Social Studies/Main Idea

Living in the Clouds

by Jeanette Cannon

1 Imagine living in a place so high that clouds are everywhere. And they're not just above you. They are all around you! This is what life is like in the Andes. The Andes are very high mountains in South America. The Inca people lived in the Andes Mountains in Peru for over 500 years. But it is not easy to make a living on that rocky mountain land.

Mountain Farming

2 The mountainside make farming difficult. Farmers need a flat area to plant. So they cut giants steps into the mountains. There they grow hundreds of kinds of potatoes. They also grown corn, wheat, and grains. Cotton, bananas, and sugarcane are common crops, too.

3 The Incas raise sheep, llamas, guinea pigs, and alpacas. Llamas were important to the Inca people 500 years ago and still are today. The animals are very surefooted. This means they do not easily trip or fall. The farmers use them to carry heavy loads through the mountains. People also drink the llama's milk.

Made in Peru

4 Beautiful handmade objects come from Peru. Many of them are made from the soft wool of llamas and alpacas. Spinners spin the wool into threads or yarn. The yarn is used for colorful sweaters and scarves. Weavers also form cloth from the threads. The cloth is used to make blankets handbags, and hats.

Ancient Cities

5 Visitors come to Peru to see things they could not see anywhere else. One of the most famous places in Machu Picchu. The Incas carved this city on a mountaintop. People can walk there using the same trail the Incas used 500 years ago. Th city and trail are kept very clean. Hikers and campers have to take their with them. Many people come every year. It is worth sore legs to see the ruins of this beautiful Inca city.

Peru's Garden of Eden

6 Peru is also home to beautiful Manu. Manu is one of the world's great rain forests. But too many of the trees there were being cut down. Some people are trying to stop more damage from happening One reason is that rain forests are home to animals and plants that do not live anywhere else.

7 Life can be hard in the Andes. Still, the Inca people make the most of what the land offers. And more and more visitors are learning what life is like near the clouds.

What is the main idea of the entire passage?

• The Incas raise sheep, llamas and other animals.

• The Incas make beautiful handmade crafts.

• The Incas are working to protect the Manu rain forest

• The Incas live high in the Andes Mountains of Peru

Living in the Clouds

by Jeanette Cannon

1 Imagine living in a place so high that clouds are everywhere. And they're not just above you. They are all around you! This is what life is like in the Andes. The Andes are very high mountains in South America. The Inca people lived in the Andes Mountains in Peru for over 500 years. But it is not easy to make a living on that rocky mountain land.

Mountain Farming

2 The mountainside make farming difficult. Farmers need a flat area to plant. So they cut giants steps into the mountains. There they grow hundreds of kinds of potatoes. They also grown corn, wheat, and grains. Cotton, bananas, and sugarcane are common crops, too.

3 The Incas raise sheep, llamas, guinea pigs, and alpacas. Llamas were important to the Inca people 500 years ago and still are today. The animals are very surefooted. This means they do not easily trip or fall. The farmers use them to carry heavy loads through the mountains. People also drink the llama's milk.

Made in Peru

4 Beautiful handmade objects come from Peru. Many of them are made from the soft wool of llamas and alpacas. Spinners spin the wool into threads or yarn. The yarn is used for colorful sweaters and scarves. Weavers also form cloth from the threads. The cloth is used to make blankets handbags, and hats.

Ancient Cities

5 Visitors come to Peru to see things they could not see anywhere else. One of the most famous places in Machu Picchu. The Incas carved this city on a mountaintop. People can walk there using the same trail the Incas used 500 years ago. Th city and trail are kept very clean. Hikers and campers have to take their with them. Many people come every year. It is worth sore legs to see the ruins of this beautiful Inca city.

Peru's Garden of Eden

6 Peru is also home to beautiful Manu. Manu is one of the world's great rain forests. But too many of the trees there were being cut down. Some people are trying to stop more damage from happening One reason is that rain forests are home to animals and plants that do not live anywhere else.

7 Life can be hard in the Andes. Still, the Inca people make the most of what the land offers. And more and more visitors are learning what life is like near the clouds.

Which sentence best states the main idea of the section "Mountain Farming"?

• The Inca people lived in the Andes Mountains for over 500 years.

