©2003 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Publishers PowerPoint by JoAnn Yaworski West Chester University A Community of Readers, 3/e Roberta Alexander and Jan Lombardi Chapter 3 Topics and Main Ideas Our Culture, Our Food

©2003 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Publishers Topics and Main Ideas: An Overview zTopics zMain Ideas zStated Main Ideas zRestating Main Ideas zImplied Main Ideas in Paragraphs zMain Ideas in Short Passages zMain Ideas in Articles and Longer Passages

©2003 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Publishers “Bedo Jaosolo: Biodiversity in Madagascar” by Neil A. Campbell, Lawrence G. Mitchell, and Jane B. Reese zWhy was the Analamazoatra reserve established and what was Jason’s role within the preserve? zWhy is the Madagascar preserve so interesting and important to environmentalists? zWhy are the natural environment and the human population in conflict? zDo you have any ideas about how humans can coexist with nature without destroying it?

©2003 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Publishers Topics zThe topic is the subject of a reading; it answers the question “What is it about?” zThe topic, or a word that has the same meaning as the topic, is often repeated in a reading. zExample: Topic = Madagascar

©2003 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Publishers Main Ideas To identify the main idea, ask yourself the following questions: zWhat is the reading about? (Identify the topic.) zWhat is the general point that is being made about the topic? (Identify the main idea.) zDo all of the important ideas in the reading support the main idea you have identified?

©2003 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Publishers Stated Main Ideas zStated Main Idea = A main idea that clearly appears in a reading, often near the beginning. zExample: Every part of this earth is sacred to my people. Every shining pine needle, every sandy shore, every mist in the dark woods, every clearing and humming insect is holy in the memory and experience of my people. The sap which courses through the trees carries the memories of the red man. (Chief Seattle, “Speech on the Signing of the Treaty of Port Elliott,” 1855)

©2003 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Publishers Restating Main Ideas Paragraph zHumans do not live alone on Earth, nor are we beings above the laws of nature whose actions have no consequences. On the contrary, we have many partners who share Earth with us, and we would not live long without them. Think of the number of animals and plants that had to live in order for you to get through this day: much of the oxygen you breathe was produced by plants, as were the fibers in the paper of this page and in the cloth of your cotton or linen clothing; if you eat meat, it was an animal once,and so was the leather of your shoes; animals produced the wool of your sweaters and socks. (Raven, Berg, and Johnson, Environment) Write the main idea in your own words: zWe must share the Earth well with animal and plant life, or we won’t survive. zPeople must live harmoniously with other life on Earth or we’ll perish.

©2003 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Publishers Implied Main Ideas in Paragraphs Implied Main Idea = A main idea that is suggested but not specifically stated by a reading. Example It takes more than 500,000 trees to supply a Sunday newspaper to Americans every week. If everyone recycled even one out of ten newspapers, 25 million trees a year could be left standing. Also, recycling paper reduces by 95 percent the air pollutants released by paper manufacture. And recycling takes 30 to 50 percent less energy, compared to making new paper. (Starr and Taggart, Biology.) Topic = Recycling Main Idea = Everyone needs to recycle newspapers.

©2003 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Publishers Main Ideas in Short Passages zMain ideas may be presented in several connected paragraphs instead of one single paragraph. zThe passage is then unified around one idea. zStated main ideas in passages are not always at the beginning.

©2003 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Publishers Main Ideas in Longer Passages zThesis Statement = Main idea in a longer piece of writing, particularly an essay. zArticles and textbooks have main ideas based on facts and data. zThesis statements are based on arguments and interpretations of the facts.

©2003 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Publishers “Conservation Biology” by Neil A. Campbell, Jane B. Reece, and Lawrence G. Mitchell zAre any plant or animal species in your state or region endangered? What are they and why are they endangered? zHave any new species (plant or animal) been imported into your community? What are they and what impact have they had on the environment? zWhat portion of your state or region has been set aside as natural areas? Do you think enough area has been set aside? Why or why not?

©2003 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Publishers “Population Dynamics” by Neil A. Campbell, Lawrence G. Mitchell, and Jane B. Reece zHow many children are there in your family? zHow many children do you have or want to have? zHow do you think humans can balance their extraordinary growth in numbers with the limited resources of the planet Earth?

©2003 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Publishers “The Rapid Loss of Species” by Neil A. Campbell, Jane B. Reece, and Lawrence G. Mitchell List the environmental problems that you know about zin your community zin your state zin your region of the country

©2003 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Publishers “Water Pollution” by Robert Wallace zWhere does the water that you drink come from? zWhy do you think the problem of polluted water is so important? zAre you aware of the water quality or of any water-related problems in your area or state? What are they?

©2003 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Publishers zHave you ever seen a desert? What is it like? zWhat have you learned about deserts that you didn’t know? zWhy do you think that it is a problem that the Sahara Desert is expanding? “Deserts” by Robert Wallace, Gerald Sanders, and Robert Ferl

©2003 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Publishers Reader’s Checklist 4Topic 4Main Idea 4Stated Main Idea 4Generalization 4Implied Main Idea 4Thesis Statement

©2003 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Publishers Visit the Web The Web sites listed below provide more information on the theme of living on Earth. 1. Earth Vision ( 2.EnviroLink Network ( 3.Greenpeace International (

©2003 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Longman Publishers Visit the Alexander/Lombardi Companion Website