Main Idea Practice 3 Select the stated main idea in the following passages.

Passage 1 Many people claim that they do not have time to work exercise into their daily schedules. However, exercise can be easily worked ones daily routine. For instance, one can do stretches while taking a shower. While standing in line at the grocery store, one can flex the abs or clench the rear. One can even do calf raises while talking on the phone. More ideas: try walking around the building during lunch breaks and always take the stairs. Passage 2 Many parents tend to think of day-care centers as breeding grounds for colds. But new research suggests that children in day-care centers appear to develop immunity to many of the viruses responsible for the common cold. An article published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine found that children ages 6 to 11 who had been enrolled at large day-care centers as toddlers had about one-third as many colds as children who had stayed home as toddlers. Dr. Thomas Ball, one of the authors of the study, says that when children have colds as toddlers, their immune systems are learning from these experiences, and this learning will come back to protect children later in life. Such news should be reassuring to parents whose preschool children are in daycare. Passage 3 The treatment of eating disorders is complex and demanding. The initial physical care for a person with anorexia most often begins with hospitalization. In addition, drug therapy to decrease hyperactivity and stimulate appetite is often used. Behavioral modification, including eating contracts, is used, as is psychotherapy in both individual and group sessions. Nutritional and family counseling complete the therapy.
(adapted from D. Hahn and W. Payne, Focus on Health)

Passage 4 Sexuality is a common topic for humor in England. In the United States, sexual jokes are also popular. However, in China and Israel, they are almost nonexistent. Israeli humor is described as aggressive humor, humor that reflects the instability of its people's lives because of war. The French are also known to enjoy aggressive humor, by playfully making fun of others. Clearly, a nation's humor reflects its people's lives.
(adapted from D. Hahn and W. Payne, Focus on Health)

Passage 5 There are a number of activities that can be used to enhance your emotional growth. First, you can keep a daily journal. Writing down thoughts is an effective way of achieving better self-understanding. Second, you can join a support group. Sharing experiences creates an environment that will support your efforts to grow as a more interesting person. Third, take an assertiveness training course. Last, seek counseling.
(adapted from D. Hahn and W. Payne, Focus on Health)

Passage 6 Transcenders have more peak or creative experiences than other people. Transcenders are also innovators who are attracted to mystery and the unknown. In addition, transcenders tend to fuse work and play. Furthermore, these people are more likely to accept others with an unconditional positive regard. Thus, there are many qualities that separate transcenders from people who have not reached the stage of self-actualization.
(adapted from D. Hahn and W. Payne, Focus on Health)

Passage 7 Why do people drink alcoholic beverages? Drinkers offer many different explanations for their behavior. Some say that alcoholic beverages are more thirst quenching. Others say that they taste better. Stills others say they drink because their friends all drink. And some say they drink to feel or to show that they are adults. Passage 8 Many factors influence the absorption of alcohol in the body. Strength of beverage is certainly one of these factors. Another is the number of drinks consumed. The speed of consumption is also important. If consumed rapidly, even relatively few drinks will result in a large concentration that will lead to high blood alcohol concentrations. In addition, the presence of food and the drinker's individual body chemistry play a role.
(adapted from D. Hahn and W. Payne, Focus on Health)

Passage 9 If a person who has been drinking heavily cannot be aroused, you should seek emergency medical help. If a drinker has a weak, rapid pulse, this is also an indication of alcohol intoxication. Likewise, if a drinker has an unusual or irregular breathing pattern, medical attention may be needed. And if the drinker's skin is pale, cool, bluish, get help. These are all symptoms of alcohol intoxication and the need for emergency help. (adapted from D. Hahn
and W. Payne, Focus on Health)

Passage 10 On Monday, my daughter came down with a cold. On Tuesday, my son inadvertently dropped his glasses into the creek behind our house. On Wednesday, I did not turn the

oven on while I was "baking" the roast. And Thursday, the driver behind me at the drivethru decided to drive through me. This has certainly been a bad week for me!

