Central Idea
True or False: The central idea of a nonfiction text is one or two words long.
False
True or false: There can be multiple central ideas found in one nonfiction text.
True
What does the R stand for in RACE?
Restate the question into a statement.
What is evidence?
Information/exact words from the text to support one's ideas.
Which one must be able to be applied to the world beyond the passage itself?
A. central idea
B. theme
B. theme
A central idea is found in nonfiction texts. What is the message called in fiction texts?
Theme
Is this a central idea? Explain your answer.
The central idea is tornadoes.
No, because a central idea is what you are learning about a topic and should never be one word.
What does the C stand for in RACE? What do I need to do for that?
Cite evidence or information from the text. If copying down the text, make sure to put that in quotation marks.
What evidence from the passage best supports the central idea that a dog's sense of smell is important?
When dogs meet, they sniff each other. Dogs use their sense of smell to learn about each other. Dogs can smell many things that people cannot smell. They explore the world with their noses. They can learn a lot through their sense of smell.
Answers may vary.
State the theme of the passage and explain how you know this is the theme.
All Victor ever wanted to do with his life was be a singer. He didn't pay attention in school, and he spent all his time at home listening to music and impersonating his idols. His mother tried to teach him the value of getting an education and having a backup plan. But Victor would respond the same way every time, "Mom, I won't need to know any of that boring old stuff when I'm famous. You'll see." There was one major problem with Victor's plan: he wasn't any good at singing. Victor enjoyed singing so much that he didn't notice the pained look on the faces of those who endured his singing. Some lied to him and said they liked his singing. Other people told him to find something else to do with his life. Victor accused those people of being "jealous haters" and ignored their advice. Soon Victor dropped out of high school to focus on his music career. The years passed and the doors never opened.
Don't put all of your eggs in one basket.
Explain:
Victor puts all of his energy into becoming a singer even though he has no talent.
True or false: The central idea should be about a sentence long.
True
Is this a central idea? Explain your answer.
The Titanic was a luxurious ship that did not follow safety protocols.
Yes, because the central idea is what you are learning about a topic.
How would you restate this question into a statement: What is the central idea in Chew on This by Charles Wilson and Eric Schlosser?
The central idea in Chew on This by Charles Wilson and Eric Schlosser is...
What evidence from the passage best supports the central idea that Ashrita Furman has done amazing, record-breaking things?
Ashrita Furman has set or broken more than 79 records listed in the Guinness Book of World Records. Two of his feats include race-walking the fastest mile while twirling a hula hoop, and walking 81 miles with a milk bottle on top of his head. He has also held the record for balancing 75 glasses on his chin and for going up and down Mt. Fuji in Japan on a pogo stick. Why? Furman feels these activities bring him inner peace.
Answers may vary.
State the theme of the passage and explain how you know this is the theme.
The little grey mouse that lived in my wall prospered for many days on nibbles of my lunch. I'd pack a meal before bed and, while I slept, he would take small bites of my lunch, which I left on the counter. He'd take a cracker crumble here, and a bread crumb there, but he wouldn't take too much and he'd always clean up after himself. Things were going quite well for him and I didn't even know that he existed, until he got sloppy. One night while I slept, he ate all my chips and left a big mess. When I awoke to this sight, I knew what had happened to my chips. The next night he returned for another snack. He found a nice, delicious piece of cheese... lightly balanced on a mousetrap. Now I don't have to share my chips anymore.
It's important to clean up after yourself.
Explain:
The mouse is left alone until he makes a mess.
The mouse lives a happy life until he becomes too bold.
What is a central idea?
The central idea is what the author is teaching you about a topic.
What is the central idea in this passage?
Tornadoes are spinning tubes of air that touch both the ground and a cloud above. Most tornadoes have wind speeds less than 100 miles per hour, but extreme tornadoes reach speeds over 300 miles per hour! Tornadoes cause an average of 70 fatalities and 1,500 injuries in the U.S. each year.
Answers may vary. Example: Tornadoes are very dangerous and damaging.
