Main Idea LA.910.1.7.3 LA.1112.1.7.3

Main Idea The main idea of any text or passage is the “big idea” or what the passage is mostly about. The main idea can be directly stated (explicit) or implied (not directly stated). If the main idea of a text is explicit, look to the first sentence and last sentence of each paragraph. If the main idea is implied, think about what all the paragraphs have in common, and answer the questions, “Who?” and “What about the who?” The main idea is a complete sentence, not a word or phrase. Look at the title of the passage. The title often tells what the passage is mostly going to be about.

An Example…(I Do) A number of recent books with titles like Raising Cain, Real Boys, and Lost Boys all focus on the same issue: Today’s teenaged boys are feeling more anxiety than ever before about their physical appearance. Bombarded by advertising featuring well-muscled, semi-clad young men, teenage boys are experiencing what teenage girls have been coping with for years. They are afraid that they cannot possibly live up to the media’s idealized image of their gender. Young boys below the average in height, weight, or both suffer the most. Often, they are brutally teased by their brawnier peers. Although school psychologists generally recognize that boys today are having severe body image problems, they are at a loss about what to do to solve those problems. The main idea of this paragraph is not directly stated. Therefore, you need to think about Who? (person, place, thing), and What about that who? from http://dhp.com/~laflemm/reso/mainIdea.htm

Identify the “WHO” (Person, Place, or Thing) This is the subject of the passage. A number of recent books with titles like Raising Cain, Real Boys, and Lost Boys all focus on the same issue: Today’s teenaged boys are feeling more anxiety than ever before about their physical appearance. Bombarded by advertising featuring well-muscled, semi-clad young men, teenage boys are experiencing what teenage girls have been coping with for years. They are afraid that they cannot possibly live up to the media’s idealized image of their gender. Young boys below the average in height, weight, or both suffer the most. Often, they are brutally teased by their brawnier peers. Although school psychologists generally recognize that boys today are having severe body image problems, they are at a loss about what to do to solve those problems. Who? What about the who? Books Teenage boys Body Image School psychologists

2. Ask, “What about that Who?” A number of recent books with titles like Raising Cain, Real Boys, and Lost Boys all focus on the same issue: Today’s teenaged boys are feeling more anxiety than ever before about their physical appearance. Bombarded by advertising featuring well-muscled, semi-clad young men, teenage boys are experiencing what teenage girls have been coping with for years. They are afraid that they cannot possibly live up to the media’s idealized image of their gender. Young boys below the average in height, weight, or both suffer the most. Often, they are brutally teased by their brawnier peers. Although school psychologists generally recognize that boys today are having severe body image problems, they are at a loss about what to do to solve those problems. Who? What about the who? Books Focus on issue Teenage boys Anxiety physical appearance Teased Body Image Media’s image School psychologists Unsure how to solve

3. Ask what was most important 3. Ask what was most important. Cross off the less important details /subjects and circle the important ones. A number of recent books with titles like Raising Cain, Real Boys, and Lost Boys all focus on the same issue: Today’s teenaged boys are feeling more anxiety than ever before about their physical appearance. Bombarded by advertising featuring well-muscled, semi-clad young men, teenage boys are experiencing what teenage girls have been coping with for years. They are afraid that they cannot possibly live up to the media’s idealized image of their gender. Young boys below the average in height, weight, or both suffer the most. Often, they are brutally teased by their brawnier peers. Although school psychologists generally recognize that boys today are having severe body image problems, they are at a loss about what to do to solve those problems. Who? What about the who? Books Focus on issue Anxiety about physical appearance Teased Teenage boys Body image Media’s image School Psychologists Unsure how to solve.

5. Put the circled information together to make a complete sentence 5. Put the circled information together to make a complete sentence. This is your implied main idea. Who? What about the who? Main Idea: Due to the media’s body image ideas, teenage boys are having anxiety about their physical appearance. Books Focus on issue Anxiety about physical appearance Teased Teenage boys Body image Media’s image School Psychologists Unsure how to solve.

Supporting Details In addition to answering main idea questions, you will also need to be able to identify specific information. These questions are RIGHT THERE in the passage. Look for key words in the question to help find your answer in the passage. Notice which details best support the main idea. When choosing the main idea, find your own main idea sentence first. Do not simply choose a supporting detail.

Let’s Try Some Examples… We Do (Guided Practice) from The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot It was a heavy disappointment to Maggie that she was not allowed to go with her father in the gig when he went to fetch Tom home from the academy; but the morning was too wet, Mrs. Tulliver said, for a little girl to go out in her best bonnet. Maggie took the opposite view very strongly, and it was a direct consequence of this difference of opinion that when her mother was in the act of brushing out the reluctant black crop, Maggie suddenly rushed from under her hands and dipped her head in a basin of water standing near– in the vindictive determination that there should be no more change of curls that day. What is the main idea of this paragraph? Maggie’s mother is doing Maggie’s hair. Maggie and her mother are arguing over the hairstyle and bonnet to wear. Maggie’s family is attending the gig and picking up Tom from the academy. Maggie is angry with her mother so she dips her head in the water bucket.

