Determine the Central Idea

Lesson 1 Analyzing the Development
of Central Ideas

RI. 7.2

Determine a central idea of a text and analyze in detail its
development over the course of the text, including how it
emerges and is shaped and refined by specific details.

Important Terms

Central Idea-What an entire text is mostly about.

Supporting Details-Details that support the central idea.

Informational Text-A nonfiction text that gives the reader information.

Facts-Something that is said to be true and can be proven to be true.

Detail-A small piece of information.

Evidence-A fact that can be used to support a claim.

Multiple Choice

What is the central idea of the following? There are several events that can change the Earth's surface very quickly. Volcanoes can erupt and spread lava, rock and ash for several miles.  Earthquakes can leave large cracks in the Earth's surface.

• Several events can change the Earth's surface.
• Earthquakes can cause large cracks. 
• Volcanoes can be dangerous.

Multiple Choice

What does the author want you to learn about the passage?

Do you ever wonder how you taste things? You owe your sense of taste to your taste buds. We have 9,000 taste buds just on the tongue alone. There are also taste buds on the roof of your mouth. You even have taste buds on the back of your throat.

• Why we can taste only sweet things.

• that we taste through our nose

• Taste buds are found in different places.

Multiple Choice

What text features can give you a clue of what the main idea is?

• Title

• Pictures

• Headings

• All of these.

Multiple Choice

Determine the Central Idea of the following passage

Blooms in Death Valley

In March 2016, Death Valley National Park in California experienced a rare occurrence: thousands of yellow wildflowers covered the region in a "super bloom." Why was this unusual? Death Valley is the hottest and driest place in North America. The area's average yearly precipitation is just two inches, making it a challenging place for flowers to grow. However, in October 2015, the valley had received more than three inches of rain in some areas. As a result of the unusually wet season, wildflower seeds that had been lying dormant underground suddenly began to grow, producing an abundance of golden blooms.

• Because of the hot, dry conditions in Death Valley, it is difficult for flowers to grow there.

• Because of an unusual amount of rain, thousands of wildflowers grew in Death Valley in 2016.

Central Idea tells what a
whole paragraph or
section is about.

Multiple Choice

The central idea of nonfiction text is __________________

• one word.

• what the text is mostly about.

• the meaning of an unknown word.

Multiple Choice

What is a topic?

• The writer's opinion about the text.

• The supporting detail.

• The retelling of a story.

• The general subject of a text.

Multiple Choice

What is the topic of the following?

It was raining, and Dr. Naismith was trying to keep his students active. He wanted them playing a vigorous game that would keep them moving. He wrote out the rules for a game with peach baskets fixed to ten-foot elevated tracks. Naismith's students played against one another, passing the ball around and shooting it into the peach baskets. Dribbling wasn't a part of the original game. Also it took a while to realize that the game would run more smoothly if the bottoms of the baskets were removed.

• Invention of Basketball

• Invention of Cookies

• Invention of Cars

Identify Central Idea of a
paragraph by looking at
the details of the
paragraph.

Multiple Choice

The CENTRAL IDEA of a nonfiction text needs to always be supported with...

• The reader's opinion

• Author's who are reliable

• Supporting Details

• Concluding sentences

Multiple Choice

What is another word for SUPPORTING DETAILS used to

identify the CENTRAL IDEA of a text?

• Conflict

• Topic

• Text Evidence

• Text Features

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is a supporting detail of this paragraph? Robots are being used in sumo wrestling contests. Sumo wrestling is a sport that started in Japan. It takes place in a ring. Two players try to score points by holding each other down or pushing each other out of the ring. Robot sumo uses robots instead of humans. The robot that scores the most points wins.

• Robots are being used in sumo wrestling contests

• Robot sumo uses robots instead of humans.

• Watching robot sumo is boring.

• Robots sumo contests are better than human sumo contests.

Multiple Choice

Microchips provide the power for wristwatches. They are also the brains in our computers, and they control robots. These chips are used in video games and space shuttles. They make our cameras, radios, and televisions small and light. What is the story mainly about?

• How computers work.

• How microchips are used.

• Why televisions are so small.

Central Ideas are usually
not directly stated, but
have to be understood
based on what details are
in the text.

Example

To be an Emergency Medical Technician, you must keep your head in emergencies. You will be trained to
check for signs of injuries and to perform certain procedures. Then you must decide if advanced medical
care is necessary and transport people to hospitals.

Central Idea-To become an Emergency Medical Tech takes medical training and the ability to stay calm in
emergencies.

Central Ideas can usually
be identified by looking at
the first and last sentences
of paragraphs.

Multiple Choice

What is the best question to ask yourself when you are trying to find the main idea?

• What is one important detail?

• Who is the main character?

• What is the main event?

• What point about the topic is the author trying to make?

Academic Terms

Determine-To make a decision; to identify.

Analyze-To examine closely.

Develop-To grow into something more.

Relationship-The connection between two or more things.

Emerge-To come into view.

Shape-To give a clearer more definite form to.

Refine-To shape in order to make more clear.

Support-To give assistance to; to hold up.

Implicit-Something that is not directly stated, but has to be understood.

Explicit-Something that is directly stated and immediately understood.