Nonfiction: Main Idea and Summarzing

 Swimming is one thing that can be done at the beach.  Snorkeling is another thing that can be enjoyed.  Playing beach volleyball can be a lot of fun.  It is also fun to look for shells.  Some people simply like to sunbathe. There are many fun things to do at the beach.
What is the main idea?

• There are many fun things to do at the beach.
• It is also fun to look for shells.
• Some people simply like to sunbathe.
• Going to the beach to swim can be fun.

Tags

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RI.5.2

CCSS.RL.3.2

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

Elephants use their trunks for many things. Elephants use their trunks to smell. In fact, elephants can smell better than bloodhounds. Baby elephants sometimes suck their trunks to soothe themselves the way human babies suck their thumbs. Elephants do not drink with their trunks. They use their trunks to suck up water and then pour it in their mouths. Elephants also greet each other with their trunks the way humans do by shaking hands.
What is the main idea?

•  How much water elephants drink
• Where elephants live
• Elephants use the their trunks for many things.
• Elephants use their trunks to smell. 

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.2

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RI.5.2

CCSS.RL.3.2

CCSS.RL.4.2

Sharks can lose up to 30,000 teeth in their lifetime. Sharks have teeth arranged in rows inside their mouths. These teeth do not have roots like human teeth do, so they fall out easily. When a shark takes a powerful bite into its food, several teeth are lost. When these teeth are lost, new ones push forward from the back rows to replace them. Luckily, sharks continually grow new teeth to replace the thousands they lose.
What is the main idea?

• What shark teeth look like
• Sharks lose many teeth over their lifetime.
• Sharks are carnivorous predators. 
• Sharks grow new teeth.

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.2

CCSS.RI.5.2

CCSS.RL.3.2

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

The earth's surface is constantly changing.  All over the world everyday there are earthquakes, floods and volcanoes that quickly change our world. Some changes are too small to see.  Others cause tremendous damage and costs millions of dollars to clean up. What is the main idea?

• It is expensive to clean up the damage
• Sometimes we can't see the changes. 
• The Earth's surface is always changing.

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.2

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RI.5.2

CCSS.RL.3.2

CCSS.RL.4.2

The Statue of Liberty is visited by thousands of people every year. The Statue of Liberty is a 151 foot tall statue of a woman holding a book and a torch. It was a gift of friendship from the people of France. It has become the universal symbol for freedom.
Which of the following is NOT a supporting detail? 

• The Statue of Liberty is an amazing statue
• The Statue of Liberty is 151 feet tall
• Thousands of people visit the Statues of Liberty each year
• It was a gift of friendship from France

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.2

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RL.3.2

CCSS.RL.4.1

CCSS.RL.5.1

Did you know that frogs and toads look alike but that they are actually very different? Frogs need to live near the water. Frogs have long legs to help them jump. They also have smooth, thick skin. Frogs are good swimmers because of their webbed feet. Toads live on land. They have shorter legs to help them hop. Their skin is rough and dry. Toads are not good swimmers. Many people do not know the difference between frogs and toads.

What would be a good title for this paragraph?

• Frogs

• Toads

• Comparing Frogs and Toads

• Living in Water

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.2

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RL.3.2

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

Soccer players learn many skills when playing soccer. Soccer players learn how to dribble and pass the ball. They also learn how to control the ball so they can eventually score. Most importantly, soccer players learn how to work together with their teammates.

What is the main idea?

• Soccer players learn how to control the ball so they can eventually score.

• Soccer players learn how to dribble.

• Soccer players learn how to work together as teammates.

• Soccer players learn many skills when playing soccer.

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.2

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RI.5.2

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

Main Idea:
Frogs are amazing jumpers.

What supporting detail would go with this main idea?

• Frogs use their tongue to catch flies.
• A tadpole is the name of a young frog.
• Frogs have long, powerful legs which help them leaplong distances.
• The Fire-belly Toad has slightly warty skin.

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.2

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RI.5.2

CCSS.RL.3.1

CCSS.RL.3.2

Read the sentence below:

Before we got our dog, he was a homeless puppy.

What does the word "homeless" mean in this sentence?

• without a home

• with a home

• dirty

• home again

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.4

CCSS.RI.5.4

CCSS.RL.4.4

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.5.4

Baseball bats can be made of wood or metal. The wood that is used for baseball bats is soft and light. However, wooden bats still weigh more than metal bats. That’s because wooden bats are solid, not hollow. Metal bats are lighter in weight because they are hollow. The sounds the bats make when they hit a ball are different, too. Wooden bats make a crack sound because they are solid. Metal bats make a ping sound because they are hollow.

According to the passage, what does the word hollow mean?

• solid

• empty

• light

• small

Tags

CCSS.RI.3.4

CCSS.RL.3.4

CCSS.RL.4.4

CCSS.RL.5.1

CCSS.RL.5.4