Main idea & details

When you read a story or passage, there is a lot of information to remember. The small pieces of information you read are called details. What the passage (or part of the passage) is mostly about is the main idea/central idea.

Can tell you who, what, where, when, why, how much, or how many. Even one sentence can have a lot of details.

On Monday, when it was cold and windy, it snowed outside.

* Think about what details are in the sentence.

~It was cold on Monday.

~It was windy on Monday.

~When it was cold and windy, it snowed.

~It snowed on Monday.

~It snowed outside.

answers the question "What is this mostly about?" There can only be one main idea.

On Monday, when it was cold and windy, it snowed outside.

*Think about all of the details in the sentence. What is the sentence mostly about?

~The details in the sentence all have to do with weather. They tell you what the weather was like on Monday. The main idea or central idea of the sentence is " What the weather was like on Monday."

A dolphin is a mammal that lives in the water.

Where do dolphins live?

Think about the details in the sentence:

~a dolphin is a mammal

~a dolphin lives in the water

The details tells me that dolphins live in the water.

What type of animal has gills?

Think about the details in the sentence.

~a fish is an animal

~a fish has fins

~a fish has gills

The details tell you that a fish has gills.

What is one example of an animal that is a reptile?

Think about the details in the sentence.

~Some animals are reptiles

~lizards are reptiles

~snakes are reptiles

The details tell you that lizards and snakes are examples of animals that are reptiles.

Below are sentences from the last slide. Read them again and answer the question that follows.