Comprehension StrategiesFor successful completion of the Keystone exam.

Main Idea Skills• The ability to identify and state main idea is necessary in order

to take notes or generate a summary.• Main Idea Terms To Know:• Getting the Gist – identify the who or the what and in 10 words

or less tell the most important information about the who or the what. (Do this for each paragraph)

• Chunking – organizing separate ideas into similar groups• Theme – the moral, parable, or lesson about life and human

behavior• Topic – something broadly stated in one or two words• Main Idea – stated in a sentence• Topic Sentence– tells what the main idea is in the reading

To find a main idea:• Identify the details - break the reading down by paragraphs

and Get the Gist• Compare the details to determine what they have in common.• Use your own words to paraphrase what they have in

common.• Use Chunking to create a Topic-Down Web

To Get the Gist:• 1). Name the “who” or the “what.”• 2). Tell the most important information about the “who” or

the “what.”• 3). Say it in 10 words or less.

Example: Classifying Triangles• 1). By Angles• 2). Acute triangles• 3). All triangles are acute and measure less than 90 degrees.

• 1.) By Sides• 2.) Scalene• 3.) If the sides are scalene, no two are the same.

Techniques for finding the main idea:

• Use a Topic Down Web

MAIN TOPIC

MAJOR TOPIC

MAJOR TOPIC

MAJOR TOPIC

SUB-TOPIC

SUB-TOPIC

SUB-TOPIC

SUB-TOPIC

SUB-TOPIC

SUB-TOPIC

Example:• Topic Down Web for triangles

Triangles

Classifying Triangles

Congruent Triangles

Angles of Triangles

By angles By sides Corresponding parts

Identifying congruence

transformations

Angle of Sum

Theorem

External angle

theorem

Let’s Practice – Task #1• Article: Schools Dangle Carrot Snacks, but It’s a Tough Sale

Written By: Winnie Hu• Your Task:• Read the article on your own one time. Do not take notes, do not

look for big ideas, just read it.

Article link: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/04/education/04vending.html?pagewanted=all

Task #2• Reread the article. This time Get the Gist. Identify the who

and the what for each main paragraph. (You can chuck smaller paragraphs together)

• Get the Gist• 1). Name the “who” or the “what.”• 2). Tell the most important information about the “who” or

the “what.”• 3). Say it in 10 words or less.

Get the Gist -- What did you find?

• 1)• 2)• 3)

• 1)• 2)• 3)

• 1)• 2)• 3)

Now, using your Gist information, create a Topic-Down Web for the article.

MAIN TOPIC

MAJOR TOPIC

MAJOR TOPIC

MAJOR TOPIC

SUB-TOPIC

SUB-TOPIC

SUB-TOPIC

SUB-TOPIC

SUB-TOPIC

SUB-TOPIC

Now that I’ve got the information, how do I write a summary?• 1) Read the material and identify the main ideas. Distinguish

the main ideas from the details.• 2) Write the main ideas in phrase form.• 3) Begin the summary with an introductory statement.• 4) Turn the main ideas into sentences, occasionally including

details with it is necessary to convey the main idea.• 5) Combine the sentences into one or more paragraphs.• 6) Use transition words to connect the sentences and the

paragraphs.• 7) Proofread the summary for punctuation, spelling, sentence

structure, and content.

Using this same article, let’s prepare to write a summary of the main idea(s).• 1) List the main ideas in phrase form.• • • • • • • •

Write an introductory sentence that states the topic of the summary.• Let’s practice.• 1)

• 2)

• 3)

Take the main ideas and turn them into complete sentences.• 1) Put your opening sentence here.• 2)• 3)• 4)• 5)• 6)• 7)• 8) Restate your opening sentence to conclude your thoughts.

Transition Words• Looking at the sentences you wrote, choose transition words

that successfully connect the ideas and allow your ideas to flow together.

Proofread• Reread your summary several times. Check for:• Spelling errors• Grammar mistakes• Missing words• Did you remember punctuation?• Does your summary make sense?