Main Idea Practice 1: Answer Key Select the stated main idea in the following passages. Passage 1 Many people claim that they do not have time to work exercise into their daily schedules. However, exercise can be easily worked ones daily routine. For instance, one can do stretches while taking a shower. While standing in line at the grocery store, one can flex the abs or clench the rear. One can even do calf raises while talking on the phone. More ideas: try walking around the building during lunch breaks and always take the stairs. Passage 2 Many parents tend to think of day-care centers as breeding grounds for colds. But new research suggests that children in day-care centers appear to develop immunity to many of the viruses responsible for the common cold. An article published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine found that children ages 6 to 11 who had been enrolled at large day-care centers as toddlers had about one-third as many colds as children who had stayed home as toddlers. Dr. Thomas Ball, one of the authors of the study, says that when children have colds as toddlers, their immune systems are learning from these experiences, and this learning will come back to protect children later in life. Such news should be reassuring to parents whose preschool children are in daycare. Passage 3 The treatment of eating disorders is complex and demanding. The initial physical care for a person with anorexia most often begins with hospitalization. In addition, drug therapy to decrease hyperactivity and stimulate appetite is often used. Behavioral modification, including eating contracts, is used, as is psychotherapy in both individual and group sessions. Nutritional and family counseling complete the therapy.
(adapted from D. Hahn and W. Payne, Focus on Health)

Passage 4 Sexuality is a common topic for humor in England. In the United States, sexual jokes are also popular. However, in China and Israel, they are almost nonexistent. Israeli humor is described as aggressive humor, humor that reflects the instability of its people's lives because of war. The French are also known to enjoy aggressive humor, by playfully making fun of others. Clearly, a nation's humor reflects its people's lives.
(adapted from D. Hahn and W. Payne, Focus on Health)

Passage 5 There are a number of activities that can be used to enhance your emotional growth. First, you can keep a daily journal. Writing down thoughts is an effective way of achieving better self-understanding. Second, you can join a support group. Sharing experiences creates an environment that will support your efforts to grow as a more interesting person. Third, take an assertiveness training course. Last, seek counseling.
(adapted from D. Hahn and W. Payne, Focus on Health)

Passage 6 Transcenders have more peak or creative experiences than other people. Transcenders are also innovators who are attracted to mystery and the unknown. In addition, transcenders tend to fuse work and play. Furthermore, these people are more likely to accept others with an unconditional positive regard. Thus, there are many qualities that separate transcenders from people who have not reached the stage of self-actualization.
(adapted from D. Hahn and W. Payne, Focus on Health)

Passage 7 Why do people drink alcoholic beverages? Drinkers offer many different explanations for their behavior. Some say that alcoholic beverages are more thirst quenching. Others say that they taste better. Stills others say they drink because their friends all drink. And some say they drink to feel or to show that they are adults. Passage 8 Many factors influence the absorption of alcohol in the body. Strength of beverage is certainly one of these factors. Another is the number of drinks consumed. The speed of consumption is also important. If consumed rapidly, even relatively few drinks will result in a large concentration that will lead to high blood alcohol concentrations. In addition, the presence of food and the drinker's individual body chemistry play a role.
(adapted from D. Hahn and W. Payne, Focus on Health)

Passage 9 If a person who has been drinking heavily cannot be aroused, you should seek emergency medical help. If a drinker has a weak, rapid pulse, this is also an indication of alcohol intoxication. Likewise, if a drinker has an unusual or irregular breathing pattern, medical attention may be needed. And if the drinker's skin is pale, cool, bluish, get help. These are all symptoms of alcohol intoxication and the need for emergency help. (adapted from D. Hahn
and W. Payne, Focus on Health)

Passage 10 On Monday, my daughter came down with a cold. On Tuesday, my son inadvertently dropped his glasses into the creek behind our house. On Wednesday, I did not turn the

oven on while I was "baking" the roast. And Thursday, the driver behind me at the drivethru decided to drive through me. This has certainly been a bad week for me!

Main Idea Practice 2 Select the stated main idea in the following passages. Passage 1 A variety of methods can be used to assist people who are suffering from mental disorders. One such therapy is insight-oriented therapy. Proponents of this approach believe that success can be achieved only if the client gains insight into the experiences that led up to his or her problem. Another type of therapy is behavior therapy. This approach attempts to make changes by using scientifically tested principles of operant and classical conditioning. Still another type of therapy is group therapy. This type of therapy involves a therapist and several clients who are all troubled by similar problems.
(adapted from Hahn and Payne, Focus on Health)

