MAIN IDEA MENU OF ACTIVITIES10 ACTIVITIES FOR GUIDED TO INDEPENDENT PRACTICE

DETERMINE THE MAIN IDEA OF EXPOSITORY TEXT

 ⒸFisher  Reyna  Education

MAIN IDEA ACTIVITIESChoose one main

idea activity per selection

as appropriate to students’ skill level.

MAIN IDEA MENUGuided to Independent Activities

The teacher should complete an Expository Thinking Guide for the selection before developing these activities.

 ⒸFisher  Reyna  Education

MAIN IDEA MENUOutline Scramble

Activity #1 Including variations

Main Ideas are arranged in alphabetical order. Article is read and students write the paragraph number by the correct main idea. This may be-

a. teacher guided with individual student recording their response.

b. teacher guided with main ideas projected with teacher marking the correct response from the group.

c. partners working together as they take turns reading and recording correct paragraph number.

 ⒸFisher  Reyna  Education

MAIN IDEA MENU Activity #2

Matching Activity

Give each student one main idea. Teacher reads the reading selection one paragraph at a time. Students identify when they have the matching main idea.

 ⒸFisher  Reyna  Education

MAIN IDEA MENU Activity #3Matching Main Idea

to Selection

Students may work individually or with a partner. Students read the selection and match cut-apart main ideas to paragraphs in the article.

 ⒸFisher  Reyna  Education

MAIN IDEA MENUMatching Main Idea to Cut-Apart Selection

Matching Main Idea to Cut-Apart Selection

Make valid predictions first.

Activity #4 Pre-Reading

Teacher cuts selection in parts by titles, subtitles, photos, and paragraphs. The teacher shows the titles, subtitles, and photos as a pre-reading activity. Then students match cut-apart paragraphs to the correct cut-apart main ideas.

 ⒸFisher  Reyna  Education

MAIN IDEA MENU #5Matching Activity

Students may work individually or with a partner. Students match the order of the cut-apart paragraphs to main ideas in the Thinking Guide.

 ⒸFisher  Reyna  Education

MAIN IDEA MENU

Cloze – First Letter Cloze – BlankActivity #6 Activity #7

As selection is read, complete the words in the blanks with the first letter given.

 ⒸFisher  Reyna  Education

MAIN IDEA MENU Activity 8: Match Cut-Apart

Selection to Outline.

Teacher cuts apart the selection by titles, subtitles, photos, and paragraphs. Students organize parts to make a selection

that matches the outline.  ⒸFisher  Reyna  Education

MAIN IDEA MENU Activity 9:

Organize the Cut-Apart Selection

Teacher cuts apart the selection by titles, subtitles, photos, and paragraphs. Students organize parts to make a selection. Students

use their knowledge of introductions, conclusions, transitions, logical order, etc. to organize the selection. Paragraphs with implied

ideas increase the level of difficulty with this activity.

 ⒸFisher  Reyna  Education

MAIN IDEA MENUWrite  Main  IdeasActivity #10

Students use the Thinking Guide to take notes and write the topic, central idea of the selection, and the main idea of each paragraph. Paragraphs with implied main ideas increase the level of difficulty

with this activity.  ⒸFisher  Reyna  Education

MAIN IDEA ACTIVITIESTaking Notes and Marking Codes

Students take notes and use marking codes that include the topic, central idea, and main idea of each paragraph. Paragraphs with implied main ideas increase the level of difficulty with this activity.

 ⒸFisher  Reyna  Education