Young readers explore a nonfiction text for its main idea. They will listen to the book Animal Sight by Kirsten Hall, and then observe as the teacher models a main idea think-aloud. Later, for independent practice, they listen to the...

As your class reaches the end of the book Bullfrog at Magnolia Circle, the seventh lesson in this literary unit helps third graders transition from reading narrative to expository writing. Scholars develop their note-taking skills...

The animal kingdom is full of interesting organisms that have unique ways of surviving. Children read about different insects that have special tools for building homes and protecting themselves. When finished, learners identify the main...

The sixth lesson plan in this Bullfrog at Magnolia Circle unit assesses your third graders' ability to read and understand informational text. The included assessment asks learners to take notes about the main idea and supporting...

Students discuss the main idea of a story.  In this writing process lesson, students use a video about parakeets as a tool to find the main idea of a story.  After viewing the video, they engage in a discussion about...

Third graders read, Fly Traps! Plants that Bite Back. They locate the main idea and supporting details in the pitcher plants section. Then after they have located the information as individuals have them write it down in their reader's...

Throughout history, the growth of big cities has resulted in the destruction of ecosystems. In the case of Chicago, IL, a grassland that was once home to bison, deer, wolves, and foxes quickly became a booming city of over three million...

Are we alone in the universe? This brief informational text on extraterrestrial theory has been split into seven sections to help scholars practice note taking. They read the statements, underlining key words. Then, using the graphic...

Blow your pupils' minds with information about some of the world's most awesome natural occurrences: volcanos. Class members read a short article and respond to included questions. The focus of the resource is on understanding and...

Could the history of bread really be interesting? Yes, it could! An informational text gives scholars wheat production background from 8,000 years ago, discussing different types of bread and the current industry in Oklahoma. Learners...

Students read The Apple Pie Tree and discuss the story and talk about what was living in the tree.  In this life comprehension lesson plan, students write the main idea of the book in a few sentences. 

Combine two skills with the activities included here. Pupils not only practice determining the main idea of short passages, they also use a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the main ideas of the different passages. Start out...

Sure to activate young minds, this resource asks learners to consider how media influences their personal points of view. Pupils examine how animals are portrayed in the media to understand why they feel the way they do about those...

Learners examine the effect of limiting factors, especially when it comes to human beings. They examine data from the Gulf of Maine area.

Finding the central idea is the focus of this lesson. Middle schoolers write descriptions of different animals using details and descriptive language. They watch a video of kids using descriptive language, and then use showing language...

Fourth graders understand the benefits of recycling. In this recycling literacy instructional activity, 4th graders read an article and identify the main idea. Students understand the process of transfer to the landfill and discuss how...

Let’s learn about frogs! Young readers are led through “Freaky Frogs,” a non-fiction article. Teach learners how to edit an article so there are fewer details to sift through. After talking through the article, they learn the six steps...

This is an extensive resource that focuses on the characteristics of life. Scientists read a series of short passages, highlighting main ideas and answering comprehension questions as they go. After they have completed the reading,...

Here’s a reading comprehension assessment that will capture the interest of your learners. Stink bugs and the danger they pose to farmers is the subject of the passage, while the eight questions ask readers to infer, predict, summarize...

Whether you use this reading comprehension worksheet as the basis for a short lesson on comprehension strategies or for additional practice, the passage about tricky octopi is sure to engage the interest of your young scientists. 

Fourth graders comprehend what they are reading. An effective strategy for comprehension is summarization. They single out and explaining the main ideas of a passage. Students find a sentence or rewrite their own that covers...

Third graders read several nonfiction texts and practice finding the main idea for the text as well as learn about various habitats. In this main idea lesson plan, 3rd graders read several nonfiction texts and make habitat cards....

Students identify the main ideas or topics of a lesson or unit using the plus, minus and interesting graphic organizer. In this main idea or topic lesson, students examine the use of the PMI graphic organizer. They describe the item they...

How does wheat go from the seed to the table? While focusing on main ideas and supporting statements, class members read an excerpt about wheat production and complete a worksheet. The end goal is a display that shows the different...