Students investigate how radar can be used to determine the lightning potential of a cloud. Several readings are provided about the research conducted by Dr. Rob Cifelli. The scientific material is summarized in this lesson plan.

Learn how to analyze primary and secondary sources using text evidence. An example is provided. (Note: Exercises don't load in archived copy.)

Read a passage to discover how to retell a story then practice what you've learned.

The interactive lesson is a review of main idea and supporting details.

Read a short informational text and determine the main idea and supporting details. Click to check your answers then click on Practice.

This graphic organizer can be used with students when they read informational text. Students will write the main idea in a central oval and then write four details that support the main idea of this reproducible graphic organizer.

The nature of the interactions between the author and the illustrator are vital to the expression provided by that drawing. The following worksheets focus on using pictures to describe key ideas in an informational text.

Written exercises related to identifying the main ideas and details are provided on this module. Students will enjoy learning about Valentine's Day in these text structure exercises.

Students practice finding the central idea and summary of a nonfiction piece about sea turtle nesting.

This lesson operates on the Scaffold Instructional of Release model (I do, we do, you do). Students will use the main idea and supporting details to expand understanding of a variety of texts.

In this instructional activity for early readers, learners will describe the major events in the plot, describe the characters, and ask and answer questions about the first chapter in Frog and Toad Are Friends---Spring.

Where did Miss Nelson go? We look at the key details in the text to determine what is happening throughout the story.

This learning module focuses on reading for key ideas and details including main characters, problems, and solutions. It provides a detailed example with an explanation and a practice paragraph with questions.

To understand a text, you must understand the central idea of the story. Learn how to recognize the central idea and supporting details with this article. Click the links at bottom right.

This lesson engages students in classmates sharing their talents. Students will communicate information about their talent and then teach their classmates.

Take a look at the research collected and theory developed concerning the child's cognitive development by Jean Piaget. Find the key ideas and the detailed stages of the theory.

This lesson explains how to identify key question words and phrases. This tutorial lesson shares a short slideshow with the lesson's content.

A lesson plan in which students read a text a complete a graphic organizer to identify the main ideas and supporting details. Materials are included.

Get an example of how to identify an author's main idea in a text on this site. Also, learn how to recognize supporting ideas to main ideas presented in a text. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.2

This site provides a collection of reading strategy teaching resources. Strategies are arranged according to the ELA Common Core Curriculum Standards and grade level bands.

[Free Registration/Login Required] Lesson uses Amazing Tigers! by Sarah L. Thomson and Ladybugs by Monica Hughes to teach students to use titles, pictures, and text to identify the main idea of an informational text. Ideas for direct...

First graders tell what is happening in the story, but use words and phrases from the story to tell how they know.

This lesson models an information-gathering process for primary learners as they listen to and look at resources, seeking information pertinent to the questions on an information wheel. Guiding the listening, looking, and learning...

"American Explorers" is a one page, non-fiction, reading passage about the Lewis and Clark Expedition. They traveled from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean with the help of Native Americans and made maps along the way. It is followed by...