Basics
A main idea can also be called a c____ idea.
What is central idea. Central and Main Idea are the same thing.
The wind carried sand from one beach and _______ it on the other.
A. minerals
B. deposited
C. Erosion
Deposited
The frog sat on the side of the pond. He was very still. His green color made him hard to see. A bug flew near him. His tongue zipped out, and he gobbled it up. Then the frog was still again. He waited for the next bug. The main idea in this passage is:
A. Frogs are green.
B. Frogs eat bugs.
C. Frogs do not move.
D. Frogs live in ponds.
D. frogs eat bugs.
Why do authors often use subheadings in their informational writing?
To organize their writing for the reader, and to help the reader identify what that paragraph will be about
The best place to look for a main idea is either the ____ or last sentence of the paragraph.
What is first sentence. Main idea is often found in the first or last sentence of the paragraph.
The scientists conducted many experiments in order to create scientific ____________.
A. Minerals
B. Particles
C. Principles
Principles
It was backward day at school. The students had to do things backward. Some of them wore their T-shirts backward. They took a test before they studied the lesson! Dessert was served first instead of last. They tried to walk home backward, but they bumped into each other and fell down. The main idea in this passage is:
A. Dessert is supposed to come last.
B. The students had a backward day.
C. It is hard to do things backward.
D. Students failed their tests.
B. the students had a backward day.
What would a reader expect to read about in a text that included the following subtopics?
-The benefits of owning a hydrogen car
-The disadvantages of owning a hydrogen car
Challenge: you can use benefits or disadvantages in your answer.
the pros and cons of owning hydrogen cars
True or False: A chapter in a textbook will have a main idea for each paragraph and a main idea for the whole chapter.
What is true! There are main ideas in each paragraph and for the whole chapter of a textbook.
Which is a synonym for erosion?
A. Wearing away
B. build-up
C. Explode
A. Wearing away
The St. Lawrence Seaway was a joint project of the United States and Canada. Together, the two countries built a series of canals, locks, and channels. They connect the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean by way of the St. Lawrence River. The seaway opened up the central part of North America to shipping to and from Europe. It had been in use since 1959. The topic in this passage is:
A. the Atlantic Ocean
B. the St. Lawrence Seaway
C. Europe
D. the St. Lawrence River
B. the St. Lawrence Seaway
What is a possible subheading for the paragraph below:
Some volcanoes are active. Active volcanoes can erupt at any time. Most volcanoes are not active. It's like they're asleep. Mount Aso, the largest volcano in Japan is active.
Active volcanoes (answers can vary)
True or False: sometimes a main idea isn't directly stated in the text
What is true. Sometimes we have to look at the details and infer what the main idea is.
When I placed the book on the old, dusty shelf, __________ flew into the air and made me cough.
A. Minerals
B. Deposits
C. Particles
C. Particles
The musicians in an orchestra are often arranged in groups. The woodwinds sit together. The strings sit together. So do the brass and the percussion players. This way it is easier for the musicians to play together. Usually, the percussion is in the back. In front of them may be the brass section. The woodwinds and the strings are often seated nearest to the front. This produces a good, even sound for the audience to enjoy. The main idea in this passage is:
A. How many instruments are in an orchestra?
B. Why is percussion always in the back?
C. How is an orchestra arranged?
D. How do the people in an orchestra all play together?
C. how is an orchestra arranged
Which sentence below supports the main idea that Milton Hershey used his wealth to help others?
Hershey had other interests, too. In 1898, he married Catherine "Kitty" Sweeney. they like to travel together, give parties and visit friends. By 1909, they knew the money from the chocolate company was more than they would spend. They started a school for disadvantaged boys in Hershey, PA. The school provided orphaned boys with a room and new clothes. It taught them to read, write, and learn a trade. Hershey remembered how hard he worked before becoming successful, so he wanted to help other people.
They started a school for disadvantaged boys in Hershey, PA.
True or False: Titles and headings are not clues to main idea.
What is false. The titles and headings in a textbook are great clues to uncover the main idea.
True or False: Minerals are living things?
If false, change the sentence to make it true.
False, minerals are solid substances such as rocks
The best selling albums have sold millions of copies. The best seller of all was Michael Jackson's Thriller. The second best seller was Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon. Albums by the Beatles, the Eagles, and Mariah Carey are also in the top ten. So are some movie soundtracks, including Grease. Each of these albums has sold over 20 million copies. A possible subheading for this paragraph could be...
A. best albums
B. most famous rock stars
C. pop albums
D. best-selling albums
D. best selling albums
Read the paragraph below:
The Life of Milton Hershey
Milton S.Hershey, the inventor and founder of Hershey Chocolate, was born on September 13, 1857, at a farm in central PA. His father changed jobs often and moved the family each time. By the time Hershey was 13, he had attended seven different schools. All these moves made it hard for him to get an education.
Based on the paragraph above and text features, answer the following questions:
1. What genre of writing is this?
2. What could be the author's purpose for writing this story?
1. Informational or biography
2. To inform readers about the life of Milton Hershey.