Ask yourself, “Who?” and “What about the Who?” from The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot It was a heavy disappointment to Maggie that she was not allowed to go with her father in the gig when he went to fetch Tom home from the academy; but the morning was too wet, Mrs. Tulliver said, for a little girl to go out in her best bonnet. Maggie took the opposite view very strongly, and it was a direct consequence of this difference of opinion that when her mother was in the act of brushing out the reluctant black crop, Maggie suddenly rushed from under her hands and dipped her head in a basin of water standing near– in the vindictive determination that there should be no more change of curls that day. The passage is clearly about Maggie and how she is upset about getting her hair done. She protests by dipping her head in water. Therefore, the best answer to the question is….. What is the main idea of this paragraph? Maggie’s mother is doing Maggie’s hair. Maggie and her mother are arguing over the hairstyle and bonnet to wear. Maggie’s family is attending the gig and picking up Tom from the academy. Maggie is angry with her mother so she dips her head in the water bucket.

Supporting Detail Question Using the same passage, answer the following question. from The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot It was a heavy disappointment to Maggie that she was not allowed to go with her father in the gig when he went to fetch Tom home from the academy; but the morning was too wet, Mrs. Tulliver said, for a little girl to go out in her best bonnet. Maggie took the opposite view very strongly, and it was a direct consequence of this difference of opinion that when her mother was in the act of brushing out the reluctant black crop, Maggie suddenly rushed from under her hands and dipped her head in a basin of water standing near– in the vindictive determination that there should be no more change of curls that day. Which of the details best supports the main idea of the passage? It was a heavy disappointment to Maggie that she was not allowed to go with her father in the gig. Maggie took the opposite view very strongly. Maggie suddenly rushed from under her hands and dipped her head in a basin of water standing near. Mrs. Tulliver said, for a little girl to go out in her best bonnet.

Supporting Detail Question Since we know the main idea is “Maggie is angry at her mom so she dips her head in the water bucket,” we now need to determine which detail best backs up, or supports, this idea. The best answer is C because it mentions how she gets her hair wet. Which of the details best supports the main idea of the passage? It was a heavy disappointment to Maggie that she was not allowed to go with her father in the gig. Maggie took the opposite view very strongly. Maggie suddenly rushed from under her hands and dipped her head in a basin of water standing near. Mrs. Tulliver said, for a little girl to go out in her best bonnet.

Your Turn! (You Do: Independent Practice) In several states across the nation, there has been successful drive to end “social promotion.” In other words, children who do not achieve the required score on a standardized test will no longer be promoted to the next grade. Instead, they will have to repeat the grade they have finished. Yet despite the calls for ending social promotion--many of them from politicians looking for a crowd-pleasing issue--there is little evidence that making children repeat a grade has a positive effect. If anything, research suggests that forcing children to repeat a grade hurts rather than helps their academic performance. In 1989, University of Georgia Professor Thomas Holms surveyed sixty-three studies that compared the performance of kids who had repeated a grade with those who had received a social promotion. Holms found that most of the children who had repeated a grade had a poorer record of academic performance than the children who had been promoted despite poor test scores. A similar study of New York City children in the 1980s revealed that the children who repeated a grade were more likely to drop out upon reaching high school. The call to end social promotion may have a nice ring to it in political speeches. Yet there is little indication that it does students any real good. What is the Main Idea? From: http://dhp.com/~laflemm/reso/mainIdea.htm

What is the main idea? Identify Who? Identify What about the Who? In several states across the nation, there has been successful drive to end “social promotion.” In other words, children who do not achieve the required score on a standardized test will no longer be promoted to the next grade. Instead, they will have to repeat the grade they have finished. Yet despite the calls for ending social promotion--many of them from politicians looking for a crowd-pleasing issue--there is little evidence that making children repeat a grade has a positive effect. If anything, research suggests that forcing children to repeat a grade hurts rather than helps their academic performance. In 1989, University of Georgia Professor Thomas Holms surveyed sixty-three studies that compared the performance of kids who had repeated a grade with those who had received a social promotion. Holms found that most of the children who had repeated a grade had a poorer record of academic performance than the children who had been promoted despite poor test scores. A similar study of New York City children in the 1980s revealed that the children who repeated a grade were more likely to drop out upon reaching high school. The call to end social promotion may have a nice ring to it in political speeches. Yet there is little indication that it does students any real good. Identify Who? Identify What about the Who? A. Several states have adopted the idea of social promotion. B. Children who do not pass a test do not continue to the next grade level. C. Forcing children to repeat a grade is not beneficial. D. Across the country, many states have abolished the policy of “social promotion” Did you get D? D is correct because the main “Who” is several states and the main “What about the Who” is that they are against social promotion.

Review To find the main idea, first identify if it is explicitly stated or implied. Look to the title for a hint at the main idea. Determine what most of the supporting details “back up.” Ask yourself, “Who” (person, place, or thing) and “What about the Who?” and identify which are discussed the most in the passage.