Skillbuilder Finding Main Ideas once Goal: ‘i idemtify the main idea of a passage in order aes tere to better understand hunter-gatherer societies Learn the Skill A main idea is the most important point in a paragraph or a passage ‘A main idea may or may not be stated in so many words. In the ‘example to the right, the main idea is not stated, To find the main idea ‘of a passage, identify the topic. Then, as you read, ask yourself this question: What main idea do the details and examples support? 1 see the Silbuilder Handbook, page R2. eee kur © Ask yourself what the passage at right, titled “Hunter-Gatherer Societies,” is about, Identify the topic by first looking atthe tite. The tite tells you this passage is about what hunter-gatherer societies were like © Look at the first and last sentences of each paragraph, These sentences often give cies to the main idea. Se if any one sentence sums up the point of the whole passage. In this passage the main idea comes from combining the ideas in these sentences. © Rea the entire passage. Look for details about the topic. What main idea do they explain or support? This passage contains details about both the good and the bad parts of hunter-gatherer’ ives. © Use a chart ike the one below to state the topic and list the supporting details, Use the information you record to help you state the main idea, This chart is based on the passage you just read. Example: © Toric Hunter Gatherer Societies} ee [pea ) [eat | (oe “ Det | {beta | Enough © Didrit have Time to, Hard to imited food | Peon’ || “rear Ste’ || ‘gop vored det || two'ferd | | and poy oon “as SS if Main Idea’ Hurter-gatherers had a good life but had a hard time feeding lots Of people eae Ideas about fein hunter-gatherer sockets have changed since the 19605 Unt ‘hen, most scholars thought that ant people’ ves Were very hard, Now ‘many scholars have changed ther mind, They have based therideas on stces of hunter gathers inthe modem werld—grougs who si ive by hurting animals and gathering plants for food. © Hunter-Gatherer Societies @ Many scholars now believe that the lives of most hunter-gatherers were quite 008, Their environment gave them al he kinds of food they needed. They had 2 varied diet of meat, fish, fruit, and ild plants This diet was healthy and balanced, Usually, hunting and gathering did not require too much time and 5. EET e © Yer there were sini ee fulerer way oflife- lot of land was required to support a Same Arima This ‘group of people. The group needed to roam across 7 to 500 [2% Painting in Tanzania ‘Shows the posable square miles per person to get enough food. Itwas hard to forte yume arals seitle in villages because people needed to move often toot nner find food. They owned only what they could carry, and theit houses had to be very simple. The groups had to be smal probably more than about 30 people. As groups consumed the food in various area, it ecame harder for societies to their people just by hunting and gathering. @ ee Tun to for Disi you fin details Chapter 1, Lesson 2, pages 17-19. Read “Different Maps nt Purposes.” Make a chart like the one at left to help the main ideas. Identify the topic, the most important nd the main idea of the passage. The Earliest Human Societies + 57