Central Ideas

Determine the Central Idea of the following passage

Blooms in Death Valley

In March 2016, Death Valley National Park in California experienced a rare occurrence: thousands of yellow wildflowers covered the region in a "super bloom." Why was this unusual? Death Valley is the hottest and driest place in North America. The area's average yearly precipitation is just two inches, making it a challenging place for flowers to grow. However, in October 2015, the valley had received more than three inches of rain in some areas. As a result of the unusually wet season, wildflower seeds that had been lying dormant underground suddenly began to grow, producing an abundance of golden blooms.

• Because of the hot, dry conditions in Death Valley, it is difficult for flowers to grow there.

• Because of an unusual amount of rain, thousands of wildflowers grew in Death Valley in 2016.

Recycling things like paper, plastic, and metal is beneficial for our environment by cutting down on trash. Yet many people throw away their water bottles, shipping boxes, and cans instead of recycling them. An increased focus on getting more people to recycle is leading people to develop creative ways to make it easier for Americans. One way is to put bright colored recycling containers in more places. Seeing more recycling bins helps people remember to use them. Another idea that has been developed is reverse vending machines. These machines are the opposite of traditional vending machines since you give it a recyclable good and it gives you money or reward in return. Hopefully more places will introduce new and unique ways to get people to start recycling. What is the central idea of the passage?

• People need to start recycling in order to protect our environment.

• The amount of people who recycle will increase if innovative methods are implemented.

• Reverse vending machines that gives money for recyclable goods is a creative recycling solution.

• Bright colored collection bins will help encourage people to protect the environment.

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

• What is one important detail?

• Who is the main character?

• What is the main event?

• What point about the topic 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?

• You should do good things for others.

• We are not always happy.

• Sometimes people feel sad.

• There are many ways to make yourself feel better.

What is another word for SUPPORTING DETAILS used to

identify the CENTRAL IDEA of a text?

• Conflict

• Topic

• Text Evidence

• Text Features

The central idea is...

• the focused idea of the text.

• a detail from the text.

• the first sentence of a paragraph.

• a quote you provide from the text.

True or False: The central idea is directly tied to the author's main point or argument.

• False

• True

Seated on his throne, King Midas wore a golden crown. He had golden rings on each finger and held a golden scepter. His vest was embroidered with golden thread and even his shoes had golden ornaments. He had a golden box filled with gold coins. He named his daughter Marigold. What is the central (AKA main) idea of this paragraph?

• King Midas loved gold.

• King Midas sold lots of gold.

• King Midas had a heart of gold.

• King Midas hated gold.

What is a central idea?

• It's the authors point of view

• What the passage is mostly about

• It is the sequence of the story.

You should determine the central idea by combining the supporting details (AKA text evidence).

• True

• False