Patti Weeg Wicomico County Finding the Titanic A lesson in finding the “main idea” of a paragraph. By Robert Ballard

April 14, 1912 Just minutes before midnight, the Titanic struck an iceberg on its way from England to New York and sank within 2 hours and 40 minutes to depths of 12,500 ft. Just minutes before midnight, the Titanic struck an iceberg on its way from England to New York and sank within 2 hours and 40 minutes to depths of 12,500 ft.

The manned submersible, Nautile, 2.5 miles below the surface of the water, sends live video color images of the Titanic. August 1998

Today we will identify main idea and details. 1.E.4.b Identify and explain what is directly stated in the text - - Main ideas, supporting details, and other information stated in the text Maryland Technology Literacy Standards for Students: 3.A.1.a Use technology tools, including software and hardware, from a range of teacher-selected options to learn new content or reinforce skills Maryland Voluntary State Curriculum

The main idea The details tells you the most important thing about a topic. tells you the most important thing about a topic. give you other pieces of information to help you learn more about the topic. give you other pieces of information to help you learn more about the topic.

How to Find the Main Idea

“Finally the lifeboat pulled alongside the rescue ship. Crewmen on board lowered a swing down to the boat. Ruth’s hands were too numb to grasp the ropes. Someone had to tie her into the swing. The crew pulled her up the side of the ship. Its solid deck felt good beneath her feet.” What’s it all about? Can you state the main idea?

In this picture you can see some of the survivors of the Titanic disaster who were rescued by the Carpathia people lost their lives when the Titanic sank. It is now a law that all ocean-going vessels that land in U.S. ports must have enough lifeboats for all of the passengers onboard the ship.

“We were searching for the Titanic – the most famous of all shipwrecks. The Titanic was once the largest ship in the world. It had grand rooms. It seemed like a floating palace. Some people even said the ship was unsinkable.” The main idea is: The Titanic was a floating palace. 2. There were many reasons why the Titanic shouldn’t sink. 3. The Titanic is the most famous shipwreck.

“The Titanic was the largest ship afloat. It had nine decks and was as tall as an eleven-story building. You could walk for miles along its decks and passageways.” What is the main idea? 1. It had nine decks. 2. The Titanic was the largest ship afloat. 3. Its decks were miles long

Over the next few days we made some important discoveries. The ship had broken into two sections. We saw large holes in the deck of the bow section where the funnels had once stood. The Titanic was sitting upright on the ocean floor. This paragraph is mostly about: The team made important discoveries about the Titanic 2. The ship was in two sections. 3. The Titanic was sitting upright on the ocean floor.

“But at the end of our trip many mysteries still remained. What did the ship look like inside? Where was the hole made by the iceberg? And what lay scattered on the ocean floor around the wreck?” A detail in this paragraph is: 1. Ballard didn’t know all the answers to his questions about the Titanic. 2. Where was the hole made by the iceberg? 3. What were some of the reasons the Titanic sank?

JJ helped the crew see inside the ship.JJ looked at the crow’s nest up close.JJ went into a room with a chandelier. JJ helped the crew see inside the ship.JJ looked at the crow’s nest up close.JJ went into a room with a chandelier. Which sentence is a detail in this paragraph? JJ helped the crew see inside the ship. 2. JJ looked at the crow’s nest up close. 3. We placed two metal plaques on the decks of the Titanic.

“Everyone in the boat who had a scrap of paper lit a match to it. They held these “torches” up high in the air. Maybe someone would see them.” The passage is mostly about: how rough the ocean was. 2. how they were drenched by the cold splashing water. 3. how they were hoping someone would see them and rescue them.

Citations Titanic struck an iceberg and sank.. IRC unitedstreaming. 15 September 2007 Titanic struck an iceberg and sank.. IRC unitedstreaming. 15 September 2007 Unsafe Waters. Discovery Channel School unitedstreaming. 15 September 2007 Unsafe Waters. Discovery Channel School unitedstreaming. 15 September 2007 TLC Elementary School: Reading Strategies. Discovery Channel School unitedstreaming. 22 September 2007 TLC Elementary School: Reading Strategies. Discovery Channel School unitedstreaming. 22 September 2007