Main Idea
The most important idea of the text.
What is the main idea?
What is a summary?
A summary is a short retelling of the most important parts of a text.
What are context clues?
Context clues are words or sentences surrounding an unknown word that help you figure out the meaning of an unknown word.
This strategy is used to make a guess of what will happen next in a text.
What is predicting?
factual writing that informs readers about a tope
What is non-fiction or informational?
The smaller pieces of information that tell more about the main idea.
What are supporting details?
How long should a summary be?
Use context clues to complete each sentence.
________________ is one of Tom's favorite subjects.
a. astronaut
b. astronomy
c. atmosphere
What is b. astronomy?
This strategy is identifying (or finding out) how two things are alike and different.
What is compare and contrast?
A story with characters and events that could not exist in real life and have no basis in science.
What is fantasy?
False: The main idea is commonly found in the first sentence, BUT, not ALWAYS.
True or False: A summary should include ALL of the details of the text.
False: A summary only includes the MOST IMPORTANT details from the text.
He _________________ liked to follow the movement of the stars.
a. especially
b. establish
c. exceptionally
What is a. especially?
This strategy is identifying the most important idea of a text.
What is main idea?
What is a biography?
Unicorns are magical creatures. They look like horses. They are pure white. They have a golden horn in the middle of their foreheads. Nobody has ever seen one of these animals. We can only read about them in stories. This is because unicorns are not real animals.
What is the main idea of this text?
a. why nobody has ever seen a unicorn
b. why unicorns are magical creatures
c. why unicorns look like horses
The main idea is choice b. why unicorns are magical creatures.
When writing a summary, you should copy the author's words.....true or false?
False, when writing a summary you need to retell using your own words.
Tom was delighted when his family gave him a __________________ for his birthday.
a. telegram
b. telephoned
c. telescope
What is c. telescope?
This strategy is retelling the most important ideas of a text in a very short way using your own words.
What is summarizing?
A story that was originally told rather than written and teaches a lesson or moral.
What is a folktale or fable?
There is a town in Pennsylvania built around a chocolate factory. It is called Hershey. It was built by Milton Hershey. He started the company that makes Hershey's chocolate. Milton wanted to build a place where his employees, or workers, could live. His town has big homes, an amusement park, a school, and a hotel. It is a nice place to live.
What is the main idea of this text?
a. about the amusement park in Hershey
b. about Milton Hershey
c. about a town built around a chocolate factory
The main idea of the text is choice c. about a town built around a chocolate factory.
Which strategy would you use to summarize the book Matilda, by Roald Dahl best: SWBST (Somebody, Wanted, But, So, Then) or the Big 6 (Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?)
SWBST
He had a wonderful time and asked if his father would take him on another ______________ to observe the stars.
a. explore
b. expedition
c. experience
What is b. expedition?
This strategy is identifying the central message or moral of a text.
What is theme?
A made up story that takes place during an actual time in history.
What is historical fiction?