IDENTIFYING MAIN IDEA

Consider how many activities you do outside of school. Remember that school needs to be a priority. It's great to do extra things--as long as they don't rob you of needed energy for learning. If you feel like you are too busy, ask your parents if you can cut down to one or two favorite things. You may try one activity one semester (i.e. being in a play) and something different the next (playing a sport). We often feel we have to do everything at once, and that can wear us out! The main idea in this passage is:

• People often feel as if they are too busy.

• The author suggests trying activities at different times.

• We should try to do as much as we can at once.

• School should be a priority.

Tags

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RI.11-12.2

If you are feeling blue, what do you do? Perhaps you enjoy being sad. Maybe you would rather be happy. When you feel sad, you can make yourself feel better. All you have to do is get some exercise and get some sleep. You should have at least one good friend. Doing good deeds will help. Writing in a diary about the good things in your life will help too. If you still feel a little sad, act happy. It works like magic to make you feel better! The main idea in this passage is:

• Magic works to make you feel better.

• You should have at least one good friend.

• Some people like to be sad.

• When you feel sad, you can make yourself feel better.

Tags

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

You turn a year older, and friends sing a certain song to you. The story of "Happy Birthday" goes back to the 1890s. In 1893 a teacher named Patty Smith Hill and her sister Mildred published a book called Song Stories for Kindergarten. The first song in the book was a four-line verse called "Good Morning to All." Patty soon wrote new words to this ditty, and it became the popular "Happy Birthday" song still sung today. People sing it in many languages around the world. Which of the following is the main idea of this paragraph?

• Celebrating birthdays

• Kindergarten songs

• The story of "Happy Birthday"

• A worldwide birthday song

Tags

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RI.11-12.2

As you read this story, try to think about what the main idea of each separate paragraph would be.

A Woodcutter was hard at work beside a river. He chopped down a tree and chopped off the branches, one by one. He stacked the small branches in one pile and the large branches in another pile. It was hard work, and he grew tired. By accident, he dropped his axe into the deep river. He sat down on the river bank, and put his his head in his hands.

What is the main idea of the first paragraph?

• A Woodcutter was hard at work beside a river.

• A Woodcutter stacked the small and large branches in two piles.

• A Woodcutter accidentally dropped his axe into the river.

Tags

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RI.11-12.2

The Woodcutter heard a sound in the nearby bushes. He lifted his head and was amazed to see a strange little man dressed all in green. He thought perhaps it was one of the Wood Gnomes of the fairy tales, and he was quite correct. “Why are you so upset?” asked the Wood Gnome. The Woodcutter explained what had happened, and the Wood Gnome walked closer to the bank of the deep river and dived right in headfirst. In moments he climbed out, carrying a golden axe. “Is this your axe, sir?” asked the Wood Gnome. The Woodcutter shook his head with sorrow. The Wood Gnome dived back into the river, and came up with a silver axe. “Is this your axe?” he asked. Again, the woodcutter shook his head, and again the Wood Gnome dived into the river.

What is the main idea of the second paragraph of the story which is shown above?

• The Woodcutter heard a sound in the nearby bushes, and was amazed to see a strange little man dressed all in green.

• A Wood Gnome offered the Woodman a golden axe, then a silver axe, but the Woodcutter said they were not his.

• A Wood Gnome asked the Woodcutter why he was crying, and the Woodcutter explained what had happened.

Tags

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RI.11-12.2

This time, the Wood Gnome came out of the river with the Woodcutter’s own axe, and the Woodcutter shouted out with joy. The Wood Gnome told the Woodcutter that he must keep the gold and silver axes as well as his own, as a reward for his honesty. The Woodcutter went home and told all of his friends what had happened, and showed them the gold and silver axes.

What is the main idea of the third paragraph which is shown above?

• The Woodcutter got his own axe back, and the gold and silver axes as well, as a reward for his honesty

• When the Wood Gnome brought up the Woodcutter’s own axe, the Woodcutter shouted out with joy.

• The Woodcutter went home and told all of his friends what had happened.

Tags

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RI.11-12.2

The next day, one of those friends went to the place by the river that the Woodcutter had described. He threw his axe into the river, and sat down on the riverbank and cried. The Wood Gnome appeared, and asked the man why he was crying. The man said that he had dropped his axe into the river by mistake, and the Wood Gnome quickly dived into the river, and came up with a golden axe. “Is this your axe?” the Wood Gnome asked, and the man reached for it greedily, saying that it was the very axe he had lost. The Wood Gnome kept the golden axe, and left without going back into the river for the axe that the dishonest man had thrown there on purpose.

What is the main idea of the fourth paragraph of the story which is shown above?

• One of the Woodcutter’s friends went to the place by the river.

• The Wood Gnome showed a golden axe to the Woodcutter’s friend.

• The Woodcutter’s friend threw his own axe into the river on purpose, but this did not fool the Wood Gnome.

Tags

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

IDENTIFY THE MAIN IDEA

Yellowstone National Park is mainly located in Wyoming, although three percent is located in the state of Montana. The Continental Divide of North America runs diagonally through the southwestern part of the park. The park sits on the Yellowstone Plateau, which is an average elevation of 8,000 feet above sea level. This plateau is bounded on nearly all sides by mountain ranges. There are 290 waterfalls that are at least fifteen feet in the park, the highest being the Lower Falls of the Yellowstone River, which falls 308 feet.

• Why to visit Wyoming

• Yellowstone Park's beautiful water falls

• The continental Divide of North America

• Physical features of the Yellowstone Park

Tags

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RI.11-12.2

IDENTIFY THE MAIN IDEA

It is estimated that over twenty million pounds of candy corn are sold in the US each year. Brach's, the top manufacturer, sells enough candy corn to circle the earth 4.25 times if each piece were laid end to end. That's a lot of candy corn, but that's nothing compared to the production of Tootsie Rolls. Over 64 million Tootsie Rolls are produced every day! But even Tootsie Rolls have got nothing on the candy industry's staple product: chocolate. Confectioners manufacture over twenty billion pounds of chocolate in the United States each year. Now that's a mouthful!

• How much of popular candies are sold each year.

• The overpowering candy industry

• Tootsie Rolls are delicious

• Candy corn, the world's most abundant candy piece.

Tags

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

This was Kathy's first babysitting job. She was so excited, but she was really nervous. Kathy's parents made her attend a babysitting workshop before she could babysit her neighbor's five-year-old son, Matthew. Kathy knew this was a lot of responsibility, but she thought she was ready. Kathy marched confidently to Matthew's house and waved goodbye to Matthew's parents. It seemed as soon as his parents left, Matthew fell and hit his chin on the coffee table. Without panicking, she remembered what she learned in her babysitting class and applied first-aid.

The author wants to show that:

• Matthew should not run in the house.

• Kathy needs to attend more babysitting workshops.

• Coffee tables can be dangerous.

• Kathy is ready to babysit.

Tags

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RI. 9-10.1

CCSS.RI.11-12.1

CCSS.RI.8.1