Main Idea Practice

The freshwater Okefenokee Swamp is home to animals like bears, deer, and foxes. Alligators and frogs can also be found living in many freshwater swamps. Some saltwater swamps are home to crabs and various

types of birds, like herons.

What is the main idea?

• There are many animals in the swamp

• Different types of swamps have different animals.

• The world had different types of water in it.

• Alligators live in all the swamps in the world.

The Hudson River wetlands are home to several species of mammals, like otters. Also, the Hudson River has many

underwater plants, like water celery. Various types of fish,

like the American eel, live at the bottom of the Hudson

River.

What is the main idea?

• The Hudson River is a thriving habitat for plants and animals

• Humans have changed the Hudson River over time.

• The Hudson River is a big river.

• The Hudson River is home to plants.

Pen pals are friends who live far apart but write letters to each other. It's exciting for pen pals to get letters in the mail from another city or country. More importantly, pen-pals learn about each other's lives. They may share ideas about their families, pets, and favorite foods. They also may tell each other about special places and events in their towns. Through words and pictures, pen-pals make each other's worlds a little bit bigger.

What is the main idea?

• Pen-pals are a great way to learn about different parts of the world and people.

• Pen-pals must have good handwriting.

• Pen-pals write letter

• Pen-pals must send pictures to each other

Smartphones are phones that are used for more than making calls and sending messages. People count on them for getting directions and finding information on the internet. People also have fun listening to music, taking pictures, and playing games on their phones. On the other hand, smartphones have some downsides. They can make it hard to keep your mind on important things, like studying. Some people even text during meals, or when spending time with their family. Driving while using a phone puts people in danger. Smartphones are useful, but they can cause problems if not used safely and politely

• Smartphones can be used in both good and bad ways.

• There are many good things about smartphones.

• There are many bad things about smartphones

• You should always use your phone during class.

Baby Kangaroos

A female kangaroo has a special fold of skin that forms a

pouch. The pouch is like a large pocket on its stomach.

When a baby kangaroo, or joey, is born, it climbs into its

mother's pouch. At birth, a joey is only about one inch long. It needs to stay in the pouch so it can grow more. After

several months, the joey has grown enough to leave the

pouch for short periods of time. By the time the joey is ten months old, it is ready to leave the pouch for good.

What is the topic?

• Baby kangaroos

• Kangaroo pouches

• Kangaroos can kick really hard

• Kangaroos

Baby Kangaroos

A female kangaroo has a special fold of skin that forms a

pouch. The pouch is like a large pocket on its stomach.

When a baby kangaroo, or joey, is born, it climbs into its

mother's pouch. At birth, a joey is only about one inch long. It needs to stay in the pouch so it can grow more. After

several months, the joey has grown enough to leave the

pouch for short periods of time. By the time the joey is ten months old, it is ready to leave the pouch for good.

What is the main idea?

• A baby kangaroo stays in its mother's pouch unit it is strong enough to live its own

• Female kangaroos have pouches

• Kangaroos have babies called joeys.

• Joeys are only 1 inch long at birth

IDENTIFY THE MAIN IDEA

Sometime in December of 1891, Dr. James Naismith was teaching gym at the YMCA College in Springfield, Massachusetts. It was raining, and Dr. Naismith was trying to keep his students active. He wanted them playing a rough game that would keep them moving. He didn't like a few ideas that were too rough. Then Naismith had his breakthrough. He wrote out the rules for a game with peach baskets fixed to ten-foot elevated tracks. Naismith's students played against one another, passing the ball around and shooting it into the peach baskets. Dribbling wasn't a part of the original game. Also it took a while to realize that the game would run more smoothly if the bottoms of the baskets were removed. But this game grew to be one of the most popular sports in America today. Can you guess which one?

• The invention of basketball

• The most popular sport in America.

• Dr. James Naismith teaching career

• How to get students active.

IDENTIFY THE MAIN IDEA

Before you put on that skeleton costume and rove door-to-door pandering for candy, take a minute to reflect on this tradition. Halloween is believed to have come from an ancient Celtic festival dating back some 2,000 years. November 1st was the Celtic New Year and marked the end of summer to the Celts. They celebrated on its eve by wearing costumes made of animal skins and dancing around bonfires. Over the next two millennia, this primitive celebration grew to be the candy-fueled costume ball that we know today.

• The origins of Halloween

• Traditions

• Skeleton is the best costume

• The Celtic festival

Which supporting detail best supports this topic sentence?

Dora the Explorer is an educational show for kids.

• She has a cute monkey named Boots

• Dora helps teach kids Spanish

• Dora usually stops swiper

• She has a map that talks

Which supporting detail best supports this topic sentence?

Elle Woods taught us that you can do anything you put your mind to.

• She got into law school even when no one believed in her.

• She liked to be social

• Her friend worked at a salon so her hair always looked good.

• She loved her dog, Bruiser, the most.