Main Idea and Supporting Details

The main idea is the most important idea of a paragraph, story, article, essay, etc. It is the main point the author wishes to make. Remember: When you summarize, you must include the main idea as part of your summary.

Steps to Take 1. You must first identify the SUBJECT of the passage. (What is the passage about?) 2. After identifying the subject of the passage, you can then identify the main idea. (What is the author saying about the subject?)

Step #1: Finding the Subject Where to look to find the subject of a passage: Title or heading First sentence (However, do NOT rely on ONLY looking at the first sentence. You must ALWAYS read the entire passage!) Pay attention to names, key words, and repeated words.

Read the following passage to practice identifying the subject. What clues can you find in the title, first sentence, key words, or repeated words? from “The Cowboys Arrive” As ranching grew in the Southwest in the mid 1800s, a new figure arose – the cowboy. Many cowboy stories tell about brave men who captured wild horses by day and told jokes around campfires at night. Real cowboys worked long hours for little pay. They risked their lives in blizzards to guard herds in the open prairies. They rounded up cattle and branded them by burning their ranch’s mark into the animals’ hides. The cowboys drove cattle hundreds of miles to railroads so that they could be shipped across the country.

from “The Cowboys Arrive” As ranching grew in the Southwest in the mid 1800s, a new figure arose – the cowboy. Many cowboy stories tell about brave men who captured wild horses by day and told jokes around campfires at night. Real cowboys worked long hours for little pay. They risked their lives in blizzards to guard herds in the open prairies. They rounded up cattle and branded them by burning their ranch’s mark into the animals’ hides. The cowboys drove cattle hundreds of miles to railroads so that they could be shipped across the country. SUBJECT: COWBOYS

Step #2: Finding Main Idea Once you have found the subject of the passage, it is now time to identify main idea, or what the author is saying about the subject. HOW TO FIND MAIN IDEA: Check first sentence. Check last sentence. Other times, you may need to figure out the main idea for yourself. This means it is implied, or not stated directly. You will need to make an INFERENCE. Identify what all specific detail sentences relate to. To tell a difference between details and main idea, ask yourself, “Is this what the whole passage is about?” In longer text, the main idea can usually be found in the first or last paragraph.

Use a graphic organizer to help! Subject Main Idea Detail #1 Detail #2 Detail #3 ConnectionMake personal connections here; Connect your own ideas to the text.

Example #1 Read the passage and complete the graphic organizer to identify main idea. from “Split Screen View” If you’ve ever tried to swat a fly, you know it’s hard to hit. That’s because a fly can detect moving objects extremely well. Flies view the word through compound eyes – eyes with multiple lenses. Each lens faces a different direction and views a small part of a scene. The parts add up to a complete picture in the insect’s brain, which tells a fly to fly away fast! Subject Main Idea Detail #1 Detail #2 Detail #3 Connection

What is the subject? Flies What is the main idea? Flies are hard to hit. What are the details? Flies detect moving objects well. Flies have compound eyes with multiple lenses. Lenses face in different directions. Images are combined in flies’ brains. Did you make a personal connection? I have tried to swat a fly and have experienced how fast they can get away.

Example #2 Read the passage and complete the graphic organizer to identify main idea. from “The Birds Peace” On the day Kristy’s father went off to war she burst out the back door and ran down the path to the woods. Her eyes hurt. Her chest burned. She crossed the bridge over the purling stream and dashed into the lean–to she and her father had built near the edge of the flower-filled woodland meadow. Subject Main Idea Detail #1 Detail #2 Detail #3 Connection

What is the subject? Kristy What is the main idea? Kristy is very upset that her father is leaving for war. What are some supporting details? Kristy ran into the woods. Her eyes hurt and chest burned. She went to a place she and her father had built together. Did you make a personal connection? Kristy wanted to feel closer to her father, so she ran to a place her father had built for her.