Central idea and supporting details
I can determine the main idea and supporting details of a text.
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General
In this lesson, students will learn how to find the main idea and supporting details from texts. They will read several texts and find the main idea and supporting ideas of each. This lesson scaffolds the concept so students will be comfortable writing the main idea at the end without examples.
Standards
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.6.2
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.7.2
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.8.2
Learning objective
Students will be able to determine the main idea and supporting details of a text.
Introduction
Explain and review how main ideas are supported by supporting details. Students will discuss how readers can sort through information in texts. They will discuss the questions they can ask when sorting through this information.
Instruction
Students will review main idea and supporting details. Explain how to find the main idea using these two questions: "What is the paragraph mostly about?" and "Which sentence best tells what the paragraph is about?" They will also look at 3 steps to find the main idea: 1) Identify the topic. 2) Summarize the passage. 3) Look at the first and last sentences.
Students will read a paragraph about robot sumo wrestling and find the main idea and a supporting detail. Next, they will read a paragraph about the first U.S. zoo and select the correct main idea. They will also read a passage about a new hearing device and fill in a graphic organizer with the main idea and three supporting details. They will read two more passages about the planets and the Louisiana Purchase. They will write the main idea and supporting details themselves.
Quiz
Students will answer ten questions in which they review key terminology and are asked to identify main ideas and supporting details from given paragraphs.
Closing
Students will recall what they learning by answering the following questions:
- What is the main idea and supporting details of a text?
- What are the appropriate steps to follow when trying to find the main idea of a text?
Students will read an article about global warming and write the main idea and three supporting details.
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