What needs more work in this RACE response?
The central idea is salmon. In the text, the FDA says that salmon “is no different than other farm-raised Atlantic salmon.” This evidence proves the central idea because the FDA, a trustworthy source, approved the salmon, so it has to be safe. Also, if the genetically modified salmon is no different and similar to natural salmon then it should pose no health risks. Regular salmon does not poison the body so modified salmon should not either. Therefore, the modified salmon is safe to eat.
The R and A in RACE.
What evidence from the passage best supports the central idea that Ashrita Furman likes to break records?
Ashrita Furman has set or broken more than 79 records listed in the Guinness Book of World Records. Two of his feats include race-walking the fastest mile while twirling a hula hoop, and walking 81 miles with a milk bottle on top of his head. He has also held the record for balancing 75 glasses on his chin and for going up and down Mt. Fuji in Japan on a pogo stick. Why? Furman feels these activities bring him inner peace.
Furman feels these activities bring him inner peace.
State the theme of the passage and explain how you know this is the theme.
Ulysses spent all his free time reading books and felt that he was very intelligent. One day a nice student from his class asked him if he wanted to go sledding. Ulysses responded, "I've read about sledding in books, and it sounds miserable. No, thank you." On another day, a different friendly student asked Ulysses if he wanted to go out for hotdogs. Ulysses responded, "I've read that hotdogs are filled with rat parts and pig bellies. No, thank you." Nobody asked Ulysses to hang out again, but he did read about friends in his books.
Learning from books is not a substitute for real life experiences.
Explain:
Ulysses acts snobby at the expense of a social life.
What is one way you can find a central idea in a text?
Preview the text, review subtitles/repeated words, take note of important details, ask how do all of these important details fit together?, ask what am I learning about the topic overall?, etc.
What is the central idea in this passage?
George Washington was a great president. Washington's head can be found on a quarter and one dollar bill. There is also a tall stone structure in Washington, D.C. called the Washington Monument. George Washington even has a picture of his face carved on the side of a mountain! Schools and street names have been named after him, too. With all of those things to remind us, there's no way we can forget about our first president.
Answers may vary. Example: There are many ways that people celebrate and honor George Washington's life.
What is missing from this RACE response?
A central idea in the book Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser is that fast food companies take advantage of people like kids and low income workers. One piece of information that supports the central idea is “Selling more soda to kids has become one of the easiest ways to meet sales projections.” Another piece of information that supports the central idea is “a low minimum wage has long been a crucial part of the fast food industry’s plan.”
Explaining how the pieces of evidence show the central idea.
What evidence from the passage best supports the central idea that a simple change can save water in the home?
As important as water conservation is, it is also very easy. A few simple habits can significantly reduce the water consumption of a household. One way to save water is to turn off the faucet when brushing your teeth. Also, don't allow faucets to drip; one drip can waste a large amount of water over a short period of time. Baths require less water than showers, so you can reduce the amount of water your home uses. In the kitchen, running a dishwasher when it is full, rather than half full, can save up to 20 gallons a day.
Answers may vary.
State the theme of the passage and explain how you know this is the theme.
Even though they were sisters, Suzie and June were nothing alike. If Suzie wanted to jump rope, June wanted to play hopscotch. If June wanted to watch soap operas, Suzie wanted to watch talk shows. Tensions rose to the point that the girls could no longer stand one another’s company. It seemed that they had nothing in common, until the day that progress reports went home. On the bus the girls were startled by how upset the other looked. They realized that they were both failing a subject. Suzie was failing math and June was failing reading. Since both girls wanted to pass their classes, they agreed to help one another. So after school for the next few weeks, Suzie tutored June in reading and then June tutored Suzie in math. By the time report cards were distributed, Suzie and June were passing all their classes. The girls were delighted, but their mother was happiest of all. Not just because her daughters had passed their classes, but because they learned to be good sisters.
It's better to work together.
Explain:
Suzie and Jane help each other by learning to work together.