Dynamic Curriculum Project 2015
Topic & Grade Level: Main Idea, 3rd Grade, Day 1 of Sequence
Objective: I can determine the who or what of the main idea using the details and the WIN strategy.
Standard: Common Core Informational Text 3.2: Determine the main idea of a text; recount the
key details and explain how they support the main idea.
TN SPI 301.6.2 Informational text: Identify the stated main idea in a reading selection.
Materials:
-dress like a sports star or referee with a whistle (optional student engagement opportunity) and have
students wear sports gear
-Flocabulary main idea video (a free trial is available, but this song has free access)
-Computer: internet access, ActivInspire
-Accompanying FlipChart
-Anchor Chart showing only the ‘W’ in the WIN strategy (idea for chart attached at end of document
page 4).
-Class sets of copies of the: you do group work and exit ticket
Setting: Whole Group, Partners, Small Group
Procedures:
1. Call the students to your instructional meeting place. (Mine is on a rug where the students are
seated in partners that are paired lower/higher).
2. TTW introduce the standard, agenda, and essential questions with the students (from Flipchart).
3. TTW introduce the hook. Tell the students that today you plan on teaching them the first step in
how to WIN the main idea. Show them a few of your best sports moves to facilitate engagement
and laughter in the classroom. Allow children to turn and talk to their neighbors about their
favorite sports to watch or play.
4. Show the main idea song from Flocabulary. This is will spark their thinking and lay some
background for where you want them to go. (This video uses mostly fictional ideas to derive the
main idea, but lends itself easily to the bridge into informational texts.)
5. Review the lesson objective and tell the students that you are going to run through the play you
want them to practice. They need to listen up carefully so that they can run the play effectively
on their own by the end of the lesson and learn more plays in the days to come.
6. Show only the ‘W’ and the ‘I’ on the WIN strategy anchor chart. (Lester Laminack would call this
drug addict teaching.)
Lesson Plan by: Jessica Willings
Dynamic Curriculum Project 2015
7. Step into your model: Reference the objective once again and show the modeling passage from
the flipchart. Think Aloud:
Today, I am going to start to determine or find the find the main idea. I know I
am still going to start to win the main idea by determining the who or what of
the passage. I think the first thing I will do is read my question so that I can train
my brain on exactly what to look for. My question asks me to find the main topic
of the passage. I see the word ‘main’ and that reminds me of main idea. Also,
main topic reminds me of what my 1st and 2nd grade teachers taught me. It’s the
beginning of the main idea. Ok, my strategy tells me to ask myself, “Who or
what my passage is mainly about?” I’ll put a W here on my paper and ask myself
my question as I read the passage. Just as good reading practice, I’ll look at my
title, headings, and graphics before I read and ask myself my question too. If the
author didn’t want me to see it and think deeply about it, he wouldn’t have
included it in his writing. Think aloud through those and then start reading….
Read a paragraph at a time and stop at the end of each paragraph to ask
yourself the questions aloud. Underline any details in the passage that help you
come to that conclusion. [Randomly blow your whistle and get excited as you
begin to determine main idea and attending to the details.]
8. Refer back to the lesson objective and show Beating the Winter Blues. Have your students in
those pre-partnered groups. Review the questions. Use a fluency strategy to read the passage,
choral reading, echo reading, etc. Give one student the job as the coach (This would be lower of
my two students) and allow the coach to ask the player the W question. Then, the coach can
provide the player will academic feedback. TTW signal for the kid’s attention and open the
classroom for discussion and feedback. Underline the details the students use for their
justifications of the main idea. For the second passage, reverse the coach and player roles.
Continue to show enthusiasm with your sports moves and whistle blowing.
9. Go over group work expectations. Preplan which students will have which roles based on
professional opinion. Have the students follow the modeled process to accomplish their goals. If
they finish early, have them grab a non-fiction book from your classroom library or reading
anthology and continue to practice the desired goal. Circulate the classroom to provide
guidance. Consider pulling a small group of struggling learners (RTI students) in order to aid the
instruction.
10. Call the students back to your meeting place and reflect and close over the lesson. Ask the
students what went well or what was more challenging in order to gauge understanding for the
next day’s lesson. Review assignment and answer essential questions. Introduce the next day’s
lesson: I can determine the main idea and most important information using the details and
the WIN strategy. (A fun idea for the reflection would be set up waste baskets with signs that
said “3 points,” “2 points,” “Air ball,” and let the students shoot their assignments into in the
appropriate baskets.)
11. Give students individual exit tickets to assess mastery and plan the next day’s lesson. (A fun idea
for the reflection would be set up waste baskets with signs that said “3 points” “2 points” “Air
ball” and let the students shoot their assignments into in the appropriate baskets.)
Lesson Plan by: Jessica Willings
Dynamic Curriculum Project 2015
Questions:
Essential Questions: What is a main idea? Why do I need main idea when I read and watch? What
purpose does the main idea serve to me?
Varied Questions: What is the passage mostly about? Which sentence best tells what the passage is
about? What is the main theme/message of paragraph __?
Signal Words for Main Idea Type Questions:
Mostly about, main theme, best way, best describes, best tells, most likely, sums up, main lesson, main
purpose, best supported
Differentiation: Modifications are imbedded throughout the lesson in order to better scaffold the
learning. The I Do and We Do texts for this lesson are on a 4th grade level to foster reading growth. This
lesson is designed to teach to the top with the needed scaffolds to capsulate every learner. If further
modification is needed, one might provide it by pulling a small group and aiding the instruction for the
lower (RTI type). For the highest students, the teacher could take out the main topic words from the
assignment and have the students ask themselves the questions in order to derive the missing main idea
based on given context. Additionally, the teacher could read aloud to students will the given IEPs and
noted modifications.
Assessment:
Informal: The teacher will make note of struggling students throughout the lesson and circulation time.
Additionally, the teacher will note any students who mentioned struggles during the reflection portion
of the lesson.
Formal: The teacher will scan for the desired percentage of mastery in the group work and in the exit
ticket and provide appropriate and timely feedback and re-teaching.
Resources:
www.flocabulary.com
Passages adapted from: www.readworks.org
Research-based intervention: WIN Strategy adapted from Voyager Comprehension Strategies:
http://www.voyagerlearning.com/docs/default-source/researchlibrary/research-foundations-ofvoyager-passport.pdf?sfvrsn=6
Adapted from: http://www.readworks.org/passages/are-roller-coasters-safe
Adapted from:
http://www.readworks.org/sites/default/files/passages/Be%20a%20Safe%20Sport%20Passage.pdf
Exit Ticket adapted from Discovery Ed Common Core probe question
Just thought this was helpful:
Lesson Plan by: Jessica Willings
Dynamic Curriculum Project 2015
http://schools.polkfl.net/Inwood/documents/Literary%20Focus/Main%20Idea%20and%20Details%20Reference%20Card%2
02%20%282%29.pdf
Lesson Plan by: Jessica Willings
Dynamic Curriculum Project 2015
The WIN Strategy
Lesson Plan by: Jessica Willings