The Main Idea Finding the Main Idea Grade 7

What is the Main Idea? The main idea = what the writer wants the reader to understand about the subject. The main idea of a passage or reading is the central thought or message. The main idea is always general, details are always specific. Definition of main idea

Why is Finding the Main Idea Important? Main ideas help the reader remember important information. Finding the main idea is the essence of comprehension. Readers need to understand what is important and what is detail. The main idea is needed for summarizing and for taking notes. Description of the need for readers to understand and identify the main idea of a passage

Finding the Main Idea Non-Fiction First, identify the subject of the text. Try locating the subject in any of these places: The title A heading or subheading The first sentence of each paragraph Any key words or repeated words or names The last sentence of each paragraph Explain to the students that there are three main steps to finding the main idea. The first step in finding the main idea is shown on this slide. Discuss with students the ideas on this slide. You may want to ask if they can remember a time when they have used any of these items in a text, for example a subheading in a social studies or science textbook.

Finding the Main Idea Second, decide what the author says about the subject. Look at the details and what they say about the subject. Decide what all these details add up to. Second step in finding the main idea. To help illustrate this idea you could give a topic, like a sports car, and have the kids give details that help show how they feel or what they know about this subject.

Finding the Main Idea Third, use the Main Idea Graphic Organizer to Help you sort the subject from the main idea List specific details Determine the main idea Third step in identifying the main idea– explain to the students the importance of using graphic organizers. They are a brain compatible way to help us organize our ideas so we can remember what we learn. You can give the example of the writing pre write we use and explain how helpful this graphic organizer is to our writing process.

Main Idea Graphic Organizer Subject What the author says about the subject Detail 2 Detail 1 Detail 3 Go through each of the parts of this graphic organizer. SHOW the students how this graphic organizer illustrates the last three slides. Finding the heading/title or noticing key or repetitive words can give the reader a clue to the subject of the passage Paying attention to the details and then deciding which ones are the most important help the reader further figure out what the main idea is Emphasize the importance of writing down these findings on a graphic organizer as a way to help the reader determine the correct main idea of a reading Main Idea

Photos of a Humpback Whale Ugh!  My camera is all slimy.  I was trying to photograph a humpback whale as he blew from his blow hole.  It was too close!  When a humpback whale breathes, it blows air and water vapor out its blow hole on the top of its head.  The whale's breath, forced out the hole at 450 kph, is composed of air and water vapor; it can reach 5 meters high and seen from 2 kilometers away on a clear day.  It contains a fishy smell and oily substance, which can leave a residue on a camera lens, if too close.  Whale's breathing or 'the blow' is usually the first sign that a whale is present. I DO – Main idea explicitly stated in the first informational sentence = When a humpback whale breathes, it blows air and water vapor out its blow hole on the top of its head. The following 4 slides show students how to identify the main idea of this passage using the 3 steps previously discussed. Have a student read this slide to the class or you can read it to them. Give the students a PURPOSE while the passage is being read to them: “As I read this to you, follow along carefully and see if you can figure out the subject of the passage. If you are on top of things, see if you can find at lease one detail as well.” If time allows you may want to have the students share their ideas. If you are short on time, continue to the next slide.

Photos of a Humpback Whale Heading Ugh!  My camera is all slimy.  I was trying to photograph a humpback whale as he blew from his blow hole.  It was too close!  When a humpback whale breathes, it blows air and water vapor out its blow hole on the top of its head.  The whale's breath, forced out the hole at 450 kph, is composed of air and water vapor; it can reach 5 meters high and seen from 2 kilometers away on a clear day.  It contains a fishy smell and oily substance, which can leave a residue on a camera lens, if too close.  Whale's breathing or 'the blow' is usually the first sign that a whale is present. First informational sentence Repeated words I DO This is the same paragraph that is on the previous slide. However, it is labeled and color coded following the first step for finding the main idea (identify the subject of the text). Here, the heading and subheading, first sentence, key and repeated words, and the last sentence are highlighted. Give the students a minute or two to read through the slide and see how the color coding and labeling work. Using the “Think Aloud” strategy go through each part. For example, “Oh, I see the title is Photos of a Humpback Whale. I know that has something to do with a specific type of whale.“ Keep reading and thinking aloud and specifically talk about the repeated and key words. The last thing to discuss on this slide is that you think the subject is how humpback whales breathe due to the heading, repeated and key words and the last sentence. Tie this understanding back to slide 4 and the first step to finding the main idea. Key words Last sentence

Finding the Main Idea --- Looking at Details The first sentence tells … Humpbacks blow air and water vapor from their blow hole while breathing. The second sentence tells … Humpbacks force air and water vapor out of the hole at 450 mph and reach a height of 5 meters. The third sentence tells… The air and water vapor smells fishy and has an oily substance. The last sentence tells … A blow hole is usually the first sign of a whale. Connect this slide to slide 5 where it shows the second step to finding main idea. Show the students how you have taken the passage apart sentence by sentence, examining them for specific and important detail relating to the subject. NOTE: In this INFORMATIONAL/NONFICTION article the verb is “Tells” – each sentence tells the reader something about the subject

