Main Idea

Main Idea

What the text is mainly or mostly about

Main Idea

• Topic +

• What is the author mostly teaching about the topic? =

• Main idea statement.

Main Idea should be...

• Written as a complete teaching sentence

• broad

• supported by details from the text

Main Idea tips:

• sometimes written right in the paragraph (check intro and conclusion)

• sometimes you have to infer

• Shouldn't start with words like "about" or "how" or "all about"

Multiple Choice

Which one of these is the best main idea statement?

• How helicopters do specialized things.

• About helicopters.

• Helicopters are special aircraft that can do things plans cannot do.

• Planes and helicopters are different and similar.

Open Ended

Write a main idea statement for Planets in the Solar system.