Main

Students sat in the cafeteria talking loudly. It was lunch time at Green Elementary, and the lunch room was full. The noise and the smell of grilled cheese filled the air. In the corner sat Rudy and Jacob. They were making their daily lunch trades.
"I'll give you my cheese crackers for your pretzels," said Jacob.
"Okay, I'll give you my vanilla pudding for your sugar cookies," said Rudy.
"Deal!" said Jacob.
What is the main idea or main event of the passage?

• Jacob and Rudy trade food at lunch

• Rudy wanted Jacob's sugar cookies

• Jacob had cheese crackers and wanted pretzels

• Students were talking loudly during lunch at Green Elementary

Melanie hated her green room, and she had asked her mother a hundred times if she could paint it purple. Melanie and her mother worked all afternoon rolling the paint on the wall. Since Melanie was only in the third grade, she was feeling very special because her mother was letting her help. When they were finished, they sat on the floor and had a snack.
"Are you happy with the purple?" asked Mother.
"Yes. And I even like it more because I was able to help paint it," said Melanie.
What is the main idea or main event of the passage?

• Melanie hated green

• Melanie and her mother painted all afternoon

• Melanie liked the purple room she helped paint

• They had a snack on the floor when they were finished

Snow was falling again. Every puzzle was put together, every book was read, and the refrigerator was covered in artwork. Buddy and William were bored. They couldn't go out and play in the snow because they were both sick. Even though school might be canceled tomorrow, they were ready to go back to school.
What is the main idea or main event of the passage?

• they were sick

• it was snowing again

• they were bored and ready to go back to school

• the refrigerator was covered in artwork, and the puzzles were put together

What is the main idea?

• Floods can cause a lot of damage.

• Floods cause mudslides.

• Floods damage houses and roads. 

Yesterday was my birthday. When I woke up, I noticed my brother Josh hung up a big sign that said,"Happy Birthday, Charles!" Mom made spaghetti for dinner.
It's my favorite food in the whole world. My friend Dave came over and handed me a wrapped gift. I wondered what it was. It was a new basketball! I had a great day.
What is the main idea of this paragraph?

• Josh got lots of gifts.

• Charles got a lot of gifts.

• Charles had a great birthday.

• Josh had a great birthday.

The main idea can be implied or stated.

• True

• False

What is the definition of main idea?

• Its the authors point of view

• Is what the passage is mostly about

• It is the sequence of the story.

The main idea of a text is...

• what the text is a little bit about

• what the text is never about

• what the text is sometimes telling you

• what the text is mostly, or mainly, about

The main idea is supported by what?

• concluding sentences

• details

The central idea of a passage/text is....

• what the text is a little bit about

• what the text is sometimes telling you

• what the text is never about

• what the text is mostly or mainly about