Common Core Standard Focus:
Identifying the Central Idea
Lesson Plan by Gail Sherman
Literacy Specialist
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Gail Sherman – Literacy Specialist 2014
Identifying the Central Idea
Stu
den
t G
oal:
The student will identify the central idea in a piece of nonfiction text.
Wa
rm-U
p 1. As students enter the classroom, the teacher will give each student a copy of
the warm-up activity titled, Warm-up: Report This Story! (Student responses to the warm-up activity will vary.)
2. The teacher will review the student responses with the class as part of a whole-class activity.
Voc
ab
ula
ry
3. The teacher will review each of the words below with the students using the graphic organizer titled: Word Collection. (*A vocabulary quiz is included in this lesson plan: page 11.) 1. defector- a person who to deserts a cause, country, etc., especially in order to adopt another 2. smallpox- a highly contagious disease caused by a virus and marked by high fever and the formation
of scar-producing pustules 3. biological weapon- a device that delivers harmful biological agents 4. moral- relating to issues of right and wrong and to how individual people should behave 5. abhorrent- hateful; disgusting 6. seminal- influential; important 7. adversaries- an opponent in a conflict, contest, or debate 8. allies- a person, group, or state that is joined in an association with another or others for a common
purpose 9. contrived- manufactured; false; made-up 10. disaffected- discontented and disloyal, as toward the government or toward authority 11. stratagem- a military tactic or maneuver that is designed to deceive an enemy 12. immunity- a body’s ability to resist a disease; exemption or protection from something unpleasant- 13. inoculate- to inject or introduce a serum, antigen, or a weakened form of a disease-producing
pathogen into the body of a person or animal in order to create immunity to the disease 14. decimate- to kill off or remove a large proportion of a group of people, animals, or things
I Do…
4. The teacher will explain today’s goal to students: for example, the teacher might state, today you are going to learn how to identify the central idea of a piece of nonfiction text.
5. The teacher will model how to find the central idea in a passage: 1) Review the Anchor Chart with students (page 4 of the handouts). 2) Give each student a copy of the article titled: Bouquet’s Blankets. 3) Preview the text with the students by looking at the title, visuals,
and allowing students to make predictions about the passage. 4) Give each student a copy of the the graphic organizer titled:
Identifying the Central Idea. 5) Use the paragraphs 1 and 2 of the passage, Bouquet’s Blankets to
model how to identify the main idea.
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Gail Sherman – Literacy Specialist 2014
We
Do…
6. The teacher will allow students to work with a reading partner to read paragraph 3 of the passage, Bouquet’s Blankets and complete the next part of the Identifying the Central Idea graphic organizer.
You
Do…
7. The teacher will allow students to work individually to read paragraph 4 of the passage, Bouquet’s Blankets and complete the final sections of the Identifying the Central Idea graphic organizer (assignment includes writing a summary of the passage).
Wra
p-u
p 8. The teacher will review the student summaries of the passage as part of a
whole-class activity. 9. If time remains, the teacher will give each student a copy of the Exit Slip titled:
Exit Slip: What do you now know about this topic? to complete working independently.
Ext
end
ed A
ctiv
ity
*As an extended activity for this lesson, the teacher may have students create a Mind Map related to the main events in the passage.
Mind Map Directions:
1. Take a blank piece of paper.
2. Use the paper in landscape orientation.
3. Start in the center.
4. Make a central image that represents the topic.
5. Use at least three colors.
6. Use single words or simple phrases in order to summarize key details and
information. Use symbols and images.
7. Use shapes, circles, and boundaries to connect information.
8. Use arrows to show cause and effect relationships.
9. The completed Mind Map should help explain the key details of the passage you read
through the use of pictures and words.
Mind Map Student Example:
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Gail Sherman – Literacy Specialist 2014
.
When you read an article, you must ask yourself…
What is it they really want me to learn or
know about this person, place, thing, or idea? After you've read an
article, you should be able to summarize it in one sentence. (This is called your
CENTRAL IDEA.) This sentence should include the gist of every idea from
each paragraph. A good way to do this is to imagine you have just 20 words to
tell someone what the passage was about. You'd have to think about the most
important details you have collected from each paragraph, and how these
details come together to help you understand the BIG PICTURE.
