Topic, Main Idea, and Key Details

Match each word with its meaning.

• What the text is about; one or two words

• Topic

• The most important idea about the topic.

• Main Idea

• Details that describe the main idea

• Key Details

Tags

3.RI.KID.2

Sloths live in the rainforests of Central and South America. They spend most of their lives in trees. They curl themselves into a ball and fall asleep in between branches. They sleep 15 to 20 hours a day! They also like to sleep hanging by their claws from tree branches. When sloths are awake, they spend most of their time in trees eating leaves. The only time they leave the tree is to go to the bathroom or to swim.

Match the topic, main idea, and detail with the correct answer.

• Sloths

• Main Idea

• They sleep 15-20 hours in trees.

• Topic

• Sloths spend most of their time in trees

• Detail

Tags

3.RI.KID.2

Anteaters live in Central and South America. They have no teeth. They use their long tongue to eat about 35,000 ants and termites each day. First, the anteater uses its four inches claws to make an opening in the anthill. The anteater is careful not to destroy the anthill, so it can return to it later. The anteater eats quickly because the ants bite. In fact, an anteater only spends about a minute at each mound before looking for a new one.

True or False?

The topic of this paragraph is Benjamin Franklin.

• True

• False

Tags

3.RI.KID.2

Anteaters live in Central and South America. They have no teeth. They use their long tongue to eat about 35,000 ants and termites each day. First, the anteater uses its four inch claws to make an opening in the anthill. The anteater is careful not to destroy the anthill, so it can return to it later. The anteater eats quickly because the ants bite. In fact, an anteater only spends about a minute at each mound before looking for a new one.

What is the main idea of this paragraph?

• Anteaters live in Central and South America.

• Anteaters use their claws to open the anthill.

• Anthills provide food for anteaters.

• Anteater looks for food.

Tags

3.RI.KID.2

Anteaters live in Central and South America. They have no teeth. They use their long tongue to eat about 35,000 ants and termites each day. First, the anteater uses its four inch claws to make an opening in the anthill. The anteater is careful not to destroy the anthill, so it can return to it later. The anteater eats quickly because the ants bite. In fact, an anteater only spends about a minute at each mound before looking for a new one.

Choose a detail that supports the main idea.

• Anteaters live in Central and South America.

• Anteaters use their claws to open the anthill.

• Anteaters have no teeth.

• Anteater looks for food.

Tags

3.RI.KID.2

Read the story, "Bats." Then tell what the TOPIC of the story is.

Bats

A bat can fly at night or even with its eyes closed. But, if you cover its ears, it can't fly very well. Bats make sounds that people can't hear. The bats find their way by listening to these sounds as they echo off things. This is called echo-location. Bats even locate insects to eat by following the sounds that bounce off the bugs. People use their eyes, but bats use their ears to know where they are going.

Tags

3.RI.KID.2

Use the story, "Bats" to tell what the MAIN IDEA of the story is.

Bats

A bat can fly at night or even with its eyes closed. But, if you cover its ears, it can't fly very well. Bats make sounds that people can't hear. The bats find their way by listening to these sounds as they echo off things. This is called echo-location. Bats even locate insects to eat by following the sounds that bounce off the bugs. People use their eyes, but bats use their ears to know where they are going.

• How bats fly to people.

• How bats use sound.

• How people can hear the sounds of bats.

• What things bats often eat as food.

Tags

3.RI.KID.2

Use the story, "Bats" to tell one DETAIL from the story that supports the main idea.

Bats

A bat can fly at night or even with its eyes closed. But, if you cover its ears, it can't fly very well. Bats make sounds that people can't hear. The bats find their way by listening to these sounds as they echo off things. This is called echo-location. Bats even locate insects to eat by following the sounds that bounce off the bugs. People use their eyes, but bats use their ears to know where they are going

Tags

3.RI.KID.2

True or False?

The topic of the paragraph is rainforests.

• True

• False

Tags

3.RI.KID.2

What is the main idea of the text?

Tags

3.RI.KID.2