What’s the Big Idea? Learning about Main Idea

Guiding Questions How do I define main idea? What are three ways to find the main idea? Why is locating the main idea important?

Defining Main Idea! When you read a story and someone asks you “What was that about?” Don’t retell the story, just state the main idea. Main idea equals what the details add up to topic + what author says about the topic A general statement that “sums up” the text.

What are different ways to find the main idea? Topic Sentence Implied

Topic Sentence A selection’s most important idea is often found in one sentence. This is called the topic sentence because it contains the main idea of the selection. The topic sentence is usually at the beginning or at the end of a paragraph.

What’s the Main Idea? My fifteen year old sister’s manners are terrible. You should have been there when she ate at our house the other night. She kept reaching across the table for everything without even excusing herself. She burped a dozen times and looked like she was really proud of her achievement. And when we had ice cream sundaes for dessert, she ate hers with her fingers.

Prove it! Where is your topic sentence? My fifteen year old sister’s manners are terrible. You should have been there when she ate at our house the other night. She kept reaching across the table for everything without even excusing herself. She burped a dozen times and looked like she was really proud of her achievement. And when we had ice cream sundaes for dessert, she ate hers with her fingers. What sentences support or prove your main idea?

Supporting Details My fifteen year old sister’s manners are terrible. You should have been there when she ate at our house the other night. She kept reaching across the table for everything without even excusing herself. She burped a dozen times and looked like she was really proud of her achievement. And when we had ice cream sundaes for dessert, she ate hers with her fingers.

Let’s try again! The fish’s body is covered with scales. Thin and flat, scales cut down water resistance allowing easy passage through the water. Their gills extract dissolved oxygen from the water and pass the oxygen to the bloodstream. These are some of the reasons why fish are so efficient in their environment. Which sentence states the main idea?

Details Baby! What details support or prove your answer? The fish’s body is covered with scales. Thin and flat, scales cut down water resistance allowing easy passage through the water. Their gills extract dissolved oxygen from the water and pass the oxygen to the bloodstream. These are some of the reasons why fish are so efficient in their environment.

Implied Main Idea Sometimes an author does not directly tell you the main idea, but rather it is suggested. If you pay attention to the details, you should be able to recognize the implied main idea.

Can you figure out the main idea? The name jeans comes from the sailors in Genoa, Italy, who were nicknamed Genes, as were the denim pants they wore. In America, jeans were pioneered by Levi Strauss during the California Gold Rush of the 1850’s. The miners needed pants that were strong enough to withstand the hard work of digging gold out of the western mountains. So Levi Strauss started making pants out of tent cloth. Now, 150 years later, his company is still at it.

Let’s narrow it down! Remember, the main idea is implied, not stated. a. The paragraph is about where the name jeans came from. b. The paragraph is about the history of jeans. c. The paragraph is about when the first American jeans were made.

Supporting Details The name jeans comes from the sailors in Genoa, Italy, who were nicknamed Genes, as were the denim pants they wore. In America, jeans were pioneered by Levi Strauss during the California Gold Rush of the 1850’s. The miners needed pants that were strong enough to withstand the hard work of digging gold out of the western mountains. So Levi Strauss started making pants out of tent cloth. Now, 150 years later, his company is still at it

Yes Ma’am, can I have another? What is the implied main idea? A truck containing 45,000 pounds of concentrated liquid soap turned over on the road into town. Fortunately no one was injured. However, 20 minutes later, a heavy downpour hit the area. The highway looked like a movie set shooting a scene in the heavens were everyone was walking on top of clouds. That is except for the trees covered in soapsuds that were growing out of the clouds.

Let’s Recap! Define main idea. What is the difference between an implied main idea and a stated main idea? Define topic sentence. Where is the topic sentence typically found?

Count down: 3, 2, 1 Tell me 3 things you learned. Tell me 2 facts from the presentation. Tell me one question you still have. Please use complete sentences.