Main Idea What the text is MOSTLY about

Main Idea What the text is MOSTLY about.

Title of Article Here • 1 st Read: We will read the article aloud as a class. The first we read it is just for fun. • You do not need to mark anything on the text.

2 nd Read • Read the article again, silently and to yourself. This time circle or highlight any key words or phrases. • Key Words= Bolded, Repeated, Match with heading or title, Seem important for some reason.

Annotate • Circle or Highlight the TITLE. – (Pay CLOSE attention if there is a subtitle: These usually are VERY close to the main idea. ) • Circle or Highlight the 1 st & Last Sentence. • Caveman Notes in the Margins for EVERY paragraph. (INCLUDING IMAGES) – Can look at your Caveman notes

Stand Up, Hand Up, Pair Up • Pick ONE section from the article. • Share your key words or phrases & ANNOTATION notes with your partner. • Switch, but be sure that you discuss two DIFFERENT sections. • Add annotations as desired

Identify the Topic • Go Back to your seats. • What was the article about? Can you sum it up in one word? That one word is the topic. • Hint: You can USUALLY find the topic in the TITLE. • Suggestions? ? ?

Main Idea • What did the author want us to know ABOUT that topic? • Your main idea should be at least a sentence: Your TOPIC should be in the first few words of the main idea. • Be sure that the main idea would fit every single section of the article: (It should be broad) • Example: If I read an article about lizards, my main idea might be something like… – Lizards are reptiles that live in all contienents except Antarctica.

Main Idea Check • Write the main idea on a post it. • Check the main idea against every section in the article. Does the main idea fit every single section? If not, it is probably too specific & you should re-write it.

Supporting Details • Find examples from the article that give proof to the main idea. Think: How do you Know that? • Go through the article and find at least (1) piece of evidence in each section of the article that PROVES your main idea statement. • Again, if you can’t find proof in every section, your main idea is too specific & you should rewrite it.

Practice • In small groups, you will be given chart paper with short text in the middle. • Each person should add (2) sticky notes. • One sticky will go on the left side (Main Idea) • One sticky will go on the right side (Supporting Detail) • We will rotate Charts in 6 minutes. Then your group will have 5 minutes to select the best Main Idea & Supporting Detail.

Practice Example Main Idea Supporting Detail Short Reading Text will be here.