Passage 2 One sign of pregnancy is nausea upon awakening. Other signs are increase in size and tenderness of the breasts. Still other signs include increase in the frequency of urination and an increase in the size of the abdomen. Thus, aside from pregnancy tests, a woman can sometimes recognize the early signs and symptoms of pregnancy. Passage 3 Is this year's holiday season making you tired? You can easily perk up by following a few easy tips. First, get plenty of rest. Second, snack wisely. Third, keep fit. Exercise is very important during the holidays--and not just for its weight benefits. Fourth, take a relaxing bath, and finally try sharing with others. Passage 4 Are you confused by your holiday leftovers? Well, don't save any food that has been sitting around on your dining room table or counters for more than two hours after cooking. Do place the leftovers in the refrigerator while they are still warm. Don't waste those turkey scraps: add them to a salad or make a delicious soup. There are many strategies that you should use when dealing with holiday leftovers. You can even pool your leftovers with friends and neighbors by having an after-holiday potluck dinner. Passage 5

An interesting feature of body language is that we are often unaware of it. We usually do not consciously decide that we will smile, dilate our pupils, and move closer to someone to show our attraction. We may not be aware that narrowed eyes and a clenched jaw may reveal our anger or rage. Nor are we necessarily aware that eyebrows up and eye blinks reveal that we are startled. (Adapted from Worchel and Shebilske, Psychology: Principles and Applications, 3rd edition) Passage 6 Imagine parents' reaction as their rugged young son strides into the living room sporting a dress and hugging a doll. Equally upsetting to some parents is a little daughter who insists on dressing like a cowboy and beating up the little boy next door. Problems sometimes result when people rigidly adopt the role of the opposite sex. This relatively rare childhood disorder is called a gender-identity disorder. (Adapted from Worchel and Shebilske,
Psychology: Principles and Applications, 3rd edition)

Passage 7 Yesterday's storm did considerable damage to our neighborhood. Many stately oaks were uprooted, and several large old pine trees crushed the roofs of at least five houses. The hail that accompanied the storm damaged all of the cars that were not under shelter, and my neighbor's home was completely demolished. And my own "detached" garage was certainly detached from its foundation. Clearly, yesterday's storm caused much destruction. Passage 8 Some folks think that pets are trustworthy and harmless creatures. However, it's surprising what little thieves these creatures can be. My daughter's ferret has stolen my checkbook, my calculator, my wallet, and my change purse. My officemate's dog stole a neighbor's T-bone steak right off the grill. My old dog Moonbear was known to steal freshly baked cherry pies and peanut butter cookies, while the dog that lived below us stole his master's roast one day. Passage 9 Lara is quite different from her sister Lisa. Lara's hair is jet black and curly, while Lisa's is blond and straight. Lara stands 5 feet 10 inches in her stocking feet, while Lisa is a mere 5 feet 2 inches (in heels!). Furthermore, Lara's complexion is olive, quite unlike Lisa's rosy hue. Passage 10 Many people are not good listeners. They may not even realize that they lack this skill. But almost anyone can become a better listener by being aware of certain negative listening habits. One such habit is jumping to conclusions before hearing the entire message. Another bad habit is to nod off when someone is speaking in a monotone.

Turning off to speakers who are not necessarily experts is also a negative listening habit. Yet another bad habit to avoid is the habit of reacting emotionally to certain words.

Main Idea Practice 2 Key Select the stated main idea in the following passages. Passage 1 A variety of methods can be used to assist people who are suffering from mental disorders. One such therapy is insight-oriented therapy. Proponents of this approach believe that success can be achieved only if the client gains insight into the experiences that led up to his or her problem. Another type of therapy is behavior therapy. This approach attempts to make changes by using scientifically tested principles of operant and classical conditioning. Still another type of therapy is group therapy. This type of therapy involves a therapist and several clients who are all troubled by similar problems.
(adapted from Hahn and Payne, Focus on Health)

Passage 2 One sign of pregnancy is nausea upon awakening. Other signs are increase in size and tenderness of the breasts. Still other signs include increase in the frequency of urination and an increase in the size of the abdomen. Thus, aside from pregnancy tests, a woman can sometimes recognize the early signs and symptoms of pregnancy. Passage 3 Is this year's holiday season making you tired? You can easily perk up by following a few easy tips. First, get plenty of rest. Second, snack wisely. Third, keep fit. Exercise is very important during the holidays--and not just for its weight benefits. Fourth, take a relaxing bath, and finally try sharing with others. Passage 4 Are you confused by your holiday leftovers? Well, don't save any food that has been sitting around on your dining room table or counters for more than two hours after cooking. Do place the leftovers in the refrigerator while they are still warm. Don't waste those turkey scraps: add them to a salad or make a delicious soup. There are many strategies that you should use when dealing with holiday leftovers. You can even pool your leftovers with friends and neighbors by having an after-holiday potluck dinner.

