Finding the Main Idea

Tools for reading

 Main Idea and Supporting
Details
The MAIN IDEA is what the text
is mostly about.

SUPPORTING DETAILS back up or support

the main idea.

But first….let’s look at TOPIC.

 What is a Topic?

A TOPIC is the word or phrase

that everything in a text
refers back to
Looking for a Topic in Text

Water is an amazing resource.

Everyone in the world depends upon it.
Every creature needs water to survive.
Without water, we would not last long.
Water makes our world beautiful.
 The Topic is Water

Water is an amazing resource.

Everyone in the world depends
upon it. Every creature needs
water to survive. Without water,
we would not last long. Water
makes our world beautiful.
 Look for Repeated Words

In the last
paragraph, the
word water was
repeated again
and again.
 Look for Repeated Words

Looking for repeated words and

phrases is a good way to find
topics.
 Finding Main Ideas

Once we have found the topic of

the paragraph, we can find the
main idea.

Topic + Main Point about the Topic = MAIN IDEA

Can you Find the Main Idea?

Water is an amazing resource.

Everyone in the world depends
upon it. Every creature needs
water to survive. Without water,
we would not last long. Water
makes our world beautiful.
Can you Find the Main Idea?

Water is an amazing resource.

Everyone in the world depends
upon it. Every creature needs
water to survive. Without water,
we would not last long. Water
makes our world beautiful.
Can you Find the Main Idea?

Water is an amazing resource.

Everyone in the world depends
upon it. Every creature needs
water to survive. Without water,
we would not last long. Water
makes our world beautiful.
Topic: Water
Main point about the topic:
 Can you Find the Main Idea?
Water is an amazing resource.
Everyone in the world depends upon
it. Every creature needs water to
survive. Without water, we would not
last long. Water makes our world
beautiful.
Topic: Water
Main point about the topic: Water is an amazing
resource
 Finding Main Ideas

Notice that topics are expressed

as words or phrases, but main
ideas are expressed in sentences

Topic + Main Point about the Topic = MAIN IDEA

 Where is the Main Idea?

In many paragraphs, the first

sentence states the main idea.

When the author states the main idea, it is called an

explicit main idea.
 Where is the Main Idea?

But the main idea is not always in

the first sentence.

When the main idea is not directly stated, it is called

an implicit main idea.
 Look for the Main Idea
The first sentence
is not the main
idea.

Croak, croak, kerplop! What’s that at the

water’s edge? It might be a green frog, a creature
that’s well-suited for life at the pond’s edge. Green
frogs like to live where the land meets the water.
This keeps them safe from predators that live on
the land. When a predator like a snake comes near,
the green frog can quickly leap into the water and
get away. Green frogs can eat animals from both
places, including crayfish, spiders, fish, and even
birds.
 Look for the Main Idea
Let’s look for the topic.

Croak, croak, kerplop! What’s that at the water’s edge?

It might be a green frog, a creature that’s well-suited for
life at the pond’s edge. Green frogs like to live where the
land meets the water. This keeps them safe from predators
that live on the land. When a predator like a snake comes
near, the green frog can quickly leap into the water and get
away. Green frogs can eat animals from both places,
including crayfish, spiders, fish, and even birds.
 Look for the Main Idea
Let’s look for the topic.

Croak, croak, kerplop! What’s that at the water’s edge?

It might be a green frog, a creature that’s well-suited for
life at the pond’s edge. Green frogs like to live where the
land meets the water. This keeps them safe from predators
that live on the land. When a predator like a snake comes
near, the green frog can quickly leap into the water and
get away. Green frogs can eat animals from both places,
including crayfish, spiders, fish, and even birds .
What About the Second Sentence?
Main ideas are not usually expressed as questions.

Croak, croak, kerplop! What’s that at the water’s edge?

It might be a green frog, a creature that’s well-suited for
life at the pond’s edge. Green frogs like to live where the
land meets the water. This keeps them safe from
predators that live on the land. When a predator like a
snake comes near, the green frog can quickly leap into the
water and get away. Green frogs can eat animals from both
places, including crayfish, spiders, fish, and even birds.
 What About the Third Sentence?
This sentence includes the topic.

Croak, croak, kerplop! What’s that at the water’s edge? It

might be a green frog, a creature that’s well-suited for life at
the pond’s edge. Green frogs like to live where the land meets
the water. This keeps them safe from predators that live on the
land. When a predator like a snake comes near, the green frog
can quickly leap into the water and get away. Green frogs can
eat animals from both places, including crayfish, spiders, fish,
and even birds. It also makes a main point about the topic.
 Topic Sentence
It’s kind of silly that the sentence that states the main idea
is called the topic sentence, but that’s just the way it is.

Croak, croak, kerplop! What’s that at the water’s edge?

It might be a green frog, a creature that’s well-suited for life
at the pond’s edge. Green frogs like to live where the land
meets the water. This keeps them safe from predators that
live on the land. When a predator like a snake comes near,
the green frog can quickly leap into the water and get away.
Green frogs can eat animals from both places, including
crayfish, spiders, fish, and even birds. .
 Finding the Main Idea

To find the main idea, figure out the

topic first. Then, look for a sentence
that states a main point about the topic.
 Let’s Review:
How do I find the main idea?

 Start by finding the topic

 Then, read each sentence in
the paragraph
 Find a sentence that states
the topic and a main point about the
topic
 Main Idea
• Every story or paragraph has a main idea.
• The main idea tells you what the story is about.
• The main idea may be the lesson learned or the
moral of a story.
• The main idea is the most important part of a story
or paragraph.
 Supporting Details
• The supporting details are the things
that describe the main idea.
• These supporting details make the
main idea stronger.
Read the Passage and Choose the Main Idea

Niagara Falls is one of the most beautiful sights in North

America. It is on the Niagara River halfway between
Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. Niagara Falls is located on
the American and Canadian border. The American Falls
is 167 feet high. On the Canadian side, the Horseshoe
Falls is 161 feet high.
 Question

What is the main idea of the

passage?
Remember main idea is what the
story is about.
 Answer

• Main Idea: Niagara Falls is

one of the most beautiful
sights in North America.
 Choose the Main Idea
of this Passage

• The Statue of Liberty is visited by thousands of

people every year. The Statue of Liberty is a
151-foot statue of a woman holding a book
and a torch. It was a gift of friendship from the
people of France. It has become the universal
symbol of freedom.
 Question
• What is the main idea of this
passage?

• What was the passage about?

 Answer

Main Idea:
The Statue of Liberty
Find the Supporting Details in this Passage

• The Erie Canal changed the way people moved goods

in the 1800’s. The 363 mile canal connected Albany,
New York to Lake Erie in Buffalo for the first time.
When the Canal opened in 1825, building supplies
and goods could be transported quickly and cheaply
across New York State. Canal boats pulled by mules
carried people and supplies across New York.
 Question
Main Idea: Lake Erie changed the way people
moved goods.
• What are the supporting details of this
passage?
• Remember supporting details describe the
main idea.
 Answer
• Supporting Details:
• 1-The 363 mile canal connected Albany and New
York for the first time.
• 2-The canal boats pulled by mules carried people and
supplies across New York State.
• 3-The canal made a way for goods to be transported
cheaply and quickly.
 Review
Our stories would not make sense if they did not
include a main idea with supporting details.
You will need to be able to select the main idea
and the supporting details from everything
you read.
 What Have you Learned?

What is the difference between

a topic and a main idea?
 What Have you Learned?

A topic is stated
in a word or phrase.

A main idea includes the topic and

the main point, and is stated in a
sentence..