Main Idea, Summary, and Inference

How do you figure out the main idea of a text? (check all correct answers)

• I look for a title or topic sentence. This gives me a clue about the main idea

• I ask "What about the topic?" my answer is the main idea

• I ask the teacher or a classmate

• I look for keywords or phrases to determine the topic

Which skills should you do DURING reading to help you comprehend the text? (Check all correct answers)

• Look for evidence (details) to fit with my reading purpose

• Make inferences based on evidence and my prior knowledge

• Determine the main idea of the text

• Skip any parts that are too confusing

Which skills should you do AFTER reading the text to make sure you comprehend it? (Check all correct answers)

• Reread any parts of the text that were confusing.

• Summarize the most important information to ensure my comprehension of the text and make sure I remember it

• Ask a teacher or classmate to explain it to me

What is one skill you use when the text becomes difficult to understand? (check all correct answers)

• Reread any parts of the text that were confusing.

• Look for evidence (details) to fit with my reading purpose

• Make inferences to figure out what conclusions I can make about the text based on evidence and my prior knowledge

• Determine the main idea of the text

• Ask the teacher or a classmate to explain it

How do you know that you have understood or comprehended what you read? (check all correct answers)

• I have highlighted the text

• I asked a teacher or classmate for help

• I am able to find the main idea of the text

• I am able to summarize the most important details of the text

Explain how you know that you have understood or comprehended the text after reading (check all correct answers).

• I am able to find the main idea of the text

• I am able to summarize the most important details of the text

• I just know

• I ask the teacher

What should you include in a summary of a text?

• Answer it - Give the MAIN IDEA, the title, and the author of the text

• Prove it - Give specific supporting details as EVIDENCE to support the main idea

• Bring it back around - Restate the MAIN IDEA of the text

• Use Mrs. Baker's favorite phrase, "is mostly about..."

• State my opinion of the text

What is one skill that you use BEFORE you read a text?

• Determine my reading PURPOSE

• Reread

• Summarize

• Make an inference

How do you make inferences while reading a text?

• I look for clues or important details (evidence) in the text, and I combine it with my prior knowledge to make an evidence-based guess

• I make a random guess

• I skim the text

• I reread

When a idea is explicit it is

• leaves a lot of room for interpretation

• Is not clearly stated

• clearly stated, leaves little room for interpretation

• stated by a person