Passage 5 An interesting feature of body language is that we are often unaware of it. We usually do not consciously decide that we will smile, dilate our pupils, and move closer to someone to show our attraction. We may not be aware that narrowed eyes and a clenched jaw may reveal our anger or rage. Nor are we necessarily aware that eyebrows up and eye blinks reveal that we are startled. (Adapted from Worchel and Shebilske, Psychology: Principles and Applications, 3rd edition) Passage 6 Imagine parents' reaction as their rugged young son strides into the living room sporting a dress and hugging a doll. Equally upsetting to some parents is a little daughter who insists on dressing like a cowboy and beating up the little boy next door. Problems sometimes result when people rigidly adopt the role of the opposite sex. This relatively rare childhood disorder is called a gender-identity disorder. (Adapted from Worchel and Shebilske,
Psychology: Principles and Applications, 3rd edition)

Passage 7 Yesterday's storm did considerable damage to our neighborhood. Many stately oaks were uprooted, and several large old pine trees crushed the roofs of at least five houses. The hail that accompanied the storm damaged all of the cars that were not under shelter, and my neighbor's home was completely demolished. And my own "detached" garage was certainly detached from its foundation. Clearly, yesterday's storm caused much destruction. Here the first and last sentence say essentially the same thing. Passage 8 Some folks think that pets are trustworthy and harmless creatures. However, it's surprising what little thieves these creatures can be. My daughter's ferret has stolen my checkbook, my calculator, my wallet, and my change purse. My officemate's dog stole a neighbor's T-bone steak right off the grill. My old dog Moonbear was known to steal freshly baked cherry pies and peanut butter cookies, while the dog that lived below us stole his master's roast one day. Note: Watch for however, but, and yet, especially in the 2nd or third sentence. Passage 9 Lara is quite different from her sister Lisa. Lara's hair is jet black and curly, while Lisa's is blond and straight. Lara stands 5 feet 10 inches in her stocking feet, while Lisa is a mere 5 feet 2 inches (in heels!). Furthermore, Lara's complexion is olive, quite unlike Lisa's rosy hue. Passage 10

Many people are not good listeners. They may not even realize that they lack this skill. But almost anyone can become a better listener by being aware of certain negative listening habits. One such habit is jumping to conclusions before hearing the entire message. Another bad habit is to nod off when someone is speaking in a monotone. Turning off to speakers who are not necessarily experts is also a negative listening habit. Yet another bad habit to avoid is the habit of reacting emotionally to certain words.

Practice # 3 Contributing to the Main Idea

Every sentence in a paragraph must contribute to the main idea. Most of the sentences in a paragraph simply support the main idea. Some may state or summarize that idea. There is one sentence in each of the following paragraphs that does not contribute to the main idea. It does not belong in the paragraph. Underline the sentence that should be removed from each paragraph.

1. I am looking forward to Election Day. Its fun to vote and exciting to watch the election results. Ill be rooting for my candidate to win and enjoying the suspense if the vote is close. The following day will be a good time to play video games. No matter who wins, an election is a special occasion. 2. April is beginning the lengthy process of choosing a college to attend. She is buying and reading guides to the best schools. She has not completely ruled out working for a year before attending college. She is checking out the many Websites that provide information for picking the right college or university. She is even researching the climate of the area of every school she considers. 3. Bill is one of those people who just dont have to worry about gaining too much weight. He is the best tennis player Ive ever met. Bill can eat any amount of any food he likes without putting on an ounce. He can go for weeks without exercising with any apparent effect. It just doesnt seem fair! 4. Scientists are learning a great deal about the aging process. This knowledge will allow doctors to help their patients live longer and better

lives. They will be able to defeat diseases associated with aging and perhaps even delay the onset of old age. Many doctors would agree that some medicines are much too expensive.

