Reading comprehension requires numerous thinking skills. One of these important skills is identifying the main idea and details. Students who are able to identify the main idea and supporting details are able to increase their comprehension and get a better understanding of what is being communicated.
Mastering how to identify the main idea and details is one of, if not the hardest concept for students to master in reading. Therefore, it makes it one of the most complicated units of reading to teach. I have found that in order for students to grasp the concept, multiple strategies and scaffolding need to be used.
How to Introduce Main Idea and Details
One of the first things I do when teaching main idea and details is show students videos that introduce the concept in a very kid friendly way. I have provided a link to some of these resources below. Please note that some of these require a membership, while others are free.
Both Brainpop Jr. and Flocabulary require memberships. I use both constantly in my classroom. I use both Flocabulary and Brainpopjr because I find them super beneficial and helpful when introducing a new topic. Plus my students love Moby!
Circle Maps and Sorts for Main Idea
The next step after video introduction is for students to identify the main idea using picture clues. When thinking of scaffolding your lessons from easy to more difficult, using pictures is one of the easiest ways to start. For this activity I display each circle map one at a time. We discuss the difference between a topic and a main idea. Then as a group we work together to find the topic and main idea for each circle map. Use my FREEBIE on TpT for this activity!
I typically use the cut and sort on day 2. Cut out the strips of paper. Read the slips together and determine which sentence is the main idea. Talk about how the other sentences are the details. You could scaffold this even more by doing some together and some with a partner or independently. Use the graphic organizer to go with the sentences strips if you want an extension or to use to assess. This is also part of my FREEBIE on TpT.
Moving to Text with Main Idea
After introducing main idea through videos, pictures, and short sentences, I like to move onto books. Here are some of my favorite main idea texts and activities to go with each!
Who Has These Feet?
Click the picture for TpT resource
An Egg is Quiet
Click the picture for TpT resource
Here to There and Me to You
Click the picture for TpT resource
Ivan: The Remarkable True Story of the Shopping Mall Gorilla
Click the picture for TpT resource
Get the bundle of all these resources here.
Conclusion
I hope these resources help you to teach this difficult reading skill in your classroom!
Need ideas for how to teach cause and effect? View my blog post here.
