main idea game

Hey, What’s the BIG idea?

Hey, What’s the BIG idea?

A Main Idea and Details ActivityA Main Idea and

Details Activity

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Introducing the Umbrella of Understanding!

Introducing the Umbrella of Understanding!• The umbrella is a metaphor for main idea and details

• The top represents the big idea, in other words, the main idea

• The details go under the umbrella

• The umbrella is a metaphor for main idea and details

• The top represents the big idea, in other words, the main idea

• The details go under the umbrella QuickTime™ and a

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Details are…Details are…

• Items that are part of a larger category

• Narrower• More specific• Examples• Support the main idea

• Items that are part of a larger category

• Narrower• More specific• Examples• Support the main idea

The Main Idea is…The Main Idea is…

• A larger category• Broader• More general• Often the last sentence of the introduction in an informative text

• Often the first or last sentence in an informative paragraph

• A larger category• Broader• More general• Often the last sentence of the introduction in an informative text

• Often the first or last sentence in an informative paragraph

The Topic is… The Topic is…

• Even broader• More general• Can be stated in just a few words

• Often the title contains the topic

• Even broader• More general• Can be stated in just a few words

• Often the title contains the topic

For some people…For some people…• Remembering all the characters and events is easy. It is easy to retell the entire story with all the details, but don’t know the main idea…

• Other people have a hard time remembering specific facts, but remember the overall story or message--the main idea.

Which one are you?Great readers learn to do both---go from specific details to general ideas and topics and back again.

• Remembering all the characters and events is easy. It is easy to retell the entire story with all the details, but don’t know the main idea…

• Other people have a hard time remembering specific facts, but remember the overall story or message--the main idea.

Which one are you?Great readers learn to do both---go from specific details to general ideas and topics and back again.

Try this…Try this…

By far the scariest thing about a dragonfly is it’s name. This double-winged fast-flying insect is totally harmless. It has large, deep eyes that can detect the smallest movements. Its body may be bright blue and red or vivid green. Dragonflies in flight look like dancing spots of color in the light of a summer’s day.

By far the scariest thing about a dragonfly is it’s name. This double-winged fast-flying insect is totally harmless. It has large, deep eyes that can detect the smallest movements. Its body may be bright blue and red or vivid green. Dragonflies in flight look like dancing spots of color in the light of a summer’s day.

What is the topic?What is the topic?

By far the scariest thing about a dragonfly is it’s name. This double-winged fast-flying insect is totally harmless. It has large, deep eyes that can detect the smallest movements. Its body may be bright blue and red or vivid green. Dragonflies in flight look like dancing spots of color in the light of a summer’s day.

By far the scariest thing about a dragonfly is it’s name. This double-winged fast-flying insect is totally harmless. It has large, deep eyes that can detect the smallest movements. Its body may be bright blue and red or vivid green. Dragonflies in flight look like dancing spots of color in the light of a summer’s day.

What is the Main Idea?What is the Main Idea?

By far the scariest thing about a dragonfly is it’s name. This double-winged fast-flying insect is totally harmless. It has large, deep eyes that can detect the smallest movements. Its body may be bright blue and red or vivid green. Dragonflies in flight look like dancing spots of color in the light of a summer’s day.

By far the scariest thing about a dragonfly is it’s name. This double-winged fast-flying insect is totally harmless. It has large, deep eyes that can detect the smallest movements. Its body may be bright blue and red or vivid green. Dragonflies in flight look like dancing spots of color in the light of a summer’s day.

What are some details?What are some details?

By far the scariest thing about a dragonfly is it’s name. This double-winged fast-flying insect is totally harmless. It has large, deep eyes that can detect the smallest movements. Its body may be bright blue and red or vivid green. Dragonflies in flight look like dancing spots of color in the light of a summer’s day.

By far the scariest thing about a dragonfly is it’s name. This double-winged fast-flying insect is totally harmless. It has large, deep eyes that can detect the smallest movements. Its body may be bright blue and red or vivid green. Dragonflies in flight look like dancing spots of color in the light of a summer’s day.

Here is another…Here is another…

A dragonfly goes through several big changes before it becomes a flying insect. From the egg, a tiny creature called a nymph is hatched. It lives in the water, eating other small creatures. Soon it sheds its skin and grows new skin. This molting, or shedding skin continues several times until it becomes full grown. Finally it squeezes its way out of its last skin a full grown dragonfly.

A dragonfly goes through several big changes before it becomes a flying insect. From the egg, a tiny creature called a nymph is hatched. It lives in the water, eating other small creatures. Soon it sheds its skin and grows new skin. This molting, or shedding skin continues several times until it becomes full grown. Finally it squeezes its way out of its last skin a full grown dragonfly.

What is the topic?What is the topic?