Practice # 3: Contributing to the Main Idea Answer Key 1. The following day will be a good time to play video games. 2. She hasnt completely ruled out working for a year before attending college. 3. He is the best tennis player Ive ever met. 4. Many doctors would agree that some medicines are much too expensive.

Five Day Bell work/ Mini-Exercise Main Idea- Day 1 The main idea of a paragraph is what all the sentences are about. Read the paragraph and ask, Whats your point? That will help you zero in on the main idea. Read each paragraph carefully. Choose the best answer to the questions that follow. Explain your choice in the space provided. 1. Juan loves to play games. His favorite game is chess because it requires a great deal of thought. Juan also likes to play less demanding board games that are based mostly on luck. He prefers Monopoly because it requires luck and skill. If hes alone, Juan likes to play action video games as long as they arent too violent. What is the main idea of this paragraph? a. Juan dislikes violence. b. Juan likes to think. c. Juan enjoys Monopoly. d. Juan enjoys playing games.

Explanation: _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

Main Idea- Day 2 The main idea of a paragraph is what all the sentences are about. Read the paragraph and ask, Whats your point? That will help you zero in on the main idea. Read each paragraph carefully. Choose the best answer to the questions that follow. Explain your choice in the space provided 2. Maria is watching too much television. A toddler shouldnt be spending hours staring blankly at a screen. Worse yet, some of her wild behavior has been inspired by those awful cartoons she watches. We need to spend more time reading books with her and pull the plug on the TV! What is the main idea of this paragraph? a. Watching a lot of television isnt good for Maria. b. Books are good. c. All cartoons are bad. d. Some cartoons are bad for Maria.

Explanation: _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

Main Idea- Day 3 The main idea of a paragraph is what all the sentences are about. Read the paragraph and ask, Whats your point? That will help you zero in on the main idea. Read each paragraph carefully. Choose the best answer to the questions that follow. Explain your choice in the space provided 3. Samantha, I cant eat or sleep when you are gone. I need to hear your scratchy voice and see your lovely toothless smile. I miss that special way that you eat soup with your fingers. Please come home soon! What is the main idea of this paragraph? a. Samantha, you have bad manners. b. Samantha, you should see a dentist. c. Samantha, I miss you. d. Samantha, I have lost my appetite. Explanation: _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

Main Idea- Day 4 The main idea of a paragraph is what all the sentences are about. Read the paragraph and ask, Whats your point? That will help you zero in on the main idea. Read each paragraph carefully. Choose the best answer to the questions that follow. Explain your choice in the space provided 4. Someday we will all have robots that will be our personal servants. They will look and behave much like real humans. We will be able to talk to these mechanical helpers and they will be able to respond in kind. Amazingly, the robots of the future will be able to learn from experience. They will be smart, strong, and untiring workers whose only goal will be to make our lives easier. Which sentence from the paragraph expresses the main idea? a. Someday we will all have robots that will be our personal servants. b. We will be able to talk to these mechanical helpers and they will be able to respond in kind. c. They will look and behave much like real humans. d. Amazingly, the robots of the future will be able to learn from experience.

Explanation: _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

Main Idea- Day 5 The main idea of a paragraph is what all the sentences are about. Read the paragraph and ask, Whats your point? That will help you zero in on the main idea. Read each paragraph carefully. Choose the best answer to the questions that follow. Explain your choice in the space provided 5. Many parents tend to think of day-care centers as breeding grounds for colds. But new research suggests that children in day-care centers appear to develop immunity to many of the viruses responsible for the common cold. An article published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine found that children ages 6 to 11 who had been enrolled at large day-care centers as toddlers had about one-third as many colds as children who had stayed home as toddlers. Dr. Thomas Ball, one of the authors of the study, says that when children have colds as toddlers, their immune systems are learning from these experiences, and this learning will come back to protect children later in life. Such news should be reassuring to parents whose preschool children are in daycare. Which sentence from the paragraph expresses the main idea? a. Good news for day cares. b. But new research suggests that children in day-care centers appear to develop immunity to many of the viruses responsible for the common cold. c. Their immune system will learn now and protect later. d. Good news for parents. Explanation: _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________

