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Curated OER
Game Shows in the Classroom
Students participate in game show like games when reviewing material for any subject or grade level.
Curated OER
Representing Text in an Outline
In this outlines worksheet, students answer multiple choice questions about the function of an outline in a text. Students complete 10 questions.
Curated OER
Summarizing the Good Stuff
Pupils summarize a selected piece of text nonfiction text. After reviewing the correct way to read silently, students read a nonfiction article. Working in groups, they write a summary paragraph using the five step process outlined by...
Curated OER
What Kind of Student Do You Want to Be?
Third graders write an essay which answers the question, "What kind of student do you want to be?"
Curated OER
Scrambled Paragraphs
Students examine the structure of paragraphs. For this writing skills lesson, students examine a scrambled paragraph with no formatting or punctuation. Students rearrange the text to create a well-developed paragraph.
Curated OER
Creating a Travel Brochure
Students use the internet to research a country of interest to them. Using graphics, they create a travel brochure about the country encouraging people to travel there. They present their information to the class while showing their...
Sophia Learning
Sophia: Topic Sentences: Map Your Way to Writing One
This tutorial on writing topic sentences includes 2 videos, 2 slide shows, and an audio clip. The first YouTube video explains the 4 parts of a topic sentence and tells where topic sentences belong. The 2 slide shows focus on the MAP...
Better Lesson
Better Lesson: Topic Sentences
Often, we ask students to find the main idea in the story- this helps when re-telling. Why not apply this idea to writing? Find the main idea and introduce your writing with that idea; just like with a book, it helps with re-telling!...
Read Works
Read Works: Lesson 2: First and Last Sentences (Passage)
[Free Registration/Login Required] Students comprehension will be reinforced as they reading first and last sentences of paragraphs. Direct teaching, guided practice, and independent worksheets are available for this third grade lesson.
Read Works
Read Works: Main Idea 4th Grade Unit
[Free Registration/Login Required] A two-instructional activity unit on main idea and details through which students use the topic sentence to identify the main idea of a paragraph and categorize details as main idea or supporting. With...
Savvas Learning
Pearson Longman: Main Points, Support Points, and Specific Details
Part of the Pearson Longman series entitled "Sentence Resources for Writers", this site assesses the high school student's ability to identify main points and develop specific details and support points. Includes ten multiple choice and...
Sophia Learning
Sophia: Revising Topic Sentences
A nine-slide presentation explaining how to use the acronym MAP (main idea, attitude, preview) to edit and revise a topic sentence.
Sophia Learning
Sophia: Writing Effective Topic Sentences
Ten slides discussing the elements of a topic sentence and explaining how to write an effective topic sentence by using the acronym MAP (Main idea, Attitude, Preview).
Quizlet
Quizlet: 2nd Grade: Unit 2 Reading: Main Idea: Test
This interactive assessment features 6 matching and 5 multiple-choice questions over terms relating to the main idea and their definitions. These terms include the following: topic, topic sentence, main idea, detail, supporting details,...
Tom Richey
Slide Share: Distinguishing Main Ideas and Supporting Details
This downloadable slideshow focuses on main ideas and supporting details including definitions, identification, and practicing with paragraphs. RI.9-10.2 central idea/summary
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.
Quizlet
Quizlet: 2nd Grade: Unit 2 Reading: Main Idea: Match
In this interactive learning game, students match terms relating to the main idea with their definitions. These terms include the following: topic, topic sentence, main idea, detail, supporting details, summary, summarize, retell, infer,...
Quizlet
Quizlet: 2nd Grade Unit 2 Reading: Main Idea: Flashcards
This interactive set of flashcards, helps students learn the terms and definitions associated with the main idea. These terms include the following: topic, topic sentence, main idea, supporting details, summary, summarize, retell,...
Other
Prezi: Implied and Stated Main Idea
Slideshow explains the difference between implied and stated main ideas and provides practice with finding the main idea.
Sophia Learning
Sophia: Supporting Details
This tutorial focuses on supporting details using a video of a paragraph from a book showing the topic sentence and two strong, reliable, supporting details. This is followed by a slideshow that stresses the need for variety in the types...
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Learning Lab: Wwii on the Home Front: Civic Responsibility
Smithsonian Education presents a lesson covering the WWII's propaganda program which enforced the ideals of Civic Responsibility. Provides eight pages of poster examples, detailed background over the time period, and the goals of the...
US National Archives
Docsteach: Oh Freedom! Sought Under the Fugitive Slave Act
This activity includes primary sources from the official records of the U.S. District Court at Boston that tell the story of William and Ellen Craft, a young couple from Macon, GA, who escaped to freedom in Boston in 1848. Students will...
ACT360 Media
Writing Den: Paragraphs
How do you write a paragraph? Use this site to learn more about the different parts of a paragraph.
Other
Guide to Writing a Basic Essay: Sample Essay
This is an example of a basic five-paragraph essay on cats. The thesis of the essay is in bold, topic sentences are in italics, and each main idea is underlined.