Finding the Main Idea

Grade 8

What is the Main Idea?

The main idea = what the writer wants the reader to understand about the subject.

The main idea of a passage or reading is the central thought or message.

The main idea is always general, details are always specific.

Why is Finding the Main Idea Important?• Main ideas help the reader remember important information.

• Finding the main idea is the essence of comprehension.

• Readers need to understand what is important and what is detail.

• The main idea is needed for summarizing and for taking notes.

Finding the Main Idea

• First, identify the subject of the text. Try locating the subject in any of these places:

– The title– A heading or subheading– The first sentence of each paragraph– Any key words or repeated words or names– The last sentence of each paragraph

Finding the Main Idea

• Second, decide what the author says about the subject.

– Look at the details and what they say about the subject.

– Decide what all these details add up to.

Finding the Main Idea

• Third, use the Main Idea Graphic Organizer to …

– Help you sort the subject from the main idea

– List specific details – Determine the main idea

Subject

What the author says about the subject

Main Idea

Detail 1 Detail 2 Detail 3 Detail 4

Main Idea Graphic Organizer

Find the Main Idea

The Battle of GettysburgJuly 1 – 3, 1863

On July 1, Southern General Henry Heth took hisdivision into Gettysburg to retrieve a reported store ofshoes for his men. Just west of town he met with aNorthern brigade. For two hours these forces foughtand throughout the day, more and more Union andConfederate divisions joined the fight until Uniontroops retreated from Gettysburg to rally on Cemeteryand Culp’s Hills. Neither side had planned to fight atGettysburg, but this unintended meeting had sparkedone of the decisive battles of the war.

The Battle of GettysburgJuly 1 – 3, 1863

On July 1, Southern General Henry Heth tookhis division into Gettysburg to retrieve a reportedstore of shoes for his men. Just west of town hemet with a Northern brigade. For two hours theseforces fought and throughout the day, more andmore Union and Confederate divisions joined thefight until Union troops retreated fromGettysburg to rally on Cemetery and Culp’sHills. Neither side had planned to fight atGettysburg, but this unintended meeting hadsparked one of the decisive battles of the war.

Heading

Subheading

First sentence

Last sentence

Repeated words

Key words and names

Finding the Main Idea --- Looking at Details

• The first sentence tells …– why a Southern general went to

Gettysburg• The second sentence tells …

– he met a Northern brigade• The third sentence tells…

– that more divisions on both sides joined the battle and the Union troops retreated

• The last sentence tells …– that this meeting set off a major battle

Main Idea Formula

Once you’ve discovered the subject you can determine the main idea.

Subject+ What the author says about the subject

= Main idea

Finding the Main IdeaSubject

+What the author says about the subject

=Main idea

How the battle of Gettysburg began

+

•a Southern general went to Gettysburg

•he met a Northern brigade

•more divisions on both sides joined the battle and that Union troops retreated

•this meeting set off a major battle

General Heth took his division to Gettysburg to retrieve shoes for his men.The main idea in this paragraph was EXPLICITLY stated in the first

sentence.

Florida Flashbacks by Gary Peterson

As the canoe sliced through the black water, an alligatorslipped from its perch atop a submerged log anddisappeared beneath the surface. Off to the right, agreen heron stalked its prey from the shore as slivers ofsunshine shone through the canopy of Spanish mossand cypress. This was a glimpse of what Florida wasbefore the rise of Mickey, Miami, and millions of tourists.

Florida Flashbacks by Gary Peterson

As the canoe sliced through the black water,an alligator slipped from its perch atop asubmerged log and disappeared beneath thesurface. Off to the right, a green heronstalked its prey from the shore as slivers ofsunshine shone through the canopy ofSpanish moss and cypress. This was aglimpse of what Florida was before the rise ofMickey, Miami, and millions of tourists.

Heading / title

First sentence

Last sentence

Key words

Finding the Main Idea --- Looking at Details

• The first sentence illustrates …

– how the canoe moved through the dark water and an alligator was beneath the surface

Finding the Main Idea --- Looking at Details

• The first sentence illustrates …– how the canoe moved through the dark water and an

alligator was beneath the surface

• The second sentence illustrates …– how a heron stalked its prey from the

shore under the canopy of moss and cypress

Finding the Main Idea --- Looking at Details

• The first sentence illustrates …– how the canoe moved through the dark water and an

alligator was beneath the surface• The second sentence illustrates …

– how a heron stalked its prey from the shore under the canopy of moss and cypress

• The last sentence tells …– what Florida was like before modern

times

Finding the Main Idea

Subject+What the

author says about the subject

=Main idea

Looking back at Florida

+

•how the canoe moved through the dark water and an alligator was beneath the surface

•how a heron stalked its prey from the shore under the canopy of moss and cypress

•what Florida was like before modern times

being able to see what Florida was like before it was modernized and had millions of touristsThe main idea in this paragraph was EXPLICITLY stated in the last

sentence.

Labor Struggles for ReformImagine that you were a coal miner in Schuylkill County,

Pennsylvania. Poverty probably forced you to quit school as aboy and join your father in the deep pits of the anthracite minesnearby. Here you lived your life in darkness, for you rose beforethe sun each morning and spend your day in the blacknessbeneath the earth. You earned little for your labor, becausethere was no minimum wage and no recognized voice to representthe interests of the miners. Although you lived with the threat ofgas explosions, cave-ins, and death, your employers took noresponsibility for working conditions in the mines. In the GildedAge, labor unions struggled to improve your life and the lives ofother miners.

Labor Struggles for Reform

Imagine that you were a coal miner in Schuylkill County,Pennsylvania. Poverty probably forced you to quitschool as a boy and join your father in the deep pits ofthe anthracite mines nearby. Here you lived your life indarkness, for you rose before the sun each morning andspend your day in the blackness beneath the earth. Youearned little for your labor, because there was nominimum wage and no recognized voice to represent theinterests of the miners. Although you lived with thethreat of gas explosions, cave-ins, and death, youremployers took no responsibility for working conditionsin the mines. In the Gilded Age, labor unions struggledto improve your life and the lives of other miners.

First sentence

Last sentence

Title

Repeated words

Key words

Finding the Main Idea

Subject+What the author

says about the subject

=Main idea

The life of a coal miner+• You had to quit school as a

boy• You worked long days in

darkness• You earned little money• Although the work was

dangerous, your employer was not responsible for working conditions

Because of working conditions incoal mines, labor reform was

badlyneeded

The main idea in this paragraph is an IMPLIED main idea. You must INFER the most important idea.