1. Day 5 What’s the Big Idea?
I can determine the Main Idea of a text and make inferences to understand what I read.

2. Agenda Identifying Main Idea (Explicit, Implicit) Making Inferences
Notes and Practice
Making Inferences
Connections to Rhetoric
Reading: David Sedaris, “A Modest Proposal”
Homework: Read Chapter 5 in Thank You for Arguing

3. Main Idea
Determining the Main idea

4. The overall topic of a text summarized into a short statement.
Main Idea
1:30

5. Main Idea
Sometimes the main idea is Explicit and sometimes it is Implicit or Implied.
An implied main idea is one that the writer expresses through other key points and is not directly stated in the text.
To understand a main idea that is unstated, we must see how all of the key points are related to determine the “real” main idea.

6. Identifying Main Idea
While we are viewing the speech, on the index card I gave you, write down all of the key ideas and important facts. Write down as much as you can!
Remember that you are using three different size post-its for each practice! Big, medium and small. You can also use cut up paper! On the first one, encourage them to write down EVERYTHING they think is important.

7. Identifying Main Idea
Look at your index card, now you must narrow down the main idea to fit on the post-it that I am giving you.
Now guide them to pull out the more important info.

8. Identifying Main Idea
Now you must narrow down the main idea even more to fit on the smallest post-it.
This should be the overall main idea.
It should be a complete sentence!
The last post-it is the more narrow version or statement of a main idea.
If students have trouble coming up with the main idea, have them write one sentence to add to the speech that would give the main idea.

9. Inference
Making Inferences

10. What is an inference?
Definition: A conclusion reached on the basis of evidence and reasoning.
In other words, a logical interpretation based on incomplete information OR “reading between the lines.”
For example, when we see someone yawning, we can infer or make an inference that they are tired. However, we can’t yet infer why they are tired.

11. Making inferences in music
In music, we make inferences about the message of the song or what a song is about based on the lyrics. If you can make an inference about a song, you can make an inference about a text!
For example, what can we infer from the following lines?
Got a feeling that I'm going under But I know that I'll make it out alive If I quit calling you my lover Move on
- “Stitches” by Shawn Mendes

12. Connecting to rhetoric

13. Main Idea & Inferences
As we read complex texts throughout the year, you will need to determine the main idea presented in a text and make inferences about the text.
Both these skills will be extremely important in helping you understand and analyze what you read.
How do these skills connect to the rhetorical situation and appeals?
They relate to the subject of the text and understanding the logic of the argument.

14. Practice Read David Sedaris’ essay “A Modest Proposal”
As you read, annotate for main idea and make inferences
Identify the parts of the rhetorical situation using SOAPS Tone.
Identify the Main Idea of the essay
Answer the inference questions about the text

15. Essential Questions:
How does David Sedaris’s identity influence his understanding of Gay Marriage?
How does Sedaris utilize the rhetorical appeals in order to achieve his purpose?