Main Ideas & Supporting Details

What is a “Main Idea?”

The main idea of a paragraph is what all the sentences are about.

What are Supporting Details?

Supporting details help you to better understand the main idea.

Supporting details answer the questions of

who, what, when and where.

Reindeer can run faster than

bears. They can run 50

miles per hour. That is the

same speed as some cars on the highway!

Reindeer can run faster than

bears.

They can run 50 miles per hour. That is the same speed as some

cars on the highway!

Reindeer have special feet, too. Their feet change with the seasons! In cold weather, reindeer use the sharp edges on their hooves to travel on snow

and ice.

Reindeer have special feet, too.

Their feet change with the

seasons! In cold weather,

reindeer use the sharp edges on their hooves to travel on snow

and ice.

Reindeer stick together in large

groups called herds. Herds can

be huge with more than 50,000

reindeer! The herds travel long

distances.

Reindeer stick together in large

groups called herds.

Herds can be huge with more than

50,000 reindeer! The herds travel

long distances.

Why do we need supporting details when we are reading a story?

Supporting details help you get a better picture

of the story.

They give you more information.

This information helps you understand what you

are reading.