Main Idea

1
Main Idea

• What its really about

2
Contributing to the Main Idea

• Passages are made up of a main idea and
  supporting details.
• The main idea is often stated in the beginning of
  the passage, BUT NOT ALWAYS.
• ALL of the supporting details should directly
  reinforce (contribute to) the main idea.

3
Determine the Main Idea

• Dogs come in all sizes. Great Danes are very
  large. Irish Setters are medium-size. Pekinese
  are very small.
• Main Idea Dogs come in different sizes.

4
Determine the Main Idea

• Alana reads every day. She reads at breakfast.
  She reads in school. She would rather read than
  play!
• Main Idea Alana likes to read.

5
Determine the Main Idea

• Did you know that just a small part of all the
  salt in the world is put into food to make the
  food taste better? There are hundreds of other
  uses for salt. In the US, more salt is used for
  melting snow and ice on roads than for any other
  purpose.
• A - Two uses of salt.
• B - How to melt snow.
• C - How to chop ice.

6
Determine the Main Idea

• A baby oyster is the size of a pinpoint. It takes
  a month for it to grow to the size of a pea. In
  one year it is as big as a quarter. From then on,
  the oyster grows about an inch a year for three
  years.
• A What oysters are like
• B How fast oysters grow
• C Why oysters grow so fast

7
Determine the Main Idea

• Most small land birds fly about 25 miles per
  hour. Ducks and geese about 40 miles per hour.
  Eagles have been known to fly more than 100 miles
  per hour. Swifts have been timed at almost 200
  miles per hour!
• A How fast birds fly
• B Swifts are the fastest
• C Why birds fly so fast

8
Which is NOT Support?

• I am looking forward to election day. Its fun to
  vote and exciting to watch the election results.
  Ill be rooting for my candidate to win and
  enjoying the suspense if the vote is close. The
  following day will be a good time to play video
  games. No matter who wins, an election is a
  special occasion.

9
Which is NOT Support?

• April is beginning the lengthy process of
  choosing a college to attend. She is buying and
  reading guides to the best schools. She hasnt
  completely ruled out working for a year before
  attending college. Shes checking out the many
  websites that provide information for picking the
  right college or university. Shes even searching
  the climate of the area of every school she
  considers.

10
Which is NOT Support?

• Bill is one of those people who just doesnt have
  to worry about gaining too much weight. He is the
  best tennis player Ive ever met. Bill can eat
  any amount of food he likes without putting on an
  ounce. He can go for weeks without exercising
  with no apparent effect. It just doesnt seem
  fair!

11
Which is NOT Support?

• Scientists are learning a great deal about the
  aging process. This knowledge will allow doctors
  to help their patients live longer and better
  lives. They will be able to defeat diseases
  associated with aging and perhaps even delay the
  onset of old age. Many doctors would agree that
  some medicines are much too expensive.

12
Independent Practice!