ELA Central Idea

Most people have accidentally thrown away something that was important. In 2016, a woman in New York threw away an envelope that contained $5,000 that she was planning on using to pay her mortgage. Luckily, her son was a sanitation worker and was able to get three of his coworkers to help look for the envelope. They looked through the trash until they were finally able to locate the money. The envelope contained nearly all of the money. Unfortunately, a couple of bills had apparently worked their way out of the envelope during the ordeal. The money was returned to the relieved woman who offered a reward to the workers, but they declined it. What is the central idea?

• Three sanitation workers looked through the trash to help a woman.

• A woman mistakenly threw

  away money, but the money was found and

  returned.

• People regularly throw away things they need.

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During the hottest days of summer, many people wouldn’t consider setting foot inside a building that did not have a working air conditioner, but the air conditioner is a relatively recent invention. Throughout history, people have used a variety of techniques to make themselves more comfortable during the heat of the summer. Ancient Romans pumped cool water through interior walls in their homes to make rooms more comfortable. The Chinese used small fans for thousands of years. In many cultures, houses were built with more windows that could be opened during the heat of the summer. Some people even slept outside on their porches on the hottest summer nights. What is the central idea of this passage?

• People kept cool in many

  ways throughout history.

• The air conditioner is a

  recent invention.

• Ancient Romans used cold

  water in pipes to cool

  down their homes.

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The amount of trash that people throw away is a growing problem. In countries all over the world, government officials must determine how and where to dispose of garbage. Landfills are rapidly filling up and the cost of removing trash is rising quickly. Switzerland has developed a way to minimize the amount of trash that is thrown away while encouraging their citizens to recycle. In Switzerland, residents must pay a special fee for trash bags in order for their trash to be collected. Swiss households that produce a lot of trash will pay more in order to have their trash removed, while households that recycle more will not have to pay as much. What is the Central of the passage?

• Some countries are not equipped to recycle.

• Citizens of Switzerland must buy trash bags.

• Citizens of Switzerland are encouraged to recycle.

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In 2016, a woman in New York threw away an envelope that contained $5,000 that she was planning on using to pay her mortgage. Luckily, her son was a sanitation worker and was able to get three of his coworkers to help look for the envelope. They looked through the trash until they were finally able to locate the money. The envelope contained nearly all of the money. Unfortunately, a couple of bills had apparently worked their way out of the envelope during the ordeal. The money was returned to the relieved woman who offered a reward to the workers, but they declined it. What inference can be made from the passage?

• The workers helped look for

  the money because they

  wanted to keep it.

• The workers didn’t want to

  look for the money.

• The workers looked for the

  money because they

  wanted to be helpful.

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What is the central theme of a novel where the protagonist learns to trust others after a journey filled with challenges and support from friends?

• Adventure is necessary for growth.

• Trust is essential in relationships.

• Challenges are part of life.

• Friends can come from unexpected places.

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DOK Level 3: Strategic Thinking

Which of the following best summarizes the central theme of a book where various characters from different backgrounds come together to solve a local mystery?

• Diversity brings strength.

• Mysteries are challenging.

• Teamwork is essential in problem-solving.

• Local issues are complex.

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DOK Level 2: Skill/Concept

Calling 911 to report a fire is a logical response when someone encounters a fire. Countries all over the world have well trained fire departments that quickly respond to both save lives and put out fires in order to limit property damage. The first fire departments were not always so helpful. There was a fire brigade in ancient Rome that quickly responded to reports of buildings that were on fire. Before any efforts were made to put out the fire, an official would discuss the price the owner was willing to pay for the service. If a price could not be agreed on, then the fire brigade would just let the building burn to the ground. What is the central idea of today’s passage?

• An ancient Roman fire department charged people for their service.

• The world’s first fire department was in ancient Rome.

• Fire departments have existed for centuries.

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It was hard to miss the videos in the summer of 2014. All over social media networks, people posted videos of themselves being soaked by a bucket of ice water. It was referred to as the Ice Bucket Challenge. At the end of each video, participants challenged a number of their friends to either perform the challenge within 24 hours or make a donation to an organization dedicated to treatment and research for ALS. ALS is an acronym for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. In the United States, ALS is also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. ALS is a disease that attacks neurons and for which there is no cure. The Ice Bucket Challenge quickly went viral. Some critics said that it did little to raise awareness of the disease. Later, studies showed that the majority of people who participated in the challenge did not actually donate, but many did. Over $100 million was raised in the United States. The majority of that money went to fund research for treatments for the devastating disease. Money also went to help support patients currently suffering from the disease. What is a central idea of today’s passage?

• The Ice Bucket Challenge required participants to dump a bucket of ice water on themselves.

• The Ice Bucket Challenge was popular in 2014 and raised money for ALS research.

• ALS is a devastating disease that currently has no cure.

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What is the CENTRAL IDEA of a nonfiction text?

• What the text is MOSTLY about.

• A full paragraph SUMMARY of a text.

• The type of CONFLICT used throughout a text.

• The universal truth, moral lesson, or message that the author intends for the audience.

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What is the best question to ask yourself when you are trying to find the central idea of a text?

• Who is the main character?

• What is the significance of the main event?

• What is one important detail?

• What point is the author trying to make?

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