ClassFlow
Class Flow: Main Idea Lesson
[Free Registration/Login Required] This lesson focuses on the determining the main idea and details.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: What Is the Main Idea?
During this lesson students begin to identify the main idea of a story they read or hear. Students use graphic organizers to discover the main idea of The Carrot Seed, by Ruth Krauss, and Marsupial Sue, by John Lithgow.
![De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: My First Baseball Game With Q&a [Pdf] Unknown Type](https://static.lp.lexp.cloud/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/FPO-knovation.png "De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: My First Baseball Game With Q&a [Pdf] Unknown Type")
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: My First Baseball Game With Q&a [Pdf]
"My First Baseball Game" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about a boy and his sister going to their first baseball game and learning what it means to be Chicago Cubs fans. It is followed by constructed-response questions which...
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: Block Clubs [Pdf]
"Block Clubs" is a one page, non-fiction, reading passage about block clubs, which are groups of neighbors who work together to make rules and solve problems in their neighborhoods. It is followed by constructed-response questions which...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: A Garden in Lawndale [Pdf]
"A Garden in Lawndale" is a one page, non-fiction, reading passage about an eighth grade class who planted a garden in a vacant lot by their school and maintained it to improve their neighborhood. It is followed by constructed-response...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Breaking the Food Chain [Pdf]
"Breaking the Food Chain" is a one page, non-fiction, reading passage about the food chain which links plants and animals. If the food chain is disrupted, it can cause plants and animals to disappear. It is followed by...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: American Explorers [Pdf]
"American Explorers" is a one page, non-fiction, reading passage about the Lewis and Clark Expedition from St. Louis to the Pacific Ocean. Along the way they drew maps for future travels. It is followed by constructed-response questions...
CommonLit
Common Lit: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Changing America
CommonLit.org is a wonderful resource to use in a Language Arts classroom. Each story or article is accompanied by guided reading questions, assessment questions, and discussion questions. In addition, students can click on words to see...
Florida Center for Reading Research
Florida Center for Reading Research: Expository Text Structure: Just the Facts
A lesson plan in which students read a text and complete a graphic organizer to identify the topic and supporting details or facts. Materials are included.
Sophia Learning
Sophia: Identifying Key Question Words and Phrases
This lesson explains how to identify key question words and phrases. This tutorial lesson shares a short slideshow with the lesson's content.
ABCya
Ab Cya: Marvin & Sweetie: Storybook
This resource presents its third children's storybook for the classroom. Marvin and Sweetie, is an original work by Michelle Tocci. The story is about a frog who learns an important life lesson from a friendly bird.
English Worksheets Land
English Worksheets Land: Using Illustrations and Details for Key Ideas Worksheet
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.
CPALMS
Cpalms: Buzzing Tails
This video tutorial features the character named Bobby who will assist students as they search for key details in a nonfiction text.
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Nonfiction Pyramid
A printable pyramid for use with nonfiction texts while students identify the main ideas and supporting details within a text. Students also determine author's purpose and key vocabulary words. Directions on how to use this type of...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: American Explorers [Pdf]
"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...
Better Lesson
Better Lesson: From Seed to Plant
Students will use the illustrations and details in the text to describe how plants grow. This lesson plan uses a complex text to allow students to analyze the pictures in From Seed to Plant and From Seed to Pumpkin. Included are videos...
Other
Reading Quest: Strategies for Reading Comp.: History Frames: Story Maps
This activity will help you teach students chronological order as well as identifying key people and events. Printable worksheets.
Other
Curriculum Associates: Determining Theme or Central Idea [Pdf]
In this reading comprehension instructional activity unit, students 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...
ReadWriteThink
Read Write Think: Digging Up Details on Worms: Using Science in an Inquiry Study
A lesson plan based on a study unit of earthworms, using the inquiry model to integrate scientific processes with literacy practices. Instruction plans, related resources, and standards are included.
Utah Education Network
Uen: 1st Grade Act. 11: Fairy Tale Riddles & Puppet Shows
During this multi-day unit, students will engage in segmentation and blending skills. Students will work with fairy tales and include them into a puppet show.
AdLit
Ad lit.org: Classroom Strategies: Seed Discussion
A Seed Discussion is a two-part strategy used to teach students how to engage in discussions about assigned readings. In the first part, students read selected text and identify "seeds" or key concepts of a passage which may need...
Curated OER
Mc Graw Hill: Reading Literature: Determine Theme/central Idea
A definition of theme or central idea along with a link to a practice activity. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.2
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Reading Informational Text: Grades K 1
This learning resource will show teachers how to model how to teach students to describe connections between pieces of information in a text.