Education.com
Education.com: Asking Questions and Finding Answers
[Free Registration/Login Required] Pretending to be someone else is so much fun! In this hilarious instructional activity, students will get to take on the persona of a book character as they practice their question and answer skills. At...
CPALMS
Cpalms: "Beary" Good Details
This tutorial shares the story of "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" as he goes on a bear hunt to find out who has been sneaking into his house. Question words are highlighted to help Baby Bear collect key details to help him solve this...
Curated OER
Mc Graw Hill: Part 2 Reading: Informational Text: Reasons and Evidence in Text
Reasons and evidence are given by the author to support topics or ideas. In this resource, learn about finding reasons and evidence in a text. Includes downloadable worksheet.
Other
Mt. San Antonio College: Finding the Main Idea
Learn about the main idea and get tips on how to find it. After practicing with several short texts, learn how to answer different types of questions about main idea and practice each type.
Thinkport Education
Thinkport: Using Multiple Sources: Sea Turtle Populations
In this science-themed literacy lesson, students learn how to identify the central idea and key details in an article about sea turtles.
University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina: Writing Center: Handouts: Evidence
What kinds of evidence best support the points you make in a paper? Where can you find the evidence you need? This handout answers all these questions and more, including the difference between primary and secondary sources. You'll also...
Curated OER
Mc Graw Hill: Identify the Main Topic and Key Details
This is a practice exercise to help teach how to find the main topic of a passage by looking at key details. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.2
The Write Place
Literacy Education Online: Logical Fallacies
This site from the St. Cloud State University provides many links in this index with general writing help. Under "Development" you'll find "Sensory Details." Under "Logical Fallicies" you'll find a link by the same name. Look under...
South Carolina Educational Television
Know It All: Finding Theme
The students will be able to determine the theme of a story by recalling key details that support the theme.
ClassFlow
Class Flow: Topic & Main Idea
[Free Registration/Login Required] Recognizing the main idea is the key to good comprehension. The main idea is a general idea under which fits all the supporting material of the passage or paragraph. Learn and use three strategies that...
Other
Landmark School Outreach: Finding the Main Idea
This reading strategy resource provides steps for identifying the main idea of an informational text. Example informational text paragraphs are provided, along with detailed explanations for the processes used in identifying the main...
TES Global
Blendspace: Main Idea
A learning module that includes six links to videos, images, and websites that reinforce the reading skill of finding the main idea.
Thinkport Education
Thinkport: Multiple Sources: Climate Change and Mummies
In this science-themed literacy lesson, students learn how to identify the central idea and key details in an article about ancient mummies.
Other
Curriculum Associates: Determining Theme or Central Idea [Pdf]
In this reading comprehension lesson unit, learners are guided in learning how to find the main theme or idea of a text and understanding how details in the text convey that. Includes lots of exercises and examples, as well as...
Thinkport Education
Thinkport: Central Idea and Evidence: Sea Turtle Nesting
Students practice finding the central idea and summary of a nonfiction piece about sea turtle nesting.
Other
Mt. San Antonio College: Finding the Main Idea
This resource provides practice for students in locating where a main idea sentences is located in an informational paragraph. Guided questions are provided for each practice passage.
E Reading Worksheets
E Reading Worksheets: Text Structure Worksheets
This site provides several assignments and graphic organizers related to identifying text structures. Analyzing the following types of text structures are provided: main idea and supporting details; cause and effect; chronological order;...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Chicago: Deval Patrick [Pdf]
"Chicago Is a City of Possibilities" is an inauguration speech by Deval Patrick given as he became governor of Massachusetts. It is followed by questions which require students to provide evidence from the story; it includes determining...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Harold Washington's Speech [Pdf]
"Harold Washington's Acceptance Speech" is a one page, excerpt from a speech given by Harold Washington after being elected as mayor of Chicago on April 12, 1983. It is followed by constructed-response questions which require students to...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Changing Our Street [Pdf]
"Changing Our Street" is a one page, realistic fiction, reading passage about how the problem of people driving too fast in a neighborhood was solved. It is followed by constructed-response questions which require students to provide...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Making Progress [Pdf]
"Making Progress" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about students clearing the trash from a vacant lot near the school and planting a garden to beautify the neighborhood and show they care. It is followed by constructed-response...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: My Community [Pdf]
"My Community" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about a child talking about how his community has changed since his grandmother moved into that neighborhood 50 years earlier. It is followed by constructed-response questions...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: My New Brother [Pdf]
"My New Brother" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about child whose mother has just had new baby boy. It is followed by constructed-response questions which require students to provide evidence from the story; it includes:...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: My Sister, the Soldier [Pdf]
"My Sister, the Soldier" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about a boy and his mother who are worried about his sister who was a soldier in Iraq. [Contains some mechanical errors; students could find and correct.] It is followed...