Florida Center for Reading Research
Florida Center for Reading Research: Expository Text Structure: Just the Facts
A lesson plan in which students read a text and complete a graphic organizer to identify the topic and supporting details or facts. Materials are included.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: What Is the Main Idea?
During this instructional activity young scholars begin to identify the main idea of a story they read or hear. Students use graphic organizers to discover the main idea of The Carrot Seed, by Ruth Krauss, and Marsupial Sue, by John...
BBC
Bbc Skillswise: Reading: Skimming and Scanning
Tutorial on how to skim and scan text and the difference between them. For adult learners.
Better Lesson
Better Lesson: Points of Informational Text Main Idea and Details
This lesson plan uses the book Explorers of North America - A True Book by Brendan January to teach students how to identify the main topic of a multi-paragraph informational text and specific paragraphs within the text. Students are...
Better Lesson
Better Lesson: Point to Main Idea/point of View in Literature
This lesson uses the story Corduroy by Don Freeman to teach the main idea and supporting details of a story, as well as what we mean by the character's point of view. The lesson is done using print materials and a whiteboard with...
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: "Hot Dog" Book Reports
Learners will use a Makes Sense Strategies Think-sheet to learn to identify the characters, setting, main idea and details of a book read. [Requires Adobe Reader.]
South Carolina Educational Television
Know It All: Finding Theme
The students will be able to determine the theme of a story by recalling key details that support the theme.
Khan Academy
Khan Academy: Main Point Quick Guide
The first question in most Reading Comprehension sets will ask you to identify the statement that best expresses the central idea or the main point that the passage as a whole is designed to convey.
Louisiana Department of Education
Louisiana Doe: Curriculum Hub: Ela Guidebooks: The Joy Luck Club: Preface
Read the preface from The Joy Luck Club and write the main points.
Louisiana Department of Education
Louisiana Doe: Curriculum Hub: Ela Guidebooks: The Joy Luck Club: Part One, Chapter One
We will react to part one, chapter one from The Joy Luck Club to establish our initial understanding of the text.
Ted Nellen
Cyber English (By Ted Nellen): Theme
This is a glossary entry for the term "Theme" including a definition and an example.
Beacon Learning Center
Beacon Learning Center: Get the Idea
In this reading comprehension exercise, young readers will learn to identify main ideas in paragraphs. Includes multiple choice options with hints.
Beacon Learning Center
Beacon Learning Center: Web Lessons: Get the Main Idea
This resource provides practice finding the main idea by having students read a paragraph and choose the main idea. Then it asks students to take what they have learned and apply it to a book of their choice, and then write a paragraph...
The Write Place
Literacy Education Online: Thesis Statement
This site describes the thesis statement in a series of "A thesis is a ____, not a ____" statements. Gives examples of improper and improved thesis statements.
E Reading Worksheets
E Reading Worksheets: Main Idea: Test 1
In this reading test focusing on the main idea, students read passages and answer questions concerning the main idea.
Beacon Learning Center
Beacon Learning Center: Get the Idea
Learn about and practice finding the main idea in short reading passages.
Curated OER
Mc Graw Hill: Identify the Main Topic and Key Details
This is a practice exercise to help teach how to find the main topic of a passage by looking at key details. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.2
University of Houston
University of Houston: Atlantis: Main Idea Story 1
An exercise in finding the main idea. Read a short nonfiction paragraph about Texas, and click on the correct main idea.
University of Houston
University of Houston: Atlantis: Main Idea Story 2
An exercise in finding the main idea. Read a short nonfiction paragraph about pollution, and click on the correct main idea.
University of Houston
University of Houston: Atlantis: Main Idea Story 3
An exercise in finding the main idea. Read a short nonfiction paragraph about the solar system, and click on the correct main idea.
University of Houston
University of Houston: Atlantis: Main Idea Story 4
An exercise in finding the main idea. Read a short nonfiction paragraph about where different animals live, and click on the correct main idea.
University of Houston
University of Houston: Atlantis: Main Idea Story 7
An exercise in finding the main idea. Read a short nonfiction paragraph about computers, and click on the correct main idea.
Other
Review Game Zone: Bouncing Balls Main Idea and Details
An online learning game where students choose the correct main idea and then try to shoot colored balls before they advance. Answer more questions to get more tries to clear the board.
Room Recess
Room Recess: Main Idea Millionaire
Based on the television show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, this activity tests understanding of the main idea by finding the one sentence that does not belong in the paragraph.