Main Idea Formula Once you’ve discovered the subject you can determine the main idea. Subject + What the author says about the subject = Main idea Introduce the Main Idea Formula for identifying the main idea. Show how it is like a math equation: ____ + _____ = ______ Subject + What the author says about the subject = main idea Go to the next slide

Finding the Main Idea Subject + What the author says about the subject How humpback whales breathe + Humpbacks blow air and water vapor from their blow hole while breathing. Humpbacks force air and water vapor out of the hole at 450 mph and reach a height of 5 meters. The air and water vapor smells fishy and has an oily substance. When a whale breathes, they blow air and water vapor from their blow hole. Explain the connection between slides 9, 10, and 11. We have now taken the important details and the subject and inserted it into the formula. IMPORTANT: Point out to the students that the main idea of this passage was in the FIRST sentence. NOTE: the last sentence on the slide---- really stress that the main idea is explicitly stated in the passage. This means that the reader does NOT have to create the main idea in their own words; the author of the passage has directly stated the main idea in the passage Using the document camera, show the filled out graphic organizer. It is in the main idea folder.

Main Idea Graphic Organizer Subject What the author says about the subject Detail 2 Detail 1 Detail 3 Here is the graphic organizer for non fiction (the lesson is now moving from finding main idea in non fiction to finding main idea in fiction). Note that the graphic organizer for both fiction and non fiction is the same. Main Idea

Moving from Nonfiction to Fiction Transition slide for students so they know the lesson is moving from nonfiction to fiction and finding the main idea.

Key Features of Fiction and Non Fiction Title Made up Details – TELL/SHOW Sequential & important details Descriptive words Nonfiction Title Factual Details– TELL/SHOW Sequential & important events Repeated key words The PURPOSE if this slide is twofold: 1. to help the students make a smooth transition between finding the main idea in nonfiction to the main idea in fiction. 2. to help the students understand the DIFFERENCE between the key features/critical attributes of the two genres. The words in black are the features they both have in COMMON The words in red are the features that are UNIQUE to the specific genre Carefully go through the lists with the students and discuss the features. Explain to them that in the beginning of this lesson they dealt strictly with NF passages and their key features. However, in the next part of the lesson they will be dealing with strictly fiction passages so they need to be on the look-out for these features. Emphasize the bottom KEY POINT!!!!!! KEY POINT BOTH Fiction and Nonfiction have MAIN IDEAS

Think Abouts… Fiction Characters Setting Plot Theme Mood Problem Resolution Nonfiction Facts Statistics Dates People, animals, objects Idea is specific to topic When trying to find a main idea in fiction and nonfiction think about the above bullets. Thinking about those key parts of the text will help to determine the main idea.

The Inventor The Inventor was in an amazing plight. His coat was dusty and dirty, and smeared with green down the sleeves; his hair disordered, and as it seemed to me grayer--either with dust and dirt or because its color had actually faded. His face was ghastly pale; his chin had a brown cut on it--a cut half healed; his expression was haggard and drawn, as by intense suffering. For a moment he hesitated in the doorway, as if he had been dazzled by the light. Then he came into the room. He walked with just such a limp as I have seen in foot sore tramps. I DO The following 4 slides show students how to identify the main idea of this passage using the 3 steps previously discussed. Have a student read this slide to the class or you can read it to them. Give the students a PURPOSE while the passage is being read to them: “As I read this to you, follow along carefully and see if you can figure out the subject of the passage. If you are on top of things, see if you can find at lease one detail as well.” If time allows you may want to have the students share their ideas. If you are short on time, continue to the next slide.

The Inventor Heading The Inventor was in an amazing plight. His coat was dusty and dirty, and smeared with green down the sleeves; his hair disordered, and as it seemed to me grayer--either with dust and dirt or because its color had actually faded. His face was ghastly pale; his chin had a brown cut on it--a cut half healed; his expression was haggard and drawn, as by intense suffering. For a moment he hesitated in the doorway, as if he had been dazzled by the light. Then he came into the room. He walked with just such a limp as I have seen in foot sore tramps. First informational sentence Object Described I DO This is the same paragraph that is on the previous slide. However, it is labeled and color coded following the first step for finding the main idea (identify the subject of the text). Here, the title, first sentence, descriptive words, and the last sentence are highlighted. Give the students a minute or two to read through the slide and see how the color coding and labeling work. Using the “Think Aloud” strategy go through each part. For example, “Oh, I see the title is The Inventor. I know that inventors are usually people who think scientifically and try to create items people need to make life easier. Ben Franklin was an inventor! “ Keep reading and thinking aloud and specifically talk about the descriptive words. TIE TO slides 16 and 17: LABEL the features- for example – “Oh, I can tell this fiction because the details are made up. Yes, this is a fictional character because there are no real facts being given, like his age or his name.” The last thing to discuss on this slide is that you think the subject is indeed about an inventor who seems to be rather tired or stressed out. The title, descriptive words, and the last sentence all helped me make this determination. Tie this understanding back to slide 4 and the first step to finding the main idea. Descriptive words Last sentence

