Main Idea and Supporting Details

Soccer players learn many skills when playing soccer.  Soccer players learn how to dribble and pass the ball.  They also learn how to control the ball so they can eventually score.  Most importantly, soccer players learn how to work together with their teammates.
What is the main idea?

• They also learn how to control the ball so they can eventually score.

• Soccer players learn how to dribble.

• They learn how to work together as teammates.

• Soccer players learn many skills when playing soccer.

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

• Who is the main character?

• What is the main event?

• What is one important detail?

• What point is the author trying to make?

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 the main idea of a reading selection?

• The supporting ideas in a text that show proof.

• What the text is mainly about.

• A conclusion statement

• A full and complete sentence.

What are supporting details (also known as concrete details)?

• Quotes, facts, examples all located within the text to help support the main idea.

• The author's discussion about the main idea in more depth.

• The author's opinion about the main idea.

• The reader's opinion about the main idea.

Why is it important to locate a main idea? How will it help you?

• Locating the main idea will help you comprehend a text better.

• It will help you learn more about a subject.

• It does not really help you much.

• None of the answers fit the question.

Which of the following is a supporting detail of this paragraph?
Robots are being used in sumo wrestling contests. Sumo wrestling is a sport that started in Japan. It takes place in a ring. Two players try to score points by holding each other down or pushing each other out of the ring. Robot sumo uses robots instead of humans. The robot that scores the most points wins.

• Robots are being used in sumo wrestling contests

• Robots sumo contests are better than human sumo contests.

• Robot sumo uses robots instead of humans.

• Watching robot sumo is boring.

What is the main idea of the following paragraph?
Mother gorillas do a lot for their babies. They nurse their babies. They protect them from danger. And they teach the tiny gorillas how to get along with other gorillas.

• Mother gorillas do a lot for their babies.

• The baby gorillas are very small.

• Baby gorillas need their mothers a lot.

• Mothers gorillas protect their babies.

What is one supporting details from the text?

• Mother gorillas do a lot for their babies.

• They teach the tiny gorillas how to get along with other gorillas.

• Baby gorillas need their mothers a lot.

• Mother gorillas prefer to keep their babies safe.

What is a topic sentence?

• Topic sentences are always the start of any paragraph and usually contain the main idea of the paragraph.

• Details located within a text.

• Concluding statements.

• None of the above.