Lesson: Main Idea: Finding the Main Idea

Point:  Readers think about what the author has taught them in each section and use that information to tell what the text is all about. This is the main idea.

Connection: Yesterday, you learned that readers use the conclusion or the final section to figure out what the author is trying to teach them. Today, you learn how to figure out the main idea of a non-fiction book.

Teaching: Watch how I use headings and what I learned from each section to find out the main idea of “How Do Animals Adapt?” I learned that animals sometimes change their bodies by themselves in order to find food.  Animals also travel and change where they live to stay in a place where they are comfortable (temperature). Here is the main idea of How Do Animals Adapt? Animals change their bodies and how they live in order to find food, take care of their young, and protect themselves from predators.

Did you notice how I used the titles of each section to find the main idea?

Did you notice how I thought carefully about the what I had learned from the whole book?

Active Engagement: Show Supercroc.  Turn and talk to your partner about the main idea of Supercroc.

Link:  When you read non-fiction, you need to stop and think about the main idea of the book.  When you off today, you need to find the main idea and write it on a post-it note. 

Share:  Who can raise their hand and share their post-it note?