The central idea of an article is the main point
or points that the author is trying to tell the
reader about a topic.
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Gail Sherman – Literacy Specialist 2014
Warm-up: Report This Story!
Imagine that you are a reporter and you have been given the assignment to describe the above scene. Include as many of the important elements of a news story as you can (Who? What? When? Where? How? Why?).
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Gail Sherman – Literacy Specialist 2014
Word Formal Definition Synonym or Antonym for
this word:
Visual reminder of this word:
1) defector a person who to deserts a cause, country, etc., especially in order to adopt another
2) smallpox a highly contagious disease caused by a virus and marked by high fever and the formation of scar-producing pustules
3) biological weapon
a device that delivers harmful biological agents
4) moral relating to issues of right and wrong and to how individual people should behave
5) abhorrent hateful; disgusting
6) seminal Influential; important
7) adversaries an opponent in a conflict, contest, or debate
8) allies a person, group, or state that is joined in an association with another or others for a common purpose
9) contrived manufactured; false; made-up
10) disaffected discontented and disloyal, as toward the government or toward authority
11) stratagem a military tactic or maneuver that is designed to deceive an enemy
12) immunity a body's ability to resist a disease; exemption or protection from something unpleasant
13) inoculate to inject or introduce a serum, antigen, or a weakened form of a disease-producing pathogen into the body of a person or animal in order to create immunity to the disease
14) decimate to kill off or remove a large proportion of a group of people, animals, or things
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Gail Sherman – Literacy Specialist 2014
Bouquet's Blankets By Colette Flight
In 1992, a Soviet defector revealed to Western intelligence that he had overseen an extensive,
illegal program to develop smallpox into a highly effective biological weapon.
Britain and the United States were shocked by the revelations. Russia's intent to use biological
weapons, they claimed, was morally abhorrent. But a closer look at the history of biological
weapons shows that Britain and America both played seminal roles in turning lethal diseases
into weapons of war. In fact, Britain was probably the first nation to come up with the idea of
using smallpox to kill its adversaries.
Britain was probably the first nation to come up with the idea of using smallpox to kill its
adversaries.
In the 18th century, the British fought France and its Indian allies for possession of what was to
become Canada during the French and Indian Wars (1754-63). At the time of the Pontiac
rebellion in 1763, Sir Jeffrey Amherst, the Commander-in-Chief of the British forces in North
America, wrote to Colonel Henry Bouquet: 'Could it not be contrived to send smallpox among
these disaffected tribes of Indians? We must use every stratagem in our power to reduce
them.' The colonel replied: 'I will try to inoculate the [Native American tribe] with some
blankets that may fall in their hands, and take care not to get the disease myself.' Smallpox
decimated the Native Americans, who had never been exposed to the disease before and had
no immunity.
It has been alleged that smallpox was also used as a weapon during the American Revolutionary
War (1775-83). During the winter of 1775-76, American forces were attempting to free Quebec
from British control. After capturing Montreal, it looked as if they might succeed. But in
December 1775, the British fort commander reportedly had civilians immunized against the
disease and then deliberately sent out to infect the American troops. A few weeks later a major
smallpox epidemic broke out in the American ranks, affecting about half of the 10,000 soldiers.
They retreated in chaos after burying their dead in mass graves.
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Gail Sherman – Literacy Specialist 2014
Identifying the Central Idea
Name: __________________________________ Date: ___________________ Per. _______
Topic:
Details: (Who or what is the topic of this paragraph?)
(What about this who or what?)
Details: (Who or what is the topic of this paragraph?)
(What about this who or what?)
Details: (Who or what is the topic of this paragraph?)
(What about this who or what?)
Details: (Who or what is the topic of this paragraph?)
(What about this who or what?)
Based on these details, the author wants me to know that (20 words or less)…
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Gail Sherman – Literacy Specialist 2014
Exit Slip: What do you now know about this topic?
Imagine that you are a reporter and you have been given the assignment to describe the above scene. Include as many of the important elements of a news story as you can (Who? What? When? Where? How? Why?).
