Introduction
Welcome: Finding the Main Idea!
Description: This webquest will take students through a journey as detectives. They will learn how to find the main idea and supporting details of a passage. The webquest ends with an assignment in which students identify the main idea and supporting details of their chosen independent reading books that can be made into a class bulletin board.
Grade Level: 3-5
Curriculum: English Language
Welcome Detectives!
This week, we will be learning how to INVESTIGATE when reading to find the
MAIN IDEA
and
SUPPORTING DETAILS
Do you ever read something and wonder..."Hmm?! What was the point of all this?"
Well, with the investigative skills you are going to learn this week you will become an Expert Reading Investigator.
You might wonder, why is the main idea important. Why do you need to be able to find supporting details?
Identifying the main idea of a story will help you understand what the story is really about and why the author wrote it. When you are finding the main idea and supporting details of a story you are investigating to understand what the author wanted you to learn from it.
So, grab your notepad and detective hat and get ready to investigate!
Task
This week we will be doing different activities and games while we learn about the main idea of a story! At the beginning of the week we will go to the library and you will pick out a book on your level. You will be reading the book during our independent reading time and you will identify the main idea and supporting details of the story. You will have a worksheet to finish and we will make a class bulletin board from your final worksheet!
Process
Day 1: The Main Idea
1. Click on this link to watch this fun video about finding the main idea!
2. Click here to play a game to practice finding the main idea!
3. We will take turns going to the library to pick out our books for independent reading. Remember, this book must be on your level.
4. Continue practicing finding the main idea right here.
Day 2: Supporting Details
1. Watch this video to learn more about finding the supporting details of a main idea.
2. Play this fun game and see if you can "build" a main idea and supporting details burger!
Students must have a score of 10.
3. You will complete the carnival worksheet the teacher has handed out about finding the main idea and supporting details.
Day 3: Ice Cream Cone Project
1. The class will have independent reading time so you can all read your chosen books.
2. When you have finished reading the story you will print out the worksheet below and write down the main idea and three supporting details from your story.
3. When you have finished the worksheet turn it in to the teacher. The teacher will grade it and cut it out and the class will put it on our bulletin board!
4. When you are finished you may play some of the other games below to keep practicing!
Other Main Idea Games and Practice:
Storm Main Idea Game
Main Idea Practice
Main Idea Millionaire
Ice Cream Cone Main Ideas Worksheet
Directions: After reading your chosen book you will write a sentence describing the main idea of the book on the ice cream cone. You will then put a supporting detail on each scoop of ice cream. Make sure you write full sentences. We will then cut out each piece to put together on our bulletin board!
Title of book:...................................................................
Name.............................................................................
Evaluation
Reading - Analyzing Information : Finding the Main Idea and Supporting Details
| CATEGORY | 4- Great! | 3-Good | 2- Needs Work. | 1- Unsatisfactory |
| Reads Chosen Story Independently | Reads story independently with little to no help. | Reads story independently with minimal help. | Reads story independently with frequent help. | Does not read story independently |
| Understood the Main Idea | Had a strong understanding of what the main idea of the story was. | Had minimal trouble identifying the main idea of the story. | Attempted, but did not grasp the main idea of the story. | Did not attempt to identify the main idea of the story. |
| Understood Supporting Details | Correctly identified 3 supporting details of the story. | Correctly identified 2 supporting details of the story. | Correctly identified 1 supporting detail of the story. | Did not identify the supporting details of the story. |
| Used Correct Grammar | Grammar in sentences were 100% accurate. | Grammar in sentences were 80% accurate or higher. | Grammar in sentences were 60% accurate or higher. | Grammar in sentences were below 60% accurate. |
| On Task | Student stayed on task for the entirety of the class time with minimal redirection | Student stayed on task for the majority of the class time with some redirection necessary. | Student had trouble staying on task during class time. | Student did not stay on task. |
Conclusion
Great Job Detectives!
You have worked hard and learned all about finding the main idea and supporting details in passages and have become Expert Reading Investigators!
In the future, when you read anything, you will be able to easily see what the main idea is and find supporting details.
CONGRATULATIONS!!
Teacher Page
This webquest will help teach students about finding the main idea and supporting details when reading passages
Links to standards: