Created by Mr. McGhee

introduction  Inspiration as well as information  Essays vs Articles  Essays are like one-sided discussions– the author can discuss the topic with the reader, giving details and information.  Articles are like encyclopedias – containing many facts and information collected and arranged by the author.

main idea  The term main idea can be applied to a sentence, paragraph, or even an entire essay.  a well written essay or article allows the reader to trace the movement of all main ideas toward a common goal, or thesis  Like a road map  Framework of a building the most important thoughts or points in a piece of writing

Example Main Idea: Native American culture is known for respect and harmony with its land and its resources A. In Native American culture, people do not hunt for sport but for food. B. Native Americans in the Pacific Northwest were fishers. C. White Americans have a more distant relationship with nature.

what you need to know  you will need to…  adjust your reading rate to identify main ideas and key points  make connections between key points and supporting details to determine the main idea  outline the main ideas of a problem-and-solution essay.

skills and strategies  When reading nonfiction, adjust your reading rate  Skim  Read closely  Scan Reading RateWhat to look for Skim (before reading) Organization, topic sentence, repeated words Close ReadingKey points, supporting details ScanningParticular word or idea

expository essays  a short piece of nonfiction that explains, defines, interprets ideas, events, or processes.  The organization and presentation of the information depends on the specific topic of the essay.

organization  Chronological Organization  Comparison-and-contrast Organization  Cause-and-Effect Organization  Problem-and-Solution Organization

quick review  Most nonfiction readers are looking to be inspired by something true as well as gain information.  Essays are more like one-sided discussions while articles are more formal presentations of facts.  The term main idea is applied to a lot of different parts of writing. It acts like a road map or a framework of a building, helping the reader follow the thoughts of the author.  To determine whether a detail supports the main idea, ask yourself what connection do they have and which one has the strongest connection.

quick review  You have to adjust your reading rate in order to perceive the main idea and supporting details.  You can skim (medium,) read closely (slow,) or scan (fast.)  Expository essays explain, define, inform, or interpret ideas, events, or processes.  The organizational method used in each particular essay depends on the topic

homework  Read “Life without Gravity” by Robert Zimmerman in your textbook (p.372)  First skim it for the main idea.  Then read closely  The scan to find the answers to the questions (p.376)

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