• Farming is hard work in the Andes.

• A number of different crops are grown in the mountains.

• Llamas are used to carry heavy loads through the mountains.

Living in the Clouds

by Jeanette Cannon

1 Imagine living in a place so high that clouds are everywhere. And they're not just above you. They are all around you! This is what life is like in the Andes. The Andes are very high mountains in South America. The Inca people lived in the Andes Mountains in Peru for over 500 years. But it is not easy to make a living on that rocky mountain land.

Mountain Farming

2 The mountainside make farming difficult. Farmers need a flat area to plant. So they cut giants steps into the mountains. There they grow hundreds of kinds of potatoes. They also grown corn, wheat, and grains. Cotton, bananas, and sugarcane are common crops, too.

3 The Incas raise sheep, llamas, guinea pigs, and alpacas. Llamas were important to the Inca people 500 years ago and still are today. The animals are very surefooted. This means they do not easily trip or fall. The farmers use them to carry heavy loads through the mountains. People also drink the llama's milk.

Made in Peru

4 Beautiful handmade objects come from Peru. Many of them are made from the soft wool of llamas and alpacas. Spinners spin the wool into threads or yarn. The yarn is used for colorful sweaters and scarves. Weavers also form cloth from the threads. The cloth is used to make blankets handbags, and hats.

Ancient Cities

5 Visitors come to Peru to see things they could not see anywhere else. One of the most famous places in Machu Picchu. The Incas carved this city on a mountaintop. People can walk there using the same trail the Incas used 500 years ago. Th city and trail are kept very clean. Hikers and campers have to take their with them. Many people come every year. It is worth sore legs to see the ruins of this beautiful Inca city.

Peru's Garden of Eden

6 Peru is also home to beautiful Manu. Manu is one of the world's great rain forests. But too many of the trees there were being cut down. Some people are trying to stop more damage from happening One reason is that rain forests are home to animals and plants that do not live anywhere else.

7 Life can be hard in the Andes. Still, the Inca people make the most of what the land offers. And more and more visitors are learning what life is like near the clouds.

Which sentence states the main idea of paragraph 3?

• "The Incas raise sheep, llamas, guinea pigs, alpacas."

• "Llamas were important to the Inca people 500 years age and still are today. "

• "The farmers use them to carry heavy loads through the mountains"

• "The animals (llamas) are very surefooted."

Living in the Clouds

by Jeanette Cannon

Made in Peru

4 Beautiful handmade objects come from Peru. Many of them are made from the soft wool of llamas and alpacas. Spinners spin the wool into threads or yarn. The yarn is used for colorful sweaters and scarves. Weavers also form cloth from the threads. The cloth is used to make blankets handbags, and hats.

How do the key details in paragraph 4 support its main idea?

• They describe different objects that are made.

• They describe how sheep and alpaca wool is used.

• They explain how wool is made into thread and yarn.

• They describe what spinners and weavers do.

Living in the Clouds

by Jeanette Cannon

Ancient Cities

5 Visitors come to Peru to see things they could not see anywhere else. One of the most famous places in Machu Picchu. The Incas carved this city on a mountaintop. People can walk there using the same trail the Incas used 500 years ago. Th city and trail are kept very clean. Hikers and campers have to take their with them. Many people come every year. It is worth sore legs to see the ruins of this beautiful Inca city.

Read this sentence from paragraph 5 of the passage.

It is worth sore legs to see the ruins of this beautiful Inca city.

What do ruins mean in this context?

• a place that has been destroyed

• stones used to pave roads

• what is left of old buildings

• objects that were once used

Living in the Clouds

by Jeanette Cannon

Peru's Garden of Eden

6 Peru is also home to beautiful Machu. Machu is one of the world's great rain forests. But too many of the trees there were being cut down. Some people are trying to stop more damage from happening One reason is that rain forests are home to animals and plants that do not live anywhere else.

Which sentence best describes the main idea of the paragraph?

• There are several great rain forest in the world.

• Many animals and plants live int he rain forest.

• The rain forest needs to be protected

• Tourist visit the rain forest.

Define main idea.

• a guess

• what the passage is mostly about and should have at least 2 supporting details

• your opinion