Learning Objective
We will determine1 the main idea.
CFU
What are we going to do?
What does determine mean?
Determine means __________.
Activate Prior Knowledge
What is the paragraph about? (Whiteboards)
1. Dogs come in all sizes. 2. Great Danes
are very big. 3. Basset hounds are medium
sized. 4. Chihuahuas are very small.
Make Connection
Students, you already know
that writing is about
something. There’s a main
topic or idea. Now, we will
determine the main idea and
explain how it is supported by
key details.
Vocabulary
1
TEACHSM
EDI®
READY TO
©2013 All rights reserved.
Lessons
figure out
CCSS 3rd Grade Reading Informational Text 2.0
Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and
explain how they support the main idea.
Lesson to be used by EDI-trained teachers only.
Concept Development
Ask yourself
What is the paragraph
mostly about?
The main idea is the most important idea of a paragraph.
• The main idea is often found in one sentence at the beginning or at the end of a paragraph.
Key details are sentences that provide more information to support2 the main idea.
Main Idea written
Floods
1. Floods can cause tremendous damage. 2. They can
ruin houses, roads and buildings. 3. Floods can take down
trees and cause mudslides. 4. Floods are caused when
there is too much rain. 5. Floods are the most common
disaster.
35 words
Main idea not written: There are many different types of clouds.
Clouds
1. Clouds are thin and light. 2. Some are puffy and white.
3. Some clouds cover the sky like a gray blanket.
4. Clouds can be a mile above the ground. 5. Sometimes
clouds are actually touching the ground; we call this fog.
40 words
CFU
Which sentence could be a key
detail of support for the main
idea Floods can cause
tremendous damage? How
do you know?
A A flood is an overflow of water
that covers land.
B Floods often leave mud,
sand, and trash behind.
“_______ is not an example of a key
detail of support because____.”
In your own words, what is the
main idea?
“The main idea is ______________.”
Vocabulary
2
©2013 All rights reserved.
help
CCSS 3rd Grade Reading Informational Text 2.0
Determine the main idea of a text.
Lesson to be used by EDI-trained teachers only.
Skill Development/Guided Practice
The main idea is the most important idea of a paragraph.
• The main idea is often found in one sentence at the beginning or at the end of a paragraph.
Key details are sentences that provide more information to support the main idea.
Determine the main idea.
1 Read the text.
2 Determine the main idea.(answer) Hint: What is the paragraph mostly about?
3 Identify3 the key details that support the main idea. (underline)
Grass
CFU
2 How did I/you determine the
main idea?
3 How did I/you identify key
details that support the
main idea?
1. Most people think of grass as the stuff that grows in the
yard, but there are over 6,000 types of grasses around the world.
2. Wheat, rice, and other grains are grasses that feed people and
animals! 3. Bamboo is a type of grass that is used to build houses,
furniture, and buildings. 4. Grass is one of Earth's most useful
plants.
60 words
What is the main idea of the text?
A There are 6,000 types of grass.
B Bamboo is a strong grass.
C Grass is a useful plant.
Vocabulary
3
©2013 All rights reserved.
find
CCSS 3rd Grade Reading Informational Text 2.0
Determine the main idea of a text.
Lesson to be used by EDI-trained teachers only.
Skill Development/Guided Practice (continued)
The main idea is the most important idea of a paragraph.
• The main idea is often found in one sentence at the beginning or at the end of a paragraph.
Key details are sentences that provide more information to support the main idea.
Determine the main idea.
1 Read the text.
2 Determine the main idea.(answer) Hint: What is the paragraph mostly about?
3 Identify the key details that support the main idea. (underline)
Acronyms
1. Many words we use everyday are acronyms. 2. An acronym is
a word that is formed from the firsts letter of other words.
3. The word radar is an acronym formed from radio detecting and
ranging. 4. ZIP code, is another common acronym. 5. ZIP is formed
from zone improvement plan.
6. Scuba is formed from self-contained underwater breathing
apparatus.
54 words
CFU
2 How did I/you determine the
main idea?
3 How did I/you identify key
details that support the
main idea?
What is the main idea of the text?
A Acronyms make words easy.
B Many words are acronyms.
C Scuba is an acronym.
©2013 All rights reserved.
CCSS 3rd Grade Reading Informational Text 2.0
Determine the main idea of a text.
Lesson to be used by EDI-trained teachers only.
Skill Development/Guided Practice (continued)
The main idea is the most important idea of a paragraph.
• The main idea is often found in one sentence at the beginning or at the end of a paragraph.
Key details are sentences that provide more information to support the main idea.
Determine the main idea.
1 Read the text.
2 Determine the main idea.(answer) Hint: What is the paragraph mostly about?
3 Identify the key details that support the main idea. (underline)
CFU
2 How did I/you determine the
main idea?
3 How did I/you identify key
details that support the
main idea?
Captains
1. The lead pilot of a plane is called captain. 2.The captain
checks everything to be sure the plane is ready to fly.
3. There could be a problem before the plane takes off.
5. Also, the captain has to figure out what to do if there is a
problem while flying.
51 words
What is the main idea of the text?
