What's the Main Idea?
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Subject Area: English Language Arts (B.E.S.T.) | Grade Level: 4
Lesson Length: 15 minutes or less
Keywords/Tags: Main Idea, Central Idea, Supporting Details
Lesson Description: In this lesson, students will learn how to identify the main idea and key details of a passage.

  • ELA.4.R.3.2 Summarize a text to enhance comprehension.
  • ELA.4.R.3.2 b. Include the central idea and relevant details for an informational text. 
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Video : Main Idea
Instructions: Please watch the following video as many times as needed before starting to go through other lesson pages. Understanding the content of the video is very important since the lesson activities will be all about this video content.
Description: Learn how to find the main idea of a passage with espark!
Reading : Main Idea: The Wright Brothers
Instructions: Please read the following article from education.com as many times as needed (aloud and silent) before starting to go through the rest of the lesson pages. Understanding the content of this passage is very important since the following lesson activities will be all about this content. Feel free to print the article if needed.

Main Idea: The Wright Brothers

The Wright brothers are famous because they were inventors.
Beginning at a young age, they built kites, bicycles, and other
machines. That is not why they are famous, though. Orville and
Wilbur Wright were not the first to experiment with building a plane.
They are known for designing and building the first successful airplane.
Their first fight in 1903 only lasted 12 seconds. It is still considered
successful. Now, fying in an airplane is a normal way to travel. We can
thank the Wright Brothers for being creative and brave. They worked
hard to create the firrst successful flying machine.

Description: The main idea of a text tells what the text is mostly about. Supporting details are the sentences that support the main idea.
Quiz : The Wright Brothers Quiz
Instructions: Please complete this quiz by choosing the correct answer for each question. You can take this quiz as many times needed.
Question #1
The main idea of the passage is that The Wright Brothers invented the rst successful airplane.
Question #2
The main idea of the passage is that Airplanes have more than one engine.
Question #3
A key detail in the passage is that Wilbur and Orville Wright liked to explore the world.
Question #4
Another key detail is  that Wilbur and Orville Wright invented machines when they were young.
Question #5
A key detail in the story is their first flight was short, but still a success. 
Description: Use the passage to answer the following questions from education.com.
Resources : Main Idea Extra Practice
Instructions: Please see additional external resources below. Feel free visit each link to learn more about this lesson.
Main Idea Game
A great main idea game.
Main Idea Game
A great main idea game.
Description: Use the links to access various interactive activities for main idea.