Finding the Main Idea --- Looking at Events The first sentence tells … The inventor was in a plight. The second sentence shows … His coat was dirty and smeared while his hair was a messy gray. The third sentence shows… His face was a pasty pale with a cut on his chin and his expression was haggard and drawn. The fourth sentence shows … He hesitated at the doorway before entering. The last sentence shows… He walked with a limp as of his feet were sore. Connect this slide to slide 5 where it shows the second step to finding main idea. Show the students how you have taken the passage apart sentence by sentence, examining them for specific and important detail relating to the subject. NOTE: in this I article the verb is “Illustrates” – each sentence shows the reader something about the subject

Main Idea Formula Once you’ve discovered the subject you can determine the main idea. Subject + What the author says about the subject = Main idea Reintroduce the Main Idea Formula for identifying the main idea. Show how it is like a math equation: ____ + _____ = ______ Subject + What the author says about the subject = main idea Go the the next slide

Finding the Main Idea Subject + What the author says about the subject The inventor + His coat was dirty and smeared while his hair was a messy gray. His face was a pasty pale with a cut on his chin and his expression was haggard and drawn. He hesitated at the doorway before entering. He walked with a limp as if his feet were sore. The inventor was in an amazing plight. Using the document camera, show filled out graphic organizer

Shopping Malls Shopping malls are becoming popular gathering places for many Americans. The convenience of finding many shops under one roof is in itself enough to draw in a crowd. Department stores, boutiques, book shops and many more try to entice shoppers. shops that provide services such as hair styling add to the convenience. Entertainment has not been overlooked, either. Movie theaters, restaurants and amusement arcades can be found in many malls. Last, but certainly not least, shopping malls provide a place for people of all ages to go, whether they are interested in buying or not. Even if they have no money to spend, they are welcome to stroll, look at the window displays, or just sit on the benches. When considering these advantages, it is easy to understand why people are flocking to shopping malls. WE DO: with nonfiction Give kids this article “Shopping Malls” and have them read, highlight, and code heading, repeated and key words first and last sentences. Then have them fill in the Graphic Organizer. Point out that they will have followed all three steps for finding the main idea (slides 4, 5, 6). Check for understanding by putting this passage on the docucamera: highlight, code, and use the think aloud strategy as you do this. FOCUS: the main idea of this passage is in the first sentence FOCUS: use the labels from slides 16 and 17 as you go through your discussion Have the students fill out the graphic organizer Put yours up on the docucamera (it is done and in the main idea folder). Again, check for understanding as you discuss the GO with the students FOCUS on the nonfiction features and tie to slides 16 and 17

An Excerpt from “The Cay” He was extremely old yet seemed powerful. Muscles rippled over the ebony of his arms and around his shoulders. His chest was thick and his neck was the size of a small tree trunk. I looked at his hands and feet. The skin was alligatored and cracked, tough from age and walking barefoot on the hot decks of schooners and freighters. WE DO: with fiction Give the students a hand out of this slide. Have them read, highlight, and code title, descriptive words, first and last sentences. Then have them fill in the Graphic Organizer. Point out that they will have followed all three steps for finding the main idea (slides 4, 5, 6). FOCUS: the main idea of this passage is in the first sentence – make sure to make reference to the words on slides 16 and 17- Label your reasoning. Have the students fill out the graphic organizer Put yours up on the docucamera (it is done and in the main idea folder). Again, check for understanding as you discuss the GO with the students FOCUS on the fiction features and tie to slides 16 and 17 YOU DO Use the passage “Pollution” as a You Do that shows the main idea is stated explicitly in the first sentence of a fiction passage. Hand out the passage to the students and have them work ALONE on this. Follow the exact directions as you did for the WE DO. For Formative Feedback go over the correct way to do each step (coding, highlighting, filling out GO) with the kid using the document camera. Make sure they get specific feedback. OR 3. For formative feedback collect the GOs and read through them, giving necessary feed back prior to the next lesson. Give them time to read your comments and ask any questions prior to going to the Show Me part of the lesson. YOU SHOW This is for a Summative Grade Handout: “The Internet” passage. Follow the above directions (color code, label, graphic organizer). Collect, assess, and hand back to the students Answer: The main idea is explicitly stated in the last sentence of this nonfiction passage. If the majority of students performed well on the assessment, move on to the next lesson. If several did not, stop and reteach the class or a small group. NOTE: The Graphic Organizers for the following passages are provided in the folder: Whales, The Mall, The Cay, The Inventor, Pollution.