A The captain flies the plane.
B The captain makes sure the plane is safe to fly.
C Flying a plane is hard.
©2013 All rights reserved.
CCSS 3rd Grade Reading Informational Text 2.0
Determine the main idea of a text.
Lesson to be used by EDI-trained teachers only.
Skill Development/Guided Practice (continued)
The main idea is the most important idea of a paragraph.
• The main idea is often found in one sentence at the beginning or at the end of a paragraph.
Key details are sentences that provide more information to support the main idea.
Determine the main idea.
1 Read the text.
2 Determine the main idea.(answer) Hint: What is the paragraph mostly about?
3 Identify the key details that support the main idea. (underline)
CFU
2 How did I/you determine the
main idea?
3 How did I/you identify key
details that support the
main idea?
Help Out
1. People can recycle by taking paper, glass, and plastic to
recycling centers. 2. Another way to recycle is to use things over
again.3. Wash out a paper cup and use it two or three times before
throwing it away.4. Using reusable shopping bags at stores is
recycling.
44 words
What is the main idea of the text?
A Wash your paper cup out.
B There are many ways to recycle.
C Our earth is becoming polluted.
©2013 All rights reserved.
CCSS 3rd Grade Reading Informational Text 2.0
Determine the main idea of a text.
Lesson to be used by EDI-trained teachers only.
Relevance
The main idea is the most important idea of a paragraph.
• The main idea is often found in one sentence at the beginning or at the end of a paragraph.
Key details are sentences that provide more information to support the main idea.
1 Determining the main idea will help you understand what you read.
September
September was not always the ninth month of the
year. Septem is the Latin word for “seven.” In the
Roman calendar, September was the seventh
month of the year. This is because the Roman
calendar began in March.
2 Determining the main idea will help you do well on tests.
CFU
Sample Test Question:
1. What is the main idea of the text?
A Septem means “7” in Latin.
B Roman calendar began in March.
C September is a month.
D September was not always the 9th month of the year.
©2013 All rights reserved.
Does anyone else have another
reason why it is relevant to
determine the main idea?
(Pair-Share) Why is it relevant
to determine the main idea?
You may give one of my
reasons or one of your own.
Which reason is more relevant
to you? Why?
CCSS 3rd Grade Reading Informational Text 2.0
Determine the main idea of a text.
Lesson to be used by EDI-trained teachers only.
The main idea is the most important idea of a paragraph.
• The main idea is often found in one sentence at the beginning or at the end of a paragraph.
Key details are sentences that provide more information to support the main idea.
Skill Closure
Determine the main idea.
1 Read the text.
2 Determine the main idea.(answer) Hint: What is the paragraph mostly about?
3 Identify the key details that support the main idea. (underline)
Word Bank
main idea
determine
key details
identify
support
Toys
1. Pomo Indian children of long ago had many toys. 2.They played with
sticks, twigs, rocks, and shells. 3. They turned anything into toy that
they found around them. 4. Pomo children had just as much fun with
their found toys as the children of today have with toys from stores.
48 words
What is the main idea of the text?
A Toys can be made of rocks.
B Pomo is an Indian tribe.
C Pomo Indian children had many toys.
Access Common Core
Why is “Pomo Indians lived in northern California” not a key detail of support for the text above. Explain.
Summary Closure
What did you learn today about determining the main idea? (Pair-Share)
Use words from the word bank.
©2013 All rights reserved.
CCSS 3rd Grade Reading Informational Text 2.0
Determine the main idea of a text.
Lesson to be used by EDI-trained teachers only.
Independent Practice
The main idea is the most important idea of a paragraph.
• The main idea is often found in one sentence at the beginning or at the end of a paragraph.
Key details are sentences that provide more information to support the main idea.
Determine the main idea.
1 Read the text.
2 Determine the main idea.(answer) Hint: What is the paragraph mostly about?
3 Identify the key details that support the main idea. (underline)
Soccer
1. Soccer is played between two teams with eleven
players each. 2. Soccer players rely on a lot of skills to
be good players. 3. They learn how to dribble and pass
the ball. 4. They also learn how to control the ball so
they can eventually score. 5. Most importantly, soccer
players learn how to work together with their
teammates.
56 words
What is the main idea of the text?
A Soccer players learn many skills.
B Soccer is played between two teams.
C Soccer is a sport played with your feet.
©2013 All rights reserved.
CCSS 3rd Grade Reading Informational Text 2.0
Determine the main idea of a text.
Lesson to be used by EDI-trained teachers only.
Independent Practice (continued)
The main idea is the most important idea of a paragraph.
• The main idea is often found in one sentence at the beginning or at the end of a paragraph.
Key details are sentences that provide more information to support the main idea.
Determine the main idea.
1 Read the text.
2 Determine the main idea.(answer) Hint: What is the paragraph mostly about?
3 Identify the key details that support the main idea. (underline)
Day and Night
1. Some places around the world have days when the
Sun never rises or sets. 2. The Earth spins on its axis- an
imaginary line passing through the North and South
Poles. 3. Earth makes about one full rotation1 every 24
hours.
