Understanding Key Ideas in Informational Texts
Understanding Key Ideas in Informational Texts Objective: Students will learn to identify the main idea and supporting details in an informational text to improve reading comprehension.
Learning Objectives
- Students will be able to identify the main idea in an informational text.
- Students will find supporting details that help explain the main idea.
- Students will practice summarizing what they read using their own words.
Materials Needed
- A short informational text appropriate for 7-year-olds (e.g., a paragraph about animals or weather)
- Paper and pencils
- Highlighters or colored pencils
Key Vocabulary
- Main Idea
- The most important point or message the author wants to share in the text.
- Supporting Details
- Facts or information in the text that explain or prove the main idea.
- Informational Text
- A type of writing that gives facts and information about a topic.
Detailed Activities
Discovering the Main Idea
- Read the provided informational text aloud with your child.
- Ask your child what they think the text is mostly about.
- Discuss and write down one sentence that captures the main idea.
- Highlight or underline sentences that give more information about the main idea.
Supporting Details Hunt
- Together, reread the text and look for facts or details that support the main idea.
- Write down or draw pictures of these supporting details.
- Talk about how each detail helps explain or prove the main idea.
Summarizing the Text
- Ask your child to tell you in their own words what the text was about.
- Help your child write a short summary using the main idea and supporting details.
- Review the summary together and make sure it includes the key points.
Parent & Instructor Notes
- This lesson focuses on helping your child understand what they read by finding the main idea and details.
- Encourage your child to express their thoughts clearly and listen carefully during reading.
- Be patient and provide support as your child practices new skills like summarizing.
Assessment Questions
- What is the main idea of the text we read?
- Can you name two details that support the main idea?
- Can you tell me what the text was about in your own words?
Extension Ideas
- Ask your child to find the main idea and supporting details in a book or article they choose.
- Create a graphic organizer with sections for main idea and supporting details for future reading.
- Encourage your child to write their own short informational text using a clear main idea and details.
Frequently Asked Questions
Try breaking the text into smaller parts and ask questions about each part. Help your child focus on what the author repeats or emphasizes.
Use topics your child loves, such as animals or space, and incorporate drawings or acting out the information to keep them engaged.
Teacher’s Guide
Common Misconceptions:
- Students may confuse the main idea with a detail or a personal opinion.
- Children might focus only on one detail rather than the overall message.
- Some students may struggle to put information into their own words.
Scaffolding Ideas:
For Struggling Students:
- Use shorter texts with clear main ideas.
- Provide sentence starters for summaries.
- Use pictures to help explain details.
For Advanced Students:
- Challenge them to find multiple supporting details and explain their importance.
- Ask them to compare main ideas from two different texts.
- Encourage writing their own informative paragraphs.
Pacing Recommendations:
- Spend about 15 minutes on reading and discussing the text.
- Use 15 minutes for finding and listing supporting details.
- Finish with 15 minutes practicing summarizing and reviewing.
Standards
- 7.RI.1 — Ask and answer questions about key details in a text to demonstrate understanding of the text.
Printable Worksheet
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