Bellwork for August 28, 2017 Take handouts from the back counter. Write in your agenda. Begin working on your vocabulary homework (due Friday).

Main Idea and Good Titles NOTES: Main Idea = Topic and Controlling Idea You can often find the main idea in the title or the topic sentence of an article. Good Titles = Topic and Controlling Idea in a short, concise, and possibly creative way

Main Idea and Good Titles NOTES: A controlling idea is what the author is telling you about the topic. It “controls” the supporting details found in the article. To determine the controlling idea, you must consider what all supporting details have in common.

Main Idea Remember: When a writer writes a paragraph or text… They are usually trying to prove a controlling idea about the topic So, if the controlling idea is not stated in the topic sentence, what should you do?

Identifying Main Idea Read the whole text. Ask, “What facts/details are the author telling me?” Use those facts/details to summarize the controlling idea into your own words

Example Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first men to walk on the surface of the moon, but they were not the last. That was Gene Cernan, the last man to step off the lunar surface. In total there have been twelve men who have walked on the moon, all of whom had done so between 1969 and 1972, which is the most recent non-Michael Jackson moon walking.

Understanding Main Idea You must comprehend the text. Focus on topic and controlling idea. This paragraph is about moon walkers, so a good main idea statement would be: There have been many moonwalkers. Armstrong & Aldrin First Men on the Moon Cernan was the Last Man on the Moon 12 Men Have Walked On the Moon

Careful… Test makers may ask you: “Another good title for this passage would be…” It’s just a way of asking for the main idea = topic and controlling idea BUT it is much shorter and possibly more creative Good Titles = topic and controlling idea but short and possibly more creative

What if the controlling idea is not stated? What if there isn’t a title? Do NOT panic! You got this. Stop and Think What was the topic? What does it seem like the author is trying to prove with all these supporting sentences? Write one yourself!

Title? Good Titles = topic + controlling idea in a short, possibly creative way Moon Walkers Many Moon Walkers Lucky 13 Men on the Moon Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin were the first men to walk on the surface of the moon, but they were not the last. That was Gene Cernan, the last man to step off the lunar surface. In total there have been twelve men who have walked on the moon, all of whom had done so between 1969 and 1972, which is the most recent non-Michael Jackson moon walking.

Practice Write the main idea for each paragraph Remember: topic and controlling idea Create an appropriate title for the passage. Remember: topic and controlling idea, but shorter and possibly creative

Review the Strategy Learned Today Start with reading the ___ text. To find the main idea, ASK YOURSELF, “What’s the ______ and the_______.” What do you do if the controlling idea is not stated? If the test maker asks, “Another good title for this passage would be…” What are they asking you for? More specifically?

I can… …select an appropriate title that reflects the topic of a written selection. …identify the main points of a piece of writing.

Now, practice on your own: “Main Idea and Good Titles” Worksheet