Supporting a Main Idea

Ms. KaminskyAdapted from Emily Kissner

Why learn about this?

As readers and writers, we often need to support main ideas with details

Main ideas state a BIG idea

Details show why that BIG idea is true

Let’s see how it works

This is a picture of Millennium Park in Chicago.

Our main idea could be:

Main Idea: Millennium Park is amazing!

Ask yourself: What details could

support this idea?

Try to think of at least one.

Millennium Park is amazing!

The park is huge and includes an amphitheater!

In the park, they display art from local Chicago artists.

There is a giant bean where you can take pictures.

A large fountain runs in the summer for people to splash in.

Millennium Park is amazing!

The details showed why Millennium Park is amazing

They gave examples of what makes the park so neat

They supported the main idea

Think about it!

Why should we support main ideas with details?

But it’s not so simple

You have to pick the BEST details, not just ANY details.

Choosing the best details

Try coming up with details to support this main idea:

The beach is a fun place to visit.

Main Idea: The beach is a fun place to visit

Do these details support the main idea?

At the beach, we can play in the sand

Splashing in the waves is really exciting

Sea gulls live at the beach

The beach is a great place to fly kites

Sometimes there is litter at the beach

Main Idea: The beach is a fun place to visit

Do these details support the main idea?

At the beach, we can play in the sand

Splashing in the waves is really exciting

Sea gulls live at the beach

The beach is a great place to fly kites

Sometimes there is litter at the beach

Main Idea: The beach is a fun place to visit

•Sea gulls live at the beach•Sometimes there is litter at the beach

Can you explain why these details do not support the main idea?

Main Idea: The beach is a fun place to visit

•Sea gulls live at the beach•Sometimes there is litter at the beach

Although these details are related to the topic of the beach, they do not show that the beach is fun.

Main Idea: The beach is a fun place to visit

At the beach, we can play in the sand

Splashing in the waves is really exciting

The beach is a great place to fly kites

How do these details support the main idea?

The beach is a fun place to visit

At the beach, we can play in the sand

Splashing in the waves is really exciting

The beach is a great place to fly kites

These details show how the beach is fun. They give examples of fun things that you can do at the beach. They do support the main idea.

What have we learned?

We can use details to support a main idea

The details need to relate to the main idea, not just go along with the topic

Finding the details that support a main idea

As readers, we often need to find details to support a main idea

In the next few slides, we’ll do some reading about Valley Forge

Finding the details that support a main idea

Valley Forge is an important place in American history. During the Revolutionary War, the American soldiers spent the winter of 1777-1778 at this location. Winter at Valley Forge was hard. But the soldiers learned how to fight more effectively. Today, Valley Forge is a park where we can learn about the bravery of our first soldiers.

Review

What’s the topic? Valley Forge

What’s the main idea? Valley forge is an important

place in American history.

Main idea: Valley Forge is an

important place in American history.

We can find details in the paragraph that support this main idea. How is Valley Forge an important place in American history?

Main Idea: Valley Forge is an important place in American

history.

During the Revolutionary War, the American soldiers spent the winter of 1777-1778 at this location. Winter at Valley Forge was hard. But the soldiers learned how to fight more effectively. Today, Valley Forge is a park where we can learn about the bravery of our first soldiers.

Main Idea: Valley Forge is an important place in American

history.

DETAILS:

American soldiers were here from 1777-1778

Soldiers learned how to fight effectively

Valley Forge is a park today

Valley Forge is an important place in American history.

Why doesn’t “Winter at Valley Forge was hard” support the main idea?

Although this is an interesting detail, it doesn’t show why Valley Forge is important

This detail relates to the topic, but doesn’t support the main idea

Read the next paragraph. Find the details that support the main idea.

Main Idea: Life was hard at Valley Forge

Life was hard at Valley Forge. The soldiers had very little clothing. Some went barefoot, even in the coldest weather. Food was scarce. Many soldiers died of disease. The soldiers had to build their own huts for winter shelter. Twelve men slept in each tiny hut.

Read the next paragraph. Find the details that support the main idea.

Main Idea: Life was hard at Valley Forge

Life was hard at Valley Forge. The soldiers had very little clothing. Some went barefoot, even in the coldest weather. Food was scarce. Many soldiers died of disease. The soldiers had to build their own huts for winter shelter. Twelve men slept in each tiny hut.

Did you find the details to support the main idea?

Soldiers didn’t have much clothing or food

Many died from illnesses

Soldiers had to build their own huts

Twelve men had to sleep in each hut

Did you find the details to support the main idea?

These details showed how life at Valley Forge was hard.

They supported the main idea.

Read the next paragraph.

Sunflowers are beautiful flowers with many uses. Sunflowers have edible seeds. Both birds and people enjoy the seeds. The sunflower blooms are beautiful in bouquets. Sunflowers can be dried to make wreaths. They can grow to be six feet tall.

Topic?Sunflowers

Sunflowers are beautiful flowers with many uses. Sunflowers have edible seeds. Both birds and people enjoy the seeds. The sunflower blooms are beautiful in bouquets. Sunflowers can be dried to make wreaths. They can grow to be six feet tall.

Main Idea? Sunflowers are beautiful and have

many uses.

Sunflowers are beautiful flowers with many uses. Sunflowers have edible seeds. Both birds and people enjoy the seeds. The sunflower blooms are beautiful in bouquets. Sunflowers can be dried to make wreaths. They can grow to be six feet tall.

Supporting Details?

Sunflowers are beautiful flowers with many uses. Sunflowers have edible seeds. Both birds and people enjoy the seeds. The sunflower blooms are beautiful in bouquets. Sunflowers can be dried to make wreaths. They can grow to be six feet tall.

Think about it!

Share your ideas with a partner

Does every sentence in a paragraph support the main idea?

Why is it important for readers to put details into their own words?

Here’s what we’ve done:

Looked at how details can support main ideas

Created details to support main ideas

Found the details that support a main idea in a paragraph

What have you learned?

Which is the BIG idea: the main idea, or the details?

What is the job of a supporting detail?

When can you use supporting details?

By Emily Kissner

2010