Main Idea
Videos
Activities
Main Idea - Mini Lesson and Activities
Determining the main idea is a foundational skill for all students. This lesson will help students learn how to write a main idea statement and how to differentiate the main idea from topic, a detail from the text, and theme. The scaffolded activities will guide your students in the understanding of main idea and how to write their own main idea statement based on a passage.
This Product Includes:
Google Slides Mini Lesson: 14 slides that explain the main idea, how to write a main idea statement, and how to differentiate the main idea from topic, details, and the theme.
Fill in the Blank Notes: Students can follow along with the lesson using this template.
Student Notes Sheet: Students use the Frayer Model to take notes on the information in the slides.
3 Activities: 3 Interactive practice activities that will guide students in their understanding of the main idea.
Instructional Video: Video where I walk students through the slides and help them gain an understanding of how to find the main idea.
Download Includes:
Link to a Google Slides Download (Notes and Student Notes Sheet)
Link to a YouTube Instructional Video
PDF Versions
Teacher Instructions
Main Idea: The Quest Activity Pack
ELA Unlimited Exclusive
You have done a great job teaching main idea and your students have completed the mini lesson and activities. Now it’s time for students to practice their main idea skills.
The Quests:
Quest 1: Students will sort characteristics and examples of main idea, theme, and topic into a chart. This is a drag and drop activity.
Quest 2: Students will read a short passage and determine the main idea and theme. They will analyze the differences between the two.
Quest 3: Students will analyze the lyrics of a song and complete a main idea graphic organizer.
Quest 4: Students will read an excerpt from Elijah of Buxton and complete a main idea graphic organizer.
Quest 5: Students will read an excerpt from The Unteachables and write their own main idea multiple choice questions.
Download Includes:
Link to a Google Slides Download
Link to excerpts
Formatted PDF Versions
Teacher Instructions
Main Idea Graphic Organizer
Use this graphic organizer to help students develop their understanding of main idea. Students will pick out three details from the text that support the main idea. This graphic organizer can be used with a story or passage of your choice.
Objective Summary
Activities
Objective Summary Mini Lesson
This RL 2 standard is a heavy one, isn't it? Theme, central idea, and objective summary. Where students have been doing theme and central idea for several years, I have found a lot of my middle school students have no idea what an objective summary is. This mini lesson helps to introduce the concept and give them some practice with identifying and writing an objective summary.
The Product Includes:
1. Google Slides Presentation: 10 creative and colorful slides that will help your students understand the basics of objective summary.
2. Vocabulary and Definitions: Introduces and explains - Objective, Summary, Opinion, and Judgement. It gives the students a three step process for writing an objective summary and there is also a Quizizz vocabulary practice embedded into the slides!
3. Fill in the Blank Notes: Students can easily follow along with the lesson using this template!
3. Whole Class Practice Article: Analyze the song “Travelin' Soldier” together. As a class, write a non-objective summary and an objective summary. This activity helps students start to understand what an objective summary is.
Download Includes:
Link to a Google Slides Download (Notes and Student Notes Sheet)
Link to a YouTube Instructional Video
Formatted PDF Versions
Teacher Instructions
Objective Summary Activity Quest Pack
These engaging and creative quests can be used independently or with a partner. Students will read the original short story, “The Princess and the Pea: A Modern Fairy Tale,” and follow the quest activities. Quest activities can be completed digitally on the google slides or on paper.
Quest 1: Identify characters, their traits, and write your opinion.
Quest 2: Determine the important events of the story.
Quest 3: Analyze an incorrect objective summary.
Quest 4: Write an objective summary of the short story.
Quest 5: Write a multiple choice question about objective summary.
Download Includes:
Link to a Google Slides Download
Short Story-The Princess and the Pea: A Modern Fairy Tale
Formatted PDF Versions
Teacher Instructions
Objective Summary GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
Use this graphic organizer to help students develop their understanding of central idea.
Students will list the setting, characters, main events, and resolution and then put it together for an objective summary statement.
This graphic organizer can be used with a story or passage of your choice.
Theme
Activities
Theme Mini Lesson: Notes and Activities
Your students have probably been studying theme since 1st grade. By the time they get to middle school, they need to dive a little deeper into this concept. This lesson will review theme and help students further explore this topic.
This Download Includes:
Google Slides Notes: 9 creative and colorful slides that cover theme, 3 steps to identify theme, and how theme relates to plot.
Fill in the Blank Notes: Help your students follow along with the lesson with this template!
Quizizz Practice: Review the notes with an engaging Quizizz review.
Whole Class Activity: Watch a short film and apply the 3 steps in order to identify the theme of the movie.
Instructional Video of the notes to guide students in understanding.
Theme Quest Pack
Provide your students with the opportunity to practice determining the theme with these 5 quests!
For each quest, students will:
Read a short passage and determine the theme.
Relate each theme to their life.
Write their own short passage that has the same theme.
Download Includes:
Link to a Google Slides Download
Link to excerpts
Formatted PDF Versions
Teacher Instructions