Main Idea Lesson

Main Idea and Supporting Details

Grade 5

Passage 1

Insects are called "bugs" because they bother people. Some bugs are very helpful to farmers and other people. Some farmers buy ladybugs for their farms. Ladybugs eat other insects that eat crops. Farmers want the crops to grow. Some spiders also eat bugs that eat plants. Another bug that helps farmers and other people is the honeybee. Honeybees don't eat plant-eating bugs, but they do pollinate flowers so that they grow. They also make honey, a natural sugar that many people love to eat.

Multiple Choice

What sentence best describes the main idea of this paragraph?

• Insects are called "bugs" because they bother people.

• Some bugs are very helpful to farmers and other people.

• Some farmers buy ladybugs for their farms.

• Another bug that helps people is the honeybee.

Multiple Choice

The main idea of a book is plants need sunlight to grow. Which of these is a supporting detail to support the main idea?

• My favorite kind of plant is the Venus fly trap.

• There are many different species of plants on the Earth.

• Plants that get more sunlight grow taller than plants that sit in dark.

• Jessica sat in the sun and looked at her garden.

Multiple Choice

Which question would be most helpful for figuring out the main idea of a text?

• What is the main thing the author wants to say?

• Who is the author?

• What is my opinion?

• What else do I know about the subject?

Passsage 2

For over a century, climbing Mount Everest was a great challenge. Early attempts at reaching the top of the mountain brought climbers to about 28,000 feet. But the mountain was just too high. The physical effects of high altitudes and the limitations of available equipment made attempts to reach the top impossible. In 1924, British climbers Andrew "Sandy" Irvine and George Mallory climbed past 28,000 feet. They were once seen nearing the top of the mountain but disappeared soon after. Whether or not Mallory and Irvine reached the top remains a mystery. Since their climb, many expeditions have gathered clues and tried to determine for certain whether the two reached the top, but none have succeeded so far. The top of Mount Everest was finally reached by E. Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in 1953.

Multiple Choice

What is the main idea of the passage?

• The top of Mount Everest was reached by E. Hillary and Tenzing Norgay.

• British climbers Andrew Irvine and George Mallory climbed past 28,000 ft.

• Mount Everest is a difficult mountain to climb.

• Mount Everest