Author Title Main Idea

The main idea of a text is...

• A complete sentence that tells what the author wants us to understand about a text.

• Words or phrases from the text that "back up" or "prove" the main idea.

• The person, place, thing, or idea that the text is about.

What is the main idea of this passage?

• Lions live in Africa.

• Lions are meat eaters.

• Lions do not usually attack humans.

What is the main idea of this passage?

• Penguins have water proof feathers.

• Penguins are built for swimming.

• Penguins are birds.

What is the main idea of this passage?

• Blue whale babies are called calves.

• Blue whale babies drink milk.

• Blue whale calves are born already very large.

Select ALL of the strategies that can be used to help you find the main idea of a non-fiction text?

• Look for words/phrases that repeat.

• Read the topic sentence and the conclusion sentence.

• Read the title and make a guess.

• Look for supporting details that support the main idea.

• Ask yourself "who or what did or does what?"

What is the main idea of this passage?

• Gorillas are herbivores.

• Gorillas have large brains.

• Gorillas are different from monkeys in many ways.

What is the main idea of this passage?

• The silverback is the oldest and strongest in the group.

• The silverback is the leader of a group of gorillas.

• Silverbacks are silver in color.

What is the main idea of this passage?

• Disney World is located in Orlando, Florida.

• Disney World is a theme park.

• Disney World is a large vacation spot.

What is the main idea of this passage?

• The monorail can bring you to the moon!

• Disney has many ways to get from place to place.

• Disney has hotels, shops, and theme parks.

What is the main idea of a text?

• A complete sentence that tells what the author wants us to understand about a text.

• Words or phrases from the text that 'back up' or 'prove' the main idea.

• The person, place, thing, or idea that the text is about.

• The title of the text.