4. As it rotates, the different areas of the Earth are
exposed2 to the sun. 5. At any given instant, about half
of Earth is being exposed to direct sunlight (day time)
while the remaining half is without direct sunlight (night
time).
79 words
What is the main idea of the text?
A We have day and night because the
earth rotates.
B Some places do not have day time.
C Earth has an axis.
Vocabulary
1
2
©2013 All rights reserved.
a complete circle
shown
CCSS 3rd Grade Reading Informational Text 2.0
Determine the main idea of a text.
Lesson to be used by EDI-trained teachers only.
Periodic Review 1
Benjamin Franklin
1. Benjamin Franklin invented many things that made life
easier in the late 1700s. 2. He invented the lightning rod
that saved many homes from fires. 3. He also invented the
Franklin stove. 4. The stove could heat a room better than a
fireplace and saved people a lot of fuel. 5. He also invented a
special kind of eyeglasses called bifocals. 6. This new kind of
glasses helped people to read better. 7. Benjamin Franklin
was the most multi-talented of the Founding Fathers.
What is the main idea of the text?
A Franklin invented many things.
B Franklin invented a stove.
C Franklin was a founding father.
78 words
Access Common Core
Complete the graphic organizer using the text above. (Enter sentence numbers)
Main Idea:
Detail 1
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Detail 2
Detail 3
CCSS 3rd Grade Reading Informational Text 2.0
Determine the main idea of a text.
Lesson to be used by EDI-trained teachers only.
Periodic Review 2
What is the main idea of the first paragraph ?
Harriet Quimby
1. Harriet Quimby was the first licensed woman
pilot in the United States. 2. She was also the first
woman to fly across the English Channel. 3. She made
that flight in 1912!
4. Flying was very dangerous back then. 5. Planes
were made of not much more than paper, wire, and
glue. 6. Pilots had no radios. 7. Parachutes hadn't been
invented yet. 8. It took someone very brave, like
Harriet Quimby, to fly those planes!
69 words
A Harriet Quimby was American.
B Harriet Quimby achieved many firsts in flying.
C Harriet Quimbly was a female pilot.
What is the main idea of the second paragraph ?
A Planes were made of paper.
B Harriet Quimby was brave.
C Flying was very dangerous in the early1900’s
Access Common Core
Determine if the sentence below would provide support to the main idea of the second paragraph. Explain why
or why not.
Harriet Quimby got her pilots license Aug. 1, 1911.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
©2013 All rights reserved.
CCSS 3rd Grade Reading Informational Text 2.0
Determine the main idea of a text.
Lesson to be used by EDI-trained teachers only.
Periodic Review 3
Harriet Tubman
1. Harriet Tubman was an African American born into
slavery in the 1800s.
2. During the 1800s, states in the northern United States
outlawed slavery. 3. Slaves would try to escape to the North
using the Underground Railroad. 4. This wasn't a real railroad.
5. It was a number of safe homes (called stations) that hid
slaves as they traveled north. 6.The people that helped the
slaves were called conductors. 7. Slaves would move from
station to station at night, hiding in the woods or sneaking
onto trains until they finally reached the North and freedom.
8. Harriet Tubman is perhaps the most well-known of all
the Underground Railroad's "conductors." 9. During a ten-year
span she made 19 trips into the South and helped over 300
slaves to freedom.
117 words
What is the main idea of the second paragraph?
A Harriet Tubman was born in Maryland.
B Harriet Tubman was a famous conductor.
C The Underground Railroad was a system
slaves used to escape the South.
Access Common Core
Which sentence from the text best supports the answer to the above question?
A In the 1800s states in the northern United States outlawed slavery.
B Slaves would try to escape to the North using the Underground Railroad.
C This wasn't a real railroad.
Chris determined the main idea of the third paragraph was “Harriet Tubman is a well-known Underground Railroad
conductor.” Do you agree or disagree? Explain.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
©2013 All rights reserved.
CCSS 3rd Grade Reading Informational Text 2.0
Determine the main idea of a text.
Lesson to be used by EDI-trained teachers only.
EDI – Cognitive, Teaching, and English Learner Strategies
Learning Objective: Determine the main idea.
Cognitive Strategies
Elaboration
Teaching Strategies
Demonstration
Language Strategies
Academic
Targeted
Vocabulary
Content
Support
determine , support
main idea, identify
rotation, exposed
Multiple-Meaning
Synonym
Vocabulary
Strategy
Definition
Homophone
Internal Context Clue
Listen, Speak
Similar Sounds
Read
Tracked Reading
Write
Writing
Content Access Strategies
Comprehensible
Input
Cognates
Graphic Organizer
Contextual Clues
©2013 All rights reserved.
Contextualized
Definitions
Pictures
axis, underground railroad
CCSS 3rd Grade Reading Informational Text 2.0
Determine the main idea of a text.
Lesson to be used by EDI-trained teachers only.
Blank Page
©2013 All rights reserved.
CCSS 3rd Grade Reading Informational Text 2.0
Determine the main idea of a text.
Lesson to be used by EDI-trained teachers only.