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Benjamin Franklin loved to write.  When he was twenty-two, he set up his own printing shop and started a newspaper.  He also printed a book called Poor Richard’s Almanac.  It had funny stories, information about the weather, and wise sayings.

• Benjamin Franklin loved to write stories and books.
• Benjamin Franklin worked very hard when he was young.
• Benjamin Franklin knew a lot about the weather.
• Benjamin Franklin was very poor.

There are several events that can change the Earth's surface very quickly. Volcanoes can erupt and spread lava, rock and ash for several miles.  Earthquakes can leave large cracks in the Earth's surface.

• Several events can change the Earth's surface.
• Earthquakes can cause large cracks. 
• Volcanoes can be dangerous.

Tom started to reel in his line. The fish tugged and pulled hard. Judging by the weight of his catch, this fish could feed his family for three days. Tom struggled to stay in the boat and not be pulled over the side. Finally his catch came into view. He had snagged a snapping turtle!
What is the main idea?

• Tom finds enough food for his family.
• Tom gets pulled out of his boat by a huge fish.
• Tom didn't catch anything.
• Tom catches a snapping turtle while fishing.

If you are feeling sad, you can make yourself feel better by doing a few simple things. You can take a walk (or get another form of exercise), you can talk to a friend, or you can write down your feelings. Writing down the good things in your life will help too. Doing something good for someone else will also help you feel better. If you still feel a little sad, act happy. It works like magic to make you feel better!
What is the main idea?

• Sometimes people feel sad.
• You should do good things for others.
• We're not always happy.
• There are many ways to make yourself feel better. 

What is Main Idea?

• The authors hidden message
• What the text is mostly about
• The supporting details
• The authors purpose

How do you find Main Idea?

• Picking the last sentence
• Getting distracted from reading the text
• Asking yourself what the text is mostly about
• Guessing

What are details?

• Sentences that support the Main Idea
• The topic
• The authors message
• What the text is mostly about

A topic is....

• What the text is mainly talking about
• A sentence in the text that shows the issue the text will be discussing
• An important detail in the text that can help us find the main idea
• The issue the text is talking about

The main idea is...

• The order in which events happen in a story.
• A series of important details identified in a nonfiction text.
• The big idea or life lesson that the author wants us to take away from a fictional story.
• A brief statement that you create which shows/reflects what a nonfiction text is mainly talking about.

A summary is...

• A list of key details in the text that are placed in the correct order.
• A short paragraph in a fictional story that reveals the big idea, lesson, or moral.
• A short paragraph that you create which includes the main idea of the text and some key important details.
• A short paragraph that you find in the text which includes the main idea and some key details.