LESSON THREE: Identifying Main Ideas
LESSON DESCRIPTION
Students identify the main idea in a nonfiction text and provide support.
GRADE-LEVEL EXPECTATIONS ADDRESSED
R3C Develop and apply skills and strategies to comprehend, analyze and evaluate nonfiction from a variety of cultures and times: Text elements
LESSON MATERIALS
§ Sources of Literature
o None
§ Supplies
o Overhead
o Transparency of main idea graphic organizer
o Overhead markers (red, green)
o Colored pencils
§ Handouts provided
§ Words to know
o graphic organizer
o main idea
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT
Students complete the Main Idea graphic organizer that identifies the main idea and supporting details and justify choice.
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
1. Orally share Before Money with students.
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Questions for Students |
Have you ever had trouble understanding a story? How can you find the main idea? How can identifying the main idea help you understand the passage? How can you support your decision? |
2. Do “think aloud” to model how to locate the main idea of the story. Then model how to use the graphic organizer to organize the information to support the main idea.
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Suggestions
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Use a nonfiction story about bartering. Use transparency for modeling and have student help complete main idea graphic organizer using red and green ink. All student need copy of bartering story. Students use different colored pencils or ink to complete the graphic organizer. For example, red for main idea and green for supporting ideas. |
3. Students read Bartering Story with a partner. Then identify the main idea and complete that part of the graphic organizer
4. Students work individually to complete the details part of the Main Idea graphic organizer.