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Gail Sherman – Literacy Specialist 2014
Vocabulary Quiz: Bouquet’s Blankets
Directions: Complete each sentence below by selecting the correct word from the word bank.
1. Steve and Kim became _________________________________ after discovering that if they
worked together they could both get the results they wanted.
2. Everyone on the team thought that he was a ____________________________ because he left
our team to go and play on theirs.
3. The scientists worried that the building project would _____________________________ the
fragile wetland wilderness.
4. Did she actually care about the book club book, or was it simply a
________________________________ way to get to come along on the monthly fieldtrips?
5. The yearly science project was a _______________________________ requirement for passing
the class; therefore I spent several months working to complete it.
6. Their _____________________________ was really just a clever trick intended to deceive us all.
7. The vaccination would aid almost everyone by helping them develop
________________________________ against the deadly disease.
8. I find it totally ___________________________ when I hear about the cruelty and neglect
inflicted on some animals.
9. Although they were normally __________________________________, they put their differences
aside and performed together at the fundraiser.
10. He set off to the western region of the land to help contain the thousands of
__________________________ tribes who had become displeased with their government.
11. It isn't violating any _______________________ code if you ask a person’s permission
before using their belongings.
12. Believe it or not, viruses such as smallpox were once used as ___________________ to
help countries destroy their enemies.
13. If you ________________________ someone, you try to make him immune to a disease by
injecting a little dose of it, so his body can make antibodies to fight it off.
14. ________________________ is a disease caused by a major virus.
defector smallpox biological weapons moral abhorrent seminal adversaries allies contrived disaffected stratagem immunity inoculate decimate
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Gail Sherman – Literacy Specialist 2014
Teacher Key: Identifying the Central Idea
Note: Student answers may vary, but should include these general ideas from the passage.
Topic: Bouquet’s Blankets
Details: (Who or what is the topic of this paragraph?) Soviet defector
(What about this who or what?) A Soviet defector revealed that he had overseen the development of a biological weapon, smallpox.
Details: (Who or what is the topic of this paragraph?) Britain and the United States
(What about this who or what?) They were shocked, but they themselves had used biological weapons against their enemies.
Details: (Who or what is the topic of this paragraph?) Sir Jeffrey Amherst and Colonel Henry Bouquet
(What about this who or what?) Planned to infect the disaffected Native American tribes with smallpox by using infected blankets.
Details: (Who or what is the topic of this paragraph?) American forces and British fort commander
(What about this who or what?) Deliberately infected American troops with smallpox in order to prevent the American forces from freeing Quebec from British Control.
Based on these details, the author wants me to know that (20 words or less)…
Britain and the U.S. were shocked by Russia’s plan to use biological weapons,
however, both did so in the past.
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Gail Sherman – Literacy Specialist 2014
Key -Vocabulary Quiz: Bouquet’s Blankets
1. Steve and Kim became allies after discovering that if they worked together they
could both get the results they wanted.
2. Everyone on the team thought that he was a defector because he left our team
to go and play on theirs.
3. The scientists worried that the building project would decimate the fragile
wetland wilderness.
4. Did she actually care about the book club book, or was it a contrived way to get
to come along on the monthly fieldtrips? 5. The yearly science project was a seminal requirement for passing the class;
therefore I spent several months working to complete it.
6. Their stratagem was really just a clever trick intended to deceive us all.
7. The vaccination would aid almost everyone by helping them develop immunity
against the deadly disease.
8. I find it totally abhorrent when I hear about the cruelty and neglect inflicted on
some animals.
9. Although they were normally adversaries, they put their differences aside and
performed together at the fundraiser.
10. He set off to the western region of the land to help contain the thousands of
disaffected tribes who had become displeased with their government.
11. It isn't violating any moral code if you ask a person’s permission before using their
belongings.
12. Believe it or not, viruses such as smallpox were once used as biological weapons to
help countries destroy their enemies.
13. If you inoculate someone, you try to make him immune to a disease by injecting a
little dose of it, so his body can make antibodies to fight it off.
14. Smallpox is a disease caused by a major virus.