A dragonfly goes through several big changes before it becomes a flying insect. From the egg, a tiny creature called a nymph is hatched. It lives in the water, eating other small creatures. Soon it sheds its skin and grows new skin. This molting, or shedding skin continues several times until it becomes full grown. Finally it squeezes its way out of its last skin a full grown dragonfly.

A dragonfly goes through several big changes before it becomes a flying insect. From the egg, a tiny creature called a nymph is hatched. It lives in the water, eating other small creatures. Soon it sheds its skin and grows new skin. This molting, or shedding skin continues several times until it becomes full grown. Finally it squeezes its way out of its last skin a full grown dragonfly.

What is the Main Idea?What is the Main Idea?

A dragonfly goes through several big changes before it becomes a flying insect. From the egg, a tiny creature called a nymph is hatched. It lives in the water, eating other small creatures. Soon it sheds its skin and grows new skin. This molting, or shedding skin continues several times until it becomes full grown. Finally it squeezes its way out of its last skin a full grown dragonfly.

A dragonfly goes through several big changes before it becomes a flying insect. From the egg, a tiny creature called a nymph is hatched. It lives in the water, eating other small creatures. Soon it sheds its skin and grows new skin. This molting, or shedding skin continues several times until it becomes full grown. Finally it squeezes its way out of its last skin a full grown dragonfly.

What are some details?What are some details?

A dragonfly goes through several big changes before it becomes a flying insect. From the egg, a tiny creature called a nymph is hatched. It lives in the water, eating other small creatures. Soon it sheds its skin and grows new skin. This molting, or shedding skin continues several times until it becomes full grown. Finally it squeezes its way out of its last skin a full grown dragonfly.

A dragonfly goes through several big changes before it becomes a flying insect. From the egg, a tiny creature called a nymph is hatched. It lives in the water, eating other small creatures. Soon it sheds its skin and grows new skin. This molting, or shedding skin continues several times until it becomes full grown. Finally it squeezes its way out of its last skin a full grown dragonfly.

The Object of the Game…The Object of the Game…• To figure out the main idea from a group of related details

• To reinforce the fact that the main idea must cover all the details in a selection

• To have fun!

• To figure out the main idea from a group of related details

• To reinforce the fact that the main idea must cover all the details in a selection

• To have fun!

Example..Example..

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

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Reading

Language Arts

Social Studies

Science

Example..Example..

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

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Reading

Language Arts

Social Studies

Science

Example..Example..

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

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Red

Yellow

Blue

Example..Example..

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.The BIG idea is: Primary Colors

Red

Yellow

Blue

Example..Example..

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

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Wilma

Katrina

Andrew

Example..Example..

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

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Wilma

Katrina

Andrew

Example..Example..

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

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Electrons

Neutrons

Protons

Example..Example..

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

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Electrons

Neutrons

Protons

Example..Example..

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

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Puerto Rico

Jamaica

Cuba

Example..Example..

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

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Puerto Rico

Jamaica

Cuba

Example..Example..

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

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Horror

Humor

Fantasy

Romance

Mystery

Example..Example..

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

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Horror

Humor

Fantasy

Romance

Mystery

Example..Example..

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

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Pencil

Marker

Crayon

Pen

Example..Example..

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

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Pencil

Marker

Crayon

Pen

Example..Example..

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

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Context Clues

Main Idea

Reference and research

Comparisons

Example..Example..

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

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Context Clues

Main Idea

Reference and research

Comparisons

Example..Example..

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

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Saturn

Jupiter

Neptune

Uranus

Example..Example..

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

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Saturn

Jupiter

Neptune

Uranus

Example..Example..

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

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Hypothesis

Experiment

Observation

Data

Results

Conclusion

Example..Example..

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

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Hypothesis

Experiment

Observation

Data

Results

Conclusion

Example..Example..

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

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Bandwagon

Emotional appeal

Testimonial

Glittering generality

Example..Example..

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

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Bandwagon

Emotional appeal

Testimonial

Glittering generality

Example..Example..

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

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Narrative

Persuasive

Expository

Analytical

Example..Example..

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

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Narrative

Persuasive

Expository

Analytical

Example..Example..

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

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Word Choice

Organization

Ideas

Sentence fluency

Example..Example..

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

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Word Choice

Organization

Ideas

Sentence fluency

Now you try!Now you try!

• On the game cards provided think of a group of words (details) that fall into the same category and fall under the same main idea umbrella.

• Play with your family---or against another family!

• On the game cards provided think of a group of words (details) that fall into the same category and fall under the same main idea umbrella.

• Play with your family---or against another family!

Remember..Remember..

• The main idea must include all the details!

• The main idea can’t be too big---or too small.

• You can play this main idea game any time any where!

• The main idea must include all the details!

• The main idea can’t be too big---or too small.

• You can play this main idea game any time any where!