Main Idea
What two things should you identify to determine the main idea?
The museum will preserve the fragile letter by placing it behind glass and protecting it from light.
What does preserve mean?
To protect or keep something safe
An author gives facts about how maps help historians study where people lived.
What is the author’s purpose?
To inform or explain.
What does an author’s point of view mean in an informational text?
The author’s opinion, belief, or attitude about the topic.
Having an obligation to do something; in charge of; making good decisions
Responsible
Kayla found an old photograph of her great-grandfather standing beside a small store. Her grandmother explained that the store served neighbors for more than 30 years.
Families began to migrate from the countryside to the city. They packed their belongings, left their farms, and settled near new jobs.
What does migrate mean?
To move from one place to another.
A writer tells a humorous story about a child who accidentally interviews the wrong person for a family-history project.
What is the author’s purpose?
To entertain.
“Family stories are valuable treasures. Even when every detail cannot be proven, they help people understand where they came from.”
What is the author’s point of view?
The author believes family stories are valuable sources of history and identity.
A unit of pronunciation having one vowel sound
Syllable
A town library collected letters, maps, and photographs from local families. The records showed how the town and its people changed over time.
The quilt became a treasured heirloom. A great-grandmother made it, and each generation passed it to the next.
What does heirloom mean?
A valued object passed down through a family.
“Our town should protect the old train station. It connects us to our history and could become a museum for future generations.”
What is the author’s purpose?
To persuade readers that the train station should be protected.
“Historic buildings should not be torn down without careful study. Once they disappear, a community may lose evidence of its past forever.”
Which words reveal the author’s point of view?
“Should not be torn down” and “lose evidence of its past forever.”
Pause before saying or doing something
Hesitate
When a factory opened, many families moved closer to town for jobs. New homes and stores were built. Over time, the small town became a busy city.
Use the two steps to determine the main idea.
The two neighbors had different perspectives on the new park. One believed it would bring people together, while the other worried about traffic.
What does perspectives mean?
Opinions, points of view, or ways of seeing something.
An author describes each step for interviewing an older relative: prepare questions, record the answers, ask follow-up questions, and organize your notes.
What is the author’s purpose?
To explain how to conduct an interview.
Author 1 says oral histories bring the past to life. Author 2 says written records are usually more dependable because they can be checked.
How do the authors’ points of view differ?
Author 1 values the personal power of oral histories. Author 2 trusts written records more because they can be verified.
Enjoyable and pleasurable; pleasant
Agreeable
Text 1 explains that family stories preserve memories about people and events. Text 2 explains that photographs and letters provide evidence about the past.
Water was a scarce resource during the drought. Families limited showers, farmers used less water, and the town banned lawn watering.
What does scarce mean? Which clues support your answer?
Scarce means limited or not plentiful. The limits and watering ban show that there was not enough water.
An author gives facts about community gardens, explains their benefits, and ends by asking readers to support a garden in their neighborhood.
What is the author’s main purpose? Explain.
To persuade. The author uses facts and explanations as reasons for supporting a community garden.
A writer calls a new highway “a path to opportunity” but admits that several historic homes will be removed.
What is the author’s point of view? Use evidence.
The author generally supports the highway. Calling it “a path to opportunity” shows a positive attitude, although the author recognizes a drawback.
consent; authorization
Permission