Main Idea

What kind of sentence tells the main idea of a paragraph?

• supporting detail

• example sentence

• topic sentence

• transition sentence

What might be the main idea of a book titled, "Eat Your Fruits and Vegetables?"

• Tomatoes are good for you.

• Strawberries have seeds on the outside.

• It's important to eat vegetables and fruit.

• Spinach is good for your bones.

A SUPPORTING detail explains the main idea in a paragraph. What does SUPPORT mean?

• to write

• to hold up and help

• to end

• to search and find

What is a main idea?

• the central point of a piece of writing

• the most interesting detail in a book

• the information that supports the topic sentence

• the punctuation used in a paragraph

If you read an essay about how important recycling is to our environment, what is the topic?

• littering

• recycling

• plastic

• paper

If you read an essay about how important recycling is to our environment, what is the main idea?

• People shouldn't make so much plastic.

• People should eat healthy food.

• People should pick up trash.

• Recycling is important to protect the environment.

There are many fun things to do at the beach. 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.

What is the main idea?

• It is also fun to look for shells.

• Some people simply like to sunbathe.

• There are many fun things to do at the beach.

• Going to the beach to swim can be fun.

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?

• They learn how to work together as teammates.

• Soccer players learn how to dribble.

• Soccer players learn many skills when playing soccer.

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

Which chapter would have information about lions, tigers, and snow leopards?

• "Save the Snow Leopards"

• "Lion, King of the Jungle"

• "How Tigers Get Their Stripes"

• "Big Cats of the World"

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.

Which of the following is a supporting detail of this paragraph?

• Robot sumo uses robots instead of humans.

• Robots are being used in sumo wrestling contests.

• The robot that scores the most points wins.

• Watching robot sumo is boring.