Main Idea RI.3.2

What does the MAIN IDEA of a story tell the reader?

• The most important idea about a topic or a story.

• The conflict of the story

Look at this book cover, what do you think the main topic will be?

• cars, trains, planes

• barbie dolls

Now look at this book cover, what might one of your key details be?

• dolphins live in the ocean

• 2nd graders take a field trip to the YMCA

What is the main idea of this passage?

It was backwards day at school. The students had to do things backwards. Some wore their t-shirts backwards. Dessert was served first at lunch. They turned their papers upside down to write. They tried to write backwards.

• Dessert comes after lunch.

• The students had backwards day at school.

Not all animals that live in the water are fish. Frogs and tadpoles, for example, spend part of their lives in water. They are amphibians, not true fish. Whales and seals are warm-blooded mammals. Some snakes live partly in water too. What is the main idea?

• Which animals live in water

• Why whales live in water

An octopus isn't fast enough to swim after a fish. The octopus must wait for a fish to swim by. When the fish comes within reach, the octopus whips out his long arm to grasp it. Then the octopus has a tasty meal. What is the main idea?

• How much fish an octopus eats

• How an octopus gets its food

Mary has a new pet. Her pet is a baby kitten. It is soft and cuddly. The kitten likes to sleep a lot. Mary put a soft blanket in a box for its bed. Mary plays with her kitten when it is awake. She never forgets to feed her kitten.

What is the main idea?

• Mary’s new pet is a kitten.

• Mary want a new pet.

What is the main idea?
green, blue, purple, red

• colors
• things
• animals
• people

Jenny visited her grandmother in the hospital.  She saw how kind and helpful the nurses were to her grandmother.  Now she wants to be a nurse when she grows up.  She wants to help sick people get well. 
What is the main idea?

• Jenny got sick.
• Jenny wants to be a nurse.
• Her grandmother was in the hospital.
• Jenny was glad the nurses were being kind to her grandmother.

John and Matt want to be firemen.  They want to ride on the big fire truck.  John wants to climb ladders and rescue people from fires.  Matt wants to hold the big hose and spray water on the fires to put them out.
What is the main idea?

• John wants to climb a ladder.
• John and Matt want to be firemen
• Matt wants to hold a fire hose.
• They want to ride on the big fire truck.