Grade
Skill/Strategy:
5
Unit
3
Week
2
Main Idea/Summarizing
Essential Questions: How does identifying the most essential information in a text help me to find the main
idea? How do I use processes, events and/or major points to summarize non-fiction text as a whole?
Review: The main idea is the most important idea about a topic. Details are small pieces of information that
tell more about the main idea. The main can sometimes be found in the beginning, middle, or end of a section.
Other times, it is not stated and readers must put it in their own words. Summarizing can help you find the
main idea of a selection. Writing a summary can help your organize the information.
Reading Street, Grade 5, Unit 3, p. 288
Part A: Reread (or preview) p. 291, They Called it the Renaissance. (Read it to students.) Post the questions
below (out of order). Ask students to decide which question is answered by each paragraph as you read it.
Then, model how to turn the first question into a Main Idea statement. Ask students to turn the subsequent
questions into Main Idea statements. As a group, gather the Main Idea statements together to write a
summary.

When were the Middle Ages?

What caused the change from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance?

What occupations were important during the Renaissance?

Why did people fight during the Renaissance?
Part B: Practice finding the topic and creating a main idea sentence using the attached passages. Emphasize
that the topic is just a word or two, while the main idea is a whole sentence. Demonstrate with the first two
passages. Emphasize eliminating unimportant details and combining details into one sentence.
3. Steel is





important metal
used for cars
used for buildings
used to make cans
used to make machines
(sample) Steel is an important metal that is used to
make cars, machines and buildings.
5. Pirates




attacked and robbed ships
were mostly active from 1550-1850
had a black flag with skull and crossbones on
their ships
stole treasure but rarely hurt people
(sample) Pirates from 1550-1850 attacked ships for
treasure, but did not usually hurt people.
4. The cactus is/has

in the desert

thick skin to keep water in

many different kinds

sometimes 50 feet tall
(sample) The cactus is a desert plant with thick skin
that helps it store water.
6. Acorns
 come from oak trees
 are the seed for new oak trees
 do not always become trees
 need good soil, sun and water
(sample) Acorns come from oak trees and grow into
new oak trees if they have the right soil, sun, and
water.
Part C: Remind students that the main idea makes an important point about the topic and has at least one
supporting detail.
Turn to the page number listed. Then, choose the details that support the main idea. You may have more than
one answer for each main idea. Cross out the details that do NOT support the main idea. (note that I could
not color in the correct ones, but they are the ones that are not crossed out.) If time, ask students to create a
main idea statement by combining the main idea with one of the supporting details.
1. (page 297) Leonardo was different.
o He wrote backwards.
o He liked to ask questions. (Redirect to the text to show why this one is not a supporting detail.)
o He was born on April 15, 1452.
o He did not eat meat.
2. (p. 300-301) Leonardo wanted to make the best horse he could.
o He visited the stables to study horses.
o He juggled and told riddles.
o He visited statues of horses.
o He measured horses and drew pictures of different parts of horses.
o He took charge of entertainment at the palace.
3. (p. 304) The clay horse was ruined.
o Leonardo was beginning a new project.
o The metal was needed to build a canon.
o The French archers shot many arrows into the clay horse.
o The rain turned the clay into a pile of mud.
4. (p. 306 ) Leonardo was so disappointed that he never got to build his bronze horse.
o He still wanted to build a flying machine.
o He thought he did not do anything great because he did not build his horse.
o Michelangelo, his rival, made fun of him.
o His beard grew very long.
o He was depressed.
Part A – Building Main Idea Statements
When were the Middle Ages?
What caused the change from
the Middle Ages to the
Renaissance?
What occupations were important
during the Renaissance?
Why did people fight during the
Renaissance?
Part B – Main Idea Sample Passages
EXAMPLE 1
EXAMPLE 2
1. A very important food for a large number of
people is bread. Bread is made from many
different kinds of grains. Americans eat bread
mostly made from wheat. Bread is important to
us because it is a good source of energy.
2. Fruits are important in our diet because of the
vitamins and minerals they contain. Fruits are
eaten in a number of ways. Fruits can be eaten
fresh, canned, frozen, or dried. Fruits are made
into jellies and jams. Fruit juices can be canned
or frozen.
What is the topic? ____________________
What is the passage telling you about the topic?
(topic) ____________ is…

Bread is made from different grains.

Bread is important because it gives us
energy.
Can you combine these into one sentence?
 Bread is made of from different grains, and
it gives you energy.
What is the topic? _____________________
What is the passage telling you about the topic?
(topic) ______________ are…
Which sentence says the same thing with fewer
words?

Fruits can be eaten fresh, canned, frozen,
or dried, and as jellies, jams, or juice.

Fruits can be eaten in many ways.
This gives us 2 important details about the topic:

Fruits contain important vitamins and
minerals.

Fruits can be eaten in many ways.
Combine these into one sentence.
o Fruits contain important vitamins and
minerals, and they can be eaten in many
ways.
Part B – Main Idea Passages
3. Steel is a very important metal which is used
for many things. In the United States, the
automobile industry uses the most steel. Steel is
used in putting up buildings. Cans and
containers are made from steel. Steel is used to
make farm and factory machines.
What is the topic? ___________________
What does the passage tell you about the topic?
(topic) __________ is
o
o
o
o
o
Cross out 1 fact that is not as important. Put the
rest of the details together into one sentence:
4. One of the most welcome sights in the desert
is the cactus. The cactus is a plant that can store
large amounts of water. It has a thick, tough skin
to keep the water in. There are many kinds of
cacti. Some grow as tall as 50 feet.
What is the topic? __________________
What does the passage tell you about the topic?
(topic) _________________ is/has
o
o
o
o
Cross out 2 facts that are not as important. Put
the last 2 details together into one sentence.
4. Pirates were robbers who attacked and
robbed ships. There are still a few pirates in the
world today, but most pirates lived between 1550
and 1850. Many pirate ships flew a black flag
with a skill and crossbones on it. Pirates were
interested in treasure and rarely hurt anyone.
5. Every fall, each oak tree drops a great
quantity of acorns. Acorns are the seeds for new
oak trees. Not all acorns become oak trees.
Actually, only a few are lucky enough to grow into
trees. These lucky acorns find good soil and the
right amount of sun and water.
What is the topic? ________________
What is the topic? _______________
What does the passage tell you about the topic?
What does the passage tell you about the topic?
(topic) ______________
(topic) ________________
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Cross out a fact that is not as important. Then
put the other details together in a sentence.
Cross out a fact that is not as important. Then
put the other details together in a sentence.
Name ___________________________________ Date ________________________________
Part C – Main Idea and Supporting Detail
Turn to the page number listed. Then, choose the details that support the main idea. You may have
more than one answer for each main idea. Cross out the details that do NOT support the main idea.
1. (page 297) Leonardo was different.
o He wrote backwards.
o He liked to ask questions.
o He was born on April 15, 1452.
o He did not eat meat.
2. (p. 300-301) Leonardo wanted to make the best horse he could.
o He visited the stables to study horses.
o He juggled and told riddles.
o He visited statues of horses.
o He measured horses and drew pictures of different parts of horses.
o He took charge of entertainment at the palace.
3. (p. 304) The clay horse was ruined.
o Leonardo was beginning a new project.
o The metal was needed to build a canon.
o The French archers shot many arrows into the clay horse.
o The rain turned the clay into a pile of mud.
4. (p. 306 ) Leonardo was so disappointed that he never got to build his bronze horse.
o He still wanted to build a flying machine.
o He thought he did not do anything great because he did not build his horse.
o Michelangelo, his rival, made fun of him.
o His beard grew very long.
o He was depressed.
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