff even though you are not allowed to have a phone in school.
My dog's name is 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 so smart!
What is the main idea?
My dog is the smartest dog!
Eric gripped the bat in his hands. His palms were sweaty but he took a deep breath as he stepped up to the plate. He had to score a run or his team would lose the game. When the pitcher threw a fastball, Eric’s reflexes took over and he heard the “Crack!” of the bat hitting the ball. His heart raced with excitement as he ran to first base. He was safe!
The main idea of this passage is:
Eric overcomes his nerves and makes it to first base.
Pizza is served in many school cafeterias in the United States on a daily basis, but it is actually still relatively new to the country. Pizza first arrived in the United States with Italian immigrants during the late 1800s. It was popular in cities that had a large concentration of citizens that had Italian roots. It remained relatively unpopular nationally for several decades until the end of World War II.
What is the main idea of the passage?
Pizza was introduced to the U.S. in the late 1800s.
Daylight saving time is observed in many different places throughout the world including the United States, Canada, Australia and many countries in Europe. Countries began temporarily switching to daylight saving time during World War I and World War II. The rationale behind the move was that people would use less resources such as coal, if it stayed lighter outside later in the day. In the United States, the permanent adoption of daylight saving time occurred in 1966, but not every state participates. The actual resource saving benefits of the time change are inconclusive, but many people do enjoy the extra daylight after work or school.
What is the main idea of the passage?
Daylight saving time began temporarily, but is now used in many countries.
Cindy likes to watch football. Her favorite team is the Kansas City Chiefs. She is very excited they are going to the Super Bowl this year.
What is the main idea?
Cindy likes football.
I always have trouble flying a kite. For a kite to fly, the weather needs to be good and windy. If there is no wind, the kite will never fly. You need to find a spacious place to fly your kite. It is dangerous to fly your kite near roads, power lines or an airport.
What is the main idea?
a. Flying kites is hard.
Homemade pizza is delicious. First, make the dough from flour, water, and yeast. After that, begin making the tomato sauce. Next, add any vegetables you like. Then, bake it in the oven. After a short time, the kitchen begins to smell delicious. Soon, it’s ready to eat!
The main idea of this passage is:
How to make homemade pizza
Chances are very good that you’ve watched a video on YouTube®. It is one of the most popular websites in the world and is the default site to go to when someone wants to share a video. YouTube was founded in 2005 by three men who worked for a different web company.
What is the main idea of today’s passage?
YouTube is a popular site for videos.
Math is used everyday. That's why it is important to teach basic math skills in school. You might not think you will use the basic math you are learning everyday but trust your teachers, you will.
What is the main idea?
Math is an important skill to learn.
Going to the beach is fun. You can go swimming, diving and even build your dream house using sand. If you don’t like any of those activities, you can play volleyball with your friends. Another good thing to do on the beach is to lie down on the sand and sunbathe.
What is the main idea?
The beach is a fun place.
I can't wait until this weekend! We’re going to my grandparents’ house and my entire family will be there. I will spend most of my time playing games with my cousins. We always have such a good time together! The day goes by so fast, and by the end we are all exhausted... but we still don’t want to leave!
The main idea of this passage is....
The writer enjoys spending time with family.
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.
There are many ways to make yourself feel better
The first ukuleles were developed in Hawaii in the 1800s, as a result of Portuguese influence. Native Hawaiians enjoyed music from a Portuguese instrument called the machete and adapted it to suit Hawaiian tastes. The ukulele soon spread to mainland America during the 1910s, where it became an immediate sensation. They quickly became very popular because they could be quickly and cheaply made from a small amount of wood.
What is the main idea of today’s passage?
Ukuleles were developed in Hawaii and are still popular today.
Fairytales have important lessons in them. They might seem like magical stories about princess', wizards, dragons and unicorns but they have a deeper meaning. You learn about being brave, trust, love, courage, determination, consequences, loyalty and so many other things while going on an adventure with these magical characters.
What is the main idea?
You can learn a lot from fairytales.
During recess, I always go to the library because there are a lot of amazing books there. I love reading. As it is quiet, it lets me concentrate and think about different things. The librarian is really nice and friendly too. She gives me candies all the time.
What is the main idea?
The library is my favorite place.
Wilbur and Orville Wright were brothers who were inventors, even from a young age when they built kites and bicycles. Many people credit the Wright Brothers with designing and building the first successful airplane. In 1903, their first flight only lasted 12 seconds, but it continues to inspire people all over the world to learn about science and math, to work hard to realize their dreams, and to use imagination to achieve success.
