Worksheet
Curated OER

Find the Main Idea in Romeo and Juliet

For Students 8th - 9th
Finding the main idea in a text can be rather difficult! Work with your class and develop this skill. This resource contains an excerpt from Act II, Scene 2 of Romeo and Juliet, and the reader must identify the main idea of Juliet's...
Lesson Plan
Virginia Department of Education

Identifying the Main Idea in Fiction

For Teachers 3rd - 5th Standards
Discovering the main idea in fiction is like uncovering buried treasure; one must persevere to locate it, and the reward is priceless. Scholars delve deep into leveled stories using three questions to aid in identifying the main idea. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Identify Main Idea in a Story

For Teachers K
Help your kindergarteners identify the main idea in a story. Small groups work with the teacher to make predictions and draw conclusions. They are able to determine cause and effect relationships. The lesson is divided into several days,...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Main Idea in Informational Text

For Teachers 3rd - 6th Standards
Individuals complete a pre-assessment to gauge their ability to determine the main idea and supporting details in nonfiction text. They examine a new piece of nonfiction reading by looking at the table of contents, headings, and index...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Introduce: Main Idea

For Teachers K - 3rd
Begin exploring main idea in a text by telling the class an interesting story. Can they recall the main idea after you finish? What clues told them this was it? Explain that you will apply this concept as you read a nonfiction book....
Lesson Plan
Read Works

What's the Main Idea?

For Teachers 4th - 5th Standards
By sharing a summary about their favorite book or movie, your young readers can then discuss the main ideas of their beloved stories. The concept transitions to finding the main idea in poetry. Class members use textual clues in various...
Lesson Plan
4
4
For the Teachers

Main Idea Outline

For Teachers K - 12th Standards
Find the main idea in an informational text with a versatile lesson. Three levels of differentiation help you implement the strategy in any age or class level, based on the ability and objectives of your learners.
Worksheet
Curated OER

Find the Main Idea

For Students 7th - 9th
Can your class find the main idea for the short passages provided here? Not only do they identify the main idea out of four selections, but they must also write a supporting idea for their choice. The answer sheet provides example...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Finding the Main Idea

For Students 1st - 2nd
The carnival is in town! After reading a short excerpt about a day at the carnival, learners use details to determine the story's main idea. They must differentiate the details from the big picture, as there are multiple options they can...
Organizer
Curated OER

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer: Finding the Main Idea

For Students 8th - 9th
After reading chapter 17 of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, give this graphic organizer to your kids to find the main idea. The circles are small and will probably spark complaints, but the main idea should never be lengthy; it should be...
Organizer
1
1
Polk Bros Foundation

Meet the Nonfiction Main Idea Challenge

For Students 3rd - 8th Standards
Help your class develop the ability to determine a main idea with a packet of materials that you can introduce and use over a period of time. The packet includes some information for the teacher and rationale for the exercises. There are...
Lesson Plan
Achieve3000

Listening for Main Idea and Supporting Details

For Teachers 5th - 8th Standards
Did you hear that? It's the main idea! Teach your class listening and note-taking strategies for determining the main idea by following the steps provided in this plan.
PPT
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1
Olathe Public Schools

Topic, Main Idea, Supporting Detail, and Theme

For Teachers 3rd - 6th Standards
Get your class members thinking about a reading passage's topic, main idea, supporting details, and theme with this interactive presentation that asks scholars to define, locate, and review each term.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

The Best Main Idea

For Teachers K - 4th Standards
What is the main idea? Interest your young readers with this fun introductory lesson plan! After selecting several items from a paper bag, the teacher leads learners to determine the big idea for those items. This concept is then applied...
Worksheet
Curated OER

Spots the Barn Cat: Finding the Main Idea

For Students K
Spots the barn cat is the subject of this colorful worksheet. Young learners demonstrate their ability to identify the main idea in a written passage by reading a short passage about Spots and responding to the prompt asking them to...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Reintroduce: Main Idea

For Teachers K - 3rd
What would a main idea be without important details? Readers use a graphic organizer to record key details from an informational text (a fiction text would also work). Review main idea as a concept before beginning, asking scholars...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Reading Strategies: Main Idea

For Teachers 3rd - 5th
Identify the main idea and the supporting details of a story in a literacy resource from Discovery Education. Complete with procedures, vocabulary, and assessment activities, this is a great way for pupils to practice their outlining...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Main Idea in Informational Text

For Teachers 3rd - 4th
Readers identify main ideas and supporting details using informational texts. In this literacy instructional activity, they make predictions and read the text to find the main ideas. They use a table diagram to define the main idea and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Guided Reading: Main Idea

For Teachers K - 4th
Readers are presented with a list of three questions and asked to actively listen to a story or article to answer them. They verbally answer the questions to learn the strategy. Next, read a story to them or have them silently read a...
Lesson Plan
EngageNY

Determining Main Idea Using Text and Illustrations: Accessing Books Around the World

For Teachers 3rd Standards
Ease into informational text with the lesson suggested here. Part of a unit series, the lesson draws from previous lessons and acts as a natural moment to add in informational text. Class members read one section of My Librarian is a...
Worksheet
K12 Reader

Find the Main Idea: The Meerkat

For Students 2nd - 3rd Standards
After examining a short article about African meerkats, readers identify the main idea and supporting ideas in the paragraph.
Worksheet
K12 Reader

Find the Main Idea: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

For Students 4th - 5th Standards
Readers are asked to use the provided graphic organizer to list the main idea and supporting ideas in a passage from L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
Organizer
1
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Polk Bros Foundation

I Can Infer the Main Idea When I Read

For Teachers 3rd - 8th Standards
While reading any text, ask your pupils to keep this graphic organizer on hand. They can note down the main idea and three supporting details during or after reading. The instructions allow for individuals to use words or images to...
PPT
Saddleback College

How to Find the Main Idea

For Teachers 7th - 10th Standards
What's the difference between the main idea of a text and the topic? Take kids through the process of literary analysis with a presentation about finding the main idea and supporting details. Additionally, it guides learners through...