Main Idea

FIND THE MAIN IDEA IN THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPH:

Sloths are the slowest mammals on earth. It takes a full minute for a sloth to move 6 feet across the ground. You probably couldn’t move that slowly if you tried! The sloth’s body is about 2 feet long. It has long legs, and curved claws that are 3 to 4 inches long. Their claws and their long legs help them climb trees and hang from tree branches. They spend almost their entire lives hanging from tree branches. The life of a sloth is not very exciting.

• The life of a sloth is not very exciting.

• It takes a full minute for a sloth to move 6 feet across the ground.

• The sloth’s body is about 2 feet long.

• Sloths are the slowest mammals on earth.

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.2

Sloths have a round head, small ears, a stubby tail, and sad-looking eyes set in a dark-colored “mask.” The shape of a sloth’s mouth makes it look like it is always smiling. It has extra bones in its neck that make it possible for it to turn its head almost all the way around. Sloths are very cute to look at, but they don’t put on much of a show.

• The shape of a sloth’s mouth make it look like it is always smiling

• A sloth can turn its head almost all the way around.

• Sloths have a round head, small ears, and sad-looking eyes.

• Sloths are very cute to look at.

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.1

CCSS.RI.5.2

Sloths are home to other plants and creatures. Tiny plants grow on the sloth’s fur, making the animals appear to be green. This green color makes the sloths almost invisible against the green leaves of the trees they live in. Moths and insects also live in the sloth’s fur. Maybe the sloths move so little and so seldom that the small creatures that live on them don’t even know they are animals.

• Sloths are home to other plants and creatures.

• Tiny plants grow on the sloth’s fur.

• The plants that grow on the sloth make the sloth green.

• Moths and insects live in the sloth’s fur.

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.1

CCSS.RI.5.2

CCSS.RI.5.3

Benjamin’s class was learning about unusual animals. Today they were going on a field trip to the zoo to see some of the animals they had learned about. Benjamin’s favorite was the sloth. He had never seen one, but he had learned a lot about them, and seen pictures of them. They were so cute. They had big round eyes, and looked like they were wearing a mask. The sloths in all of the pictures looked like they were smiling.

• Benjamin’s class was learning about unusual animals.

• Benjamin had learned a lot about sloths.

• The sloths in all of the pictures looked like they were smiling.

• Benjamin’s class was going on a field trip to the zoo.

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.1

CCSS.RL.5.1

Benjamin remembered a story he had read about sloths. The story said that many sloths live in the tropical forests in the South American country of Bolivia. Santa Cruz, a large city in Bolivia, has many large parks with old and beautiful trees. Years ago, many sloths lived in these trees. People liked to come to the parks and look for the sloths. Even though there were many sloths in the parks, they were hard to see. Their fur was as green as the leaves of the trees they lived in. Benjamin wished he could have visited one of those parks. He was sure he would have been able to spot the sloths, even if they were hard to see.

• Benjamin wished he could have visited one of those parks.

• People liked to come to the parks and look for the sloths.

• Years ago, many sloths lived in the city parks of Santa Cruz.

• Many sloths live in the tropical forests of Bolivia.

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.1

The story went on to say that there was a problem with the sloths in the parks. Even though sloths don’t move very often, and are very, very slow, they do not like to be bothered. And if they are bothered, their long curved claws make very good weapons. Children in the parks of Santa Cruz, and even some adults, would poke at the sloths to try to get them to move. Some of these people got serious scratches and cuts from the sloths’ sharp claws. The city decided to move the sloths out of the parks and back to the forests that were their natural home. Benjamin decided that had been a good idea. The sloths would be safer, and so would the people.

• Some people got serious scratches and cuts from the sloths’ claws.

• Sloths don’t move often, and are very slow when they do move.

• There was a problem with having the sloths in the city parks.

• The sloth’s long curved claws make very good weapons.

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.1

CCSS.RI.5.2

CCSS.RI.5.3

CCSS.RL.5.1

Benjamin’s class arrived at the zoo, and they finally came to the section where the sloths lived. The sign said there were two sloths. It was a large area, with many trees. Benjamin looked and looked, but he didn’t see the sloths. He was very disappointed. Then his teacher said, “Look there!” and pointed. And there was one of the sloths, just ten feet away from Benjamin, a little higher than his head. And it was even cuter in person than it was in the pictures.

• It was a large area, with many trees.

• The sign said there were two sloths.

• Benjamin looked and looked, but he didn’t see the sloths.

• The sloth was even cuter in person than it was in pictures.

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.1

What are 3 interesting detail from this paragraph?

''Giant sloths the size of elephants once lived in many places on earth, including North America. Today, sloths can be found in the tropical forests of Central and South America. They eat leaves and berries. A sloth can stick its tongue out 12 inches. Maybe they developed this skill so they wouldn’t have to move to reach the tasty leaves and berries around their resting spot. Their main enemies are jaguars, eagles, and snakes. Many tropical forests are disappearing, along with the sloths that live there. It would be a sad thing if these fascinating little animals became extinct.''

• Giant sloths the size of elephants once lived in many places on earth, including North America.

• It would be a sad thing if these fascinating little animals became extinct.

• Today, sloths can be found in the tropical forests of Central and South America.

• Their main enemies are jaguars, eagles, and snakes. Many tropical forests are disappearing, along with the sloths that live there.

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.1

CCSS.RI.5.2

What are 3 details in this paragraph?

Sloths have a round head, small ears, a stubby tail, and sad-looking eyes set in a dark-colored “mask.” The shape of a sloth’s mouth makes it look like it is always smiling. It has extra bones in its neck that make it possible for it to turn its head almost all the way around. Sloths are very cute to look at, but they don’t put on much of a show.

• A sloth can turn its head almost all the way around.

• Sloths are very cute to look at.

• Sloths have a round head, small ears, and sad-looking eyes.

• The shape of a sloth’s mouth make it look like it is always smiling.

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.1

CCSS.RI.5.2

Find 3 details in this paragraph.

Sloths are home to other plants and creatures. Tiny plants grow on the sloth’s fur, making the animals appear to be green. This green color makes the sloths almost invisible against the green leaves of the trees they live in. Moths and insects also live in the sloth’s fur. Maybe the sloths move so little and so seldom that the small creatures that live on them don’t even know they are animals.

• Sloths are home to other plants and creatures.

• Tiny plants grow on the sloth’s fur.

• The plants that grow on the sloth make the sloth green.

• Moths and insects live in the sloth’s fur.

Tags

CCSS.RI.5.1

CCSS.RI.5.2