Main Idea 3rd Grade Unit

Lessons & Units

Main Idea 3rd Grade Unit

Lessons

Lesson 1: First and Last Sentences (Individual Paragraph) Identify the main idea of a paragraph using the first or last sentence.

Lesson 2: First and Last Sentences (Passage) Identify the main idea of a passage using the first or last sentence of each paragraph.

Lesson 3: Identifying a Title for a Passage Based on the Main Idea Use the main idea of a passage to create a title for the passage.

Unit Extension Ideas

Have students identify the main idea of a fiction chapter using the title.
Have students create a new title for a chapter, based on the main idea of the paragraphs.
Copy paragraphs or sections from a book and have students identify their main idea and create a title or heading for each paragraph or section.
Provide students with a short story or passage. Have students work in groups. Each student can determine the main idea of one paragraph. Then, each group member can work together to determine the main idea of the passage.
Have students complete a Main Idea graphic organizer. They should provide details of a paragraph or passage that supports the main idea. They can use the details to determine the main idea. (See Additional Activity: A.)
Have students create titles for their stories that reflect the main idea of the story.
Have students share their writing with a partner and have the partner identify the main idea of each paragraph (using the first and last sentence), the main idea of the story, and a title for the story.
In nonfiction writing, have students create headings for sections that reflect the main idea of that section. Have students explain how they created the title for the entire piece of writing based on the headings.
Challenge students to vary main idea sentences between the first and the last of sentences of their paragraphs.
Have students read a Concepts of Comprehension Passage and write a paragraph explaining whether they think the title is appropriate. Students should provide evidence to support their idea.
Copy part of a science or social studies textbook. Have students write the title or main idea of a paragraph or section of a chapter. Have them record the sentences in the paragraph that help them identify the main idea.
Continue to have students read Concepts of Comprehension Passages. They may determine the main idea of each paragraph and highlight details that support that main idea. Cover the title of the passage and have students create a title for the passage based on the main idea.

Teacher and Student Materials Get All

More Books for Teaching Main Idea

The Discovery of the Americas

Fountas and Pinnell: S
Lexile: 1110L

Copy sections of the book for students to read. After students read the section, have them identify the main idea and create a heading for the section.

What's the Big Idea, Ben Franklin?

Fountas and Pinnell: O
Lexile: 830L

Have students create a new title of the book based on the main idea.

Wild Weather: Blizzards!

Fountas and Pinnell: M
Lexile: 610L

Copy a chapter of the book for students to read. Then have them write a paragraph explaining whether they think the title of the chapter is appropriate. They should provide text evidence to support their opinion.

Bugs and Other Insects

Fountas and Pinnell: O
Lexile: 580L

Copy a section of the book for students to read. Then have them add details to the section that support the main idea.

Volcanoes and Other Natural Disasters

Fountas and Pinnell: R
Lexile: 830L

Have students create a new title for a chapter based on the main idea.

Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World's Fastest Woman

Fountas and Pinnell: Q

Have students identify the main idea and discuss how this relates to the title.

Can Do, Jenny Archer

Fountas and Pinnell: M
Lexile: 440L

Have students create chapter titles based on the main idea of each chapter.

Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the Monkey House

Fountas and Pinnell: L
Lexile: 530L

Have students read a paragraph and determine the main idea. Then have them change the topic sentence from the first sentence of the paragraph to the last sentence of the paragraph or vice versa making sure that it still supports the main idea.