Main Idea- Day 6

Provided by Mrs. Levreault

Bell Work-Read the paragraph and then select the main idea for the paragraph. 1. Memorial Day - it's a great holiday! It assures us that summer is just around the corner. Of course, Memorial Day was first celebrated for a more serious reason. Memorial Day, began in 1868, was the day that Civil War soldiers were honored. Later, it became the day to remember all American soldiers who had died in a war. The main idea in this passage is: Memorial Day was first celebrated in 1868. Memorial Day is the first holiday of summer. Memorial Day is in May. Memorial Day honors fallen soldiers. 2. Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet explored the Mississippi River. Marquette was born in France. He went to Catholic schools and planned to become a missionary. He came to America to teach the Indians about his church. He heard about the great river from the Indians. Jolliet was a French Canadian explorer. He was sent to the Mississippi in hopes of finding a good trade route. Although their goals were different, Marquette and Jolliet worked together to explore the river. The main idea in this passage is: It tells where Jolliet was born. It tells who first discovered the Mississippi River. It describes the Mississippi River. It compares the two explorers, Marquette and Jolliet. 3. The St. Lawrence Seaway was a joint project of the United States and Canada. Together, the two countries built a series of canals, locks, and channels. They connect the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean by way of the St. Lawrence River. The seaway opened up the central part of North

America to shipping to and from Europe. It had been in use since 1959. The main idea in this passage is: the St. Lawrence Seaway Europe the Atlantic Ocean the St. Lawrence River

Main Idea- Day 6

Answer Key 0274703
1. Memorial Day - it's a great holiday! It assures us that summer is just around the corner. Of course, Memorial Day was first celebrated for a more serious reason. Memorial Day, begun in 1868, was the day that Civil War soldiers were honored. Later, it became the day to remember all American soldiers who had died in a war. The main idea in this passage is: Memorial Day was first celebrated in 1868. Memorial Day is the first holiday of summer. Memorial Day is in May. Memorial Day honors fallen soldiers. 2. Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet explored the Mississippi River. Marquette was born in France. He went to Catholic schools and planned to become a missionary. He came to America to teach the Indians about his church. He heard about the great river from the Indians. Jolliet was a French Canadian explorer. He was sent to the Mississippi in hopes of finding a good trade route. Although their goals were different, Marquette and Jolliet worked together to explore the river. The main idea in this passage is: It tells where Jolliet was born. It tells who first discovered the Mississippi River. It describes the Mississippi River. It compares the two explorers, Marquette and Jolliet. 3. The St. Lawrence Seaway was a joint project of the United States and Canada. Together, the two countries built a series of canals, locks, and channels. They connect the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean by way of the St. Lawrence River. The seaway opened up the central part of North America to shipping to and from Europe. It had been in use since 1959. The main idea in this passage is: the St. Lawrence Seaway Europe the Atlantic Ocean the St. Lawrence River

Provided by: Mrs. Lowenstein (Note: if you need a more direct instruction format here is a full lesson plan that you can use as is or adapt to your students needs.) Main Idea Basic Introduction to the concept of Main Idea. Works for all age levels (middle & high school). Objective: 1. Students will recognize that a group of items can have a title. 2. Students will understand that a title of a group can be compared to the main idea of a paragraph. 3. Students will be able to identify the main idea of groups by assigning titles. 4.. Students demonstrate understanding by correctly titling each group and adding at least one more item to each group. Materials: Overhead projector, 2 transparencies, worksheets Activities: 1. Teacher introduces the activity with 2 examples using board or overhead 2. Teacher further works with students to complete several additional examples 3. Teacher facilitates students as they work individually, or in pairs, to complete worksheet. the

Note: although this activity seems quite basic, it is challenging to students that have difficulty with comprehension. Further, it provides an extremely concrete and explicit introduction to the concept of main Idea. This activity can be more or less difficult depending of the students. To make it more difficult, use more abstract groupings or require more specifity in the additional examples that students add to each group. The more abstract and specific, the more difficult.

