1. Main Idea

2. My Learning Scale
4 Wow! I totally get how to identify the main idea of a
passage! Do you need a teaching break, Ms. Kibbey? I can
totally take over for you!
3 Okay, okay! I’ve got this! I’m almost an expert at identifying the main
idea of a passage… but you can handle the teaching, Ms. Kibbey.
2 Hmmmm… I’m still a little uneasy about identifying the main idea.
Could you or my partner help me please, Ms. Kibbey?
1 I’ll be honest, I’m having a really difficult time identifying the main
idea. Could you please re-teach me what a main idea is, Ms. Kibbey?
0 I have no clue what you are talking about, Ms. Kibbey. Please
enlighten me?

3. What is the main idea?
The main idea is the point of the passage without all
of the details. The BIG picture.
Detail
Detail Detail
Main
Idea

4. How do I find the main idea?
BEFORE Reading: Look at the title
Look at the text features
What will this be about?
DURING Reading: Repeated words, ideas, and
information
AFTER Reading: What is the most important
information or thought about the
topic?

5. Stated Main Idea vs. Implied Main Idea
 What is a stated main idea?
 A stated main idea is written directly in the text.
 What is an implied main idea?
 A main idea that is not directly written in the text so the reader
has to infer what it is.

6. How can I find a stated main idea?
 Read the passage of text
 Ask this question to yourself: "What is this passage
about?"
 In your own words, explain the answer in one short
sentence.
 Look for a sentence in the text that most closely fits
with your summary.

7. How can I find the implied main idea?
 Read the passage of text
 Ask this question to yourself: "What do each of the
details of the passage have in common?"
 In your own words, find the common bond among all
the details of the passage and the author's point
about this bond.
 Compose a short sentence stating the bond and what
the author says about the bond.

8. Main Idea Mistakes
Mistake 1: Choosing an answer that is too narrow.
(only uses part of the information from the passage)
Mistake 2: Choosing an answer that is too broad.
(goes beyond the information from passage)
Mistake 3: Choosing an answer that is wordy, but the
opposite.

9. My Learning Scale
4 Wow! I totally get how to identify the main idea of a
passage! Do you need a teaching break, Ms. Kibbey? I can
totally take over for you!
3 Okay, okay! I’ve got this! I’m almost an expert at identifying the main
idea of a passage… but you can handle the teaching, Ms. Kibbey.
2 Hmmmm… I’m still a little uneasy about identifying the main idea.
Could you or my partner help me please, Ms. Kibbey?
1 I’ll be honest, I’m having a really difficult time identifying the main
idea. Could you please re-teach me what a main idea is, Ms. Kibbey?
0 I have no clue what you are talking about, Ms. Kibbey. Please
enlighten me?

10. Sources
 http://testprep.about.com/od/readingtesttips/a/Im
plied-Main-Idea.htm