The main idea of this passage is:
The Wright Brothers were inventors who have inspired many people
Did you know that giraffes are the tallest animals in the world? They are unique in other ways, too. For one thing, they sleep only about 20 minutes each day, and usually not more than five minutes at a time. Also, every giraffe’s coat is unique, and varies in color from white to nearly black, depending on what they eat and where they live.
The main idea of this passage is:
Giraffes are unique animals.
Advances in technology and meteorology have led to more accurate forecasting of hurricanes days in advance of landfall. Those forecasts have likely saved countless lives, as people are able to prepare or evacuate. Unfortunately, those forecasts were not available to the victims of the 1900 Galveston Hurricane. Four days before the storm hit Galveston, Texas, the National Weather Service sent out an alert that a tropical storm had hit Cuba, but there were no real concerns about it making landfall in Galveston. There were isolated warnings that the hurricane was headed for Texas, but the warnings were ignored because of the calm weather at the time. The storm made landfall on September 8, and in addition to strong winds, a high storm surge covered the island in seawater, which destroyed thousands of buildings and caused many deaths.
What is the main idea of today’s passage?
A better warning system could have saved lives during the 1900 Galveston Hurricane.
When the internet first became popular in the United States, Wi-Fi was not an option. Computers all across the country used phone lines to connect to the internet, which was known as dial-up internet. In hindsight, there were lots of problems with dial-up internet, but at the time it was the only option many people had to access the internet. Dial-up internet required an open phone line, so if someone’s parents were on the phone, then getting on the internet to do homework would have to wait. When someone called, the internet connection was often lost. Once internet service became popular, a lot of people had trouble connecting and would have to wait to log on to the internet. While there were many drawbacks to dial-up internet, the benefits outweighed them at the time.
What is the main idea of this passage?
There were many downsides to dial-up internet.
Inside the volcano, there are hot liquid rocks called magma. It becomes lava when it comes out of the volcano. The lava that flows out of some volcanoes can reach up to 1100 degrees. It’s hot enough to burn you and in some cases, it can kill you.
What is the main idea?
Lava is hot
I have a dog whose name is Paco. He is almost 10 years old. Paco is very loveable with a brown face and short black fur. He is one of my best friends. He plays with me, sleeps with me, and goes on walks with me. I am so glad to have him around. I love him.
The main idea of this passage is:
The writer's dog is an important part of his life.
Hurricanes are large, intense storms that begin over the ocean, where they gather heat and energy from the water. The most dangerous part of the hurricane is the storm surge, when it reaches land and causes flooding. Wind and waves also contribute to the damage caused by these surges.
The main idea of this passage is:
Hurricanes are dangerous.
It may be difficult to tell when a story took place, unless an author explicitly states it, but the presence or absence of technology can help a reader make an approximate guess as to when the story took place. Only novels and short stories that were written very recently will include references to smartphones and apps. Storylines that include references to the internet were written within the past 25 years. If a story makes mention of a television, then it probably took place during or after the 1950s. The modes of transportation that people take are more examples of technology that can help the reader determine roughly when the story took place. If a character takes a plane ride, then the story very likely took place after World War II because commercial air travel became popular after the war. A character riding in a car wouldn’t happen before the 1900s. Of course, if the story mentions more recent advances like power windows or a driverless car, then it is far more recent. Train travel would put the setting within the past 200 years. The absence of technology doesn’t always mean that the story took place hundreds of years ago, it could just mean that mentioning technology was not necessary to tell the story.
What is the main idea of this passage?
Mentions of technology can help a reader determine when the story took place. (timeframe, year)
For anyone looking forward to sledding and playing in the snow, freezing rain can be a frustrating disappointment. Along with snow and sleet, freezing rain is a type of winter precipitation. Freezing rain occurs when liquid precipitation falls and freezes when it comes into contact with surfaces that are below freezing. Freezing rain happens when the air in the atmosphere is above freezing, which either melts precipitation that would have fallen as snow or sleet, or prevents it from freezing to begin with. The rain then falls through a colder layer of air, which acts to cool the rain down, allowing some of it to freeze as soon as it lands on a freezing surface. This can occur on trees, power lines, sidewalks and even roadways. Freezing rain can cause significant damage and disruption to daily life when anything more than a glaze falls. Even a light glaze on sidewalks and roadways can make walking and driving anywhere incredibly dangerous. Freezing rain that accumulates to more than a quarter of an inch can cause downed trees, which can take weeks to clean up. The weight of the ice on trees and power-lines can also cause widespread power outages, which cause great inconveniences to people and can even cause safety hazards. Repairing a downed power line or restoring power can take days or longer.
What is a main idea of this passage?
Freezing rain falls as a liquid and can cause a lot of damage.