ACTIVITY 1. Explain that sometimes the Main idea of a paragraph or a passage can be found in the title. 2. Be sure that students understand the concept of Main Idea. 3. Ask students to name the group to which the following items belong ( or what would be a good title for this group). On overhead or board, write the following list. Mercury Venus Earth Mars 4. Students should be able to identify the group as Planets. 5. Do another example on the overhead or Board Poodle Labrador retriever Terrier German shepherd 6. Again, students should be able to identify the group as Dogs. 7. Using Transparency A, continue working with the students to identify titles for each group and to add one more item to each group. Work with these list so that the students get as specific as possible. Example Snow, Sleet, etc. Precipitation is the most specific Example Chess, Pool, etc. Games requiring Strategy (This is the way to manipulate the difficulty level with lower level students, the first list might be wet weather, the second might be games

TRANSPARENCY A (together as class) 1. Basketball Hockey Tennis Football _______ 4. Hot Dog Hamburger Steak Pork Chop ______________ 7. Orlando New York City Dallas Los Angeles _______________ 10. Dog Cat Parakeet Hamster _____________ Ruler ______________ 8. Maine Florida Oregon Utah ________________ 11. Snow Rain Sleet Hail ________________ Saw Hammer Pine _______________ 9. House Hospital School Church _________________ 12. Chess Pool Checkers Cards _______________ 2. Soccer Ball Bat Glove ___________ 5. Nails Maple Cherry 3. Rose Daisy Buttercup Carnation ____________ 6. Oak

Tennis Racket

(Work with students, coaxing them to be as specific as possible and to add appropriate items to each list.) 1. After going through Transparency A with the students and feeling confident that they understand the task, give them Worksheets 1 and 2. 2. Have them work on these on their own, individually or in pairs. Monitor their work to be certain that they are being as specific as possible.

Worksheet 1 1. Ocean Lake Pond _______________ 2. Igloo Cabin Apartment ________________ 3. Boots Slippers High Heels _________________

4. June July August __________________

5. TV Movies Concerts _________________

6. Hail Tornado Blizzard ______________

7. Ice Cream The North Pole December

8. Cars Bikes Skates

9. Window Glasses Air ________________ __________________

________________

10. Knee Elbow Hip _____________

11. Puppy Kitten Colt _________________

12. George Washington Thomas Jefferson Ulysses S. Grant __________________

Worksheet 2 1. Shout Holler Scream ________________ 4. Collar Bird Cage Leash ______________ 7. Grocery Store Ticket Counter Bus Stop __________________ 2. Frisbee Javelin Football _________________ 5. dust Mud Stains ________________ 8. Rag Kewpie Barbie Baby ________________ Coal __________________ 3. Iron Silver Copper __________________ 6. Thread Scissors Needles __________________ 9. Gasoline Wood Coal

10. Painting Sculpture Poetry _________________

11. Horse Donkey Bicycle _________________

12. Algae Waves Whales _________________

*********************************************************************** ******** Below are 3 Extra Hard lists. See if you can figure out a title for each Group. BONUS 1 Table Cow Relay Race BONUS 2 Latkes Dreidel Menorah BONUS 3 Pizza Babies Newspapers

Chair ANSWERS

Mail

Students may come up with different answers. Obviously, if they are reasonable, accept them and encourage students critical thinking. ALL ANSWERS ARE UP TO YOUR DISCRETION. Strive to have the students discover the MOST SPECIFIC, NARROW ANSWER. Worksheet 1 Transparency A 1. Sports 2. Sports Equipment 3. Flowers 4. Food Meat 5. Building tools Carpenter Tools 6. Trees 7. Cities in the U.S. 8. States 9. Buildings for People 10. Pets 11. Precipitation 12. Games with Strategy 1. Bodies of Water 2. Places Where People Live 3. Foot Wear (not shoes note: slippers) 4. Summer months 5. Visual Entertainment 6. Bad/Dangerous Weather 7. Things that are Cold 8. Things with Wheels 9. Transparent Things 10. Joints of the body 11. Baby Animals 12. U.S. Presidents ******************* * Bonus 2. Things for the Jewish Holiday of Chanukah **************** Bonus 1 Things with 4 Legs Worksheet 2 1. Loud Voices 2. Things you throw 3. Metals 4. Things that hold/contain pets 5. Things that need cleaning 6. Sewing materials 7. Places you wait (maybe to buy something, depending on the knowledge of bus stop) 8. Types of Dolls 9. Fuel for Fire (or Energy 10. Forms of Art 11. Things you can ride on 12. Things in the Ocean ******************* ** Bonus 3. Things that are Delivered

Main Idea Learning Goal Students will learn to find the main idea and supporting details in a nonfiction selection organized in a description pattern.
Provided by: Mr. Picart