Central Idea and Supporting Details

Supporting details are_______________________-

• the central idea

• more important information

• words, phrases,or sentences that tell more about the central idea

• irrelevant information given

Why are supporting details important?

• They help me understand the main idea

• They are names of characters

• They are always written in bold print

• They are not important

“The rain forest is home to many creatures. Monkeys, toucans and macaws live in the rain forest. Butterflies and anteaters also live in the rain forest.”

What is the central idea?

• Sloths and tapirs are other creatures that live in the rain forest.

• The rain forest is home to many creatures.

• Monkeys, toucans and macaws live in the rain forest.

Being a clown isn't all fun and games. Rodeo clowns expose themselves to great danger every time they perform. When cowboys dismount or are bucked off of bulls at riding competitions, rodeo clowns jump in front of the bulls and motion wildly to get their attention. In this way, rodeo clowns provide an alternate target, and in doing so protect the rider. So you see, sometimes clowning around can be serious business.

What is the central idea?

• Being a clown isn't all fun and games.

• Rodeo clowns protect cowboys by putting themselves in danger.

• Rodeos are exciting.

• Clowns are good at riding bulls.

What's that humming sound? Could it be the hummingbird is the only bird capable of backward flight? Hummingbirds have many unique flight habits that distinguish them from other birds. Most birds flap their wings up and down to fly, but the hummingbird moves its wings forward and backward very rapidly in a figure-eight pattern. This allows the hummingbird to hover in position, fly upside down, and move about very rapidly. And while other birds have to push off with their feet to begin flying, and work their ways up to their top speeds, the hummingbird can both start flying at maximum speed and stop flying instantaneously. After you've seen a hummingbird in flight, it's unlikely that you'll mistake them for another bird.

What is the central idea?

• Birds and hummingbirds are very different.

• Hummingbirds make a humming sound.

• Hummingbirds wings fly in figure eight patterns.

• The hummingbird flies in a totally unique and unusual way.

What is the best question to ask yourself when you are trying to find the central idea?

• Who is the main character?

• What is the main event?

• What is one important detail?

• What point is the author trying to make?

Can you name the planets in our solar system? Mercury is one of them. Like the other planets, Mercury moves in a path around the sun. Mercury travels faster than the other planets. It speeds along at about 107,000 miles an hour. Mercury is the planet closest to the sun. Its days are very hot, and its nights are very cold. There is no water on Mercury.

What is the best title for this passage?

• Moving Around the Sun

• Hot Days and Cold Nights

• The Planet Mercury

Have you ever played Monopoly? This famous game was invented more than 70 years ago. Times were very hard then. Many people were out of work. Charles B. Darrow had lost his job too. He began designing games to earn money. One game was based on getting rich. For many people, the game was a dream of better times. It became one of the world’s most famous games.

What is the best title for this passage?

• Meet Charles Darrow

• The Monolopy Story

• Popular Board Games

Americans like toast, eggs, and cereal. In China people eat congee, a thick rice. People in Japan often have a soup called miso. Pancakes made from lentil beans are favored in India. Bread and coffee with milk are the most popular breakfast foods in France. Breakfast around the world is a matter of different tastes.

What is the best title for this passage?

• Soup in the Morning

• Breakfast Around the World

• Something to Eat

The Holland Tunnel is a roadway under the Hudson River. At one end of the tunnel is New York City. At the other end is the state of New Jersey. Almost 50,000 cars and trucks go through the Holland Tunnel each day. The distance is just over one and a half miles. Depending on the time of day,

it can be a long or short trip.

What would be the best title for this passage?

• A Long or Short Trip

• Riding Through a Tunnel

• Holland Tunnel Facts