Comprehension Strategy

Main Idea and Details

Learning Targets

1. I can talk about the most important details in the information I read and how they support the main idea.

Main Idea and Details

When good readers are reading fictional texts, they look for the main idea, or big picture, and details that support that main idea.

When reading nonfiction texts, it is still important to identify the main idea and details of a text.

Main Idea

The main idea is what the text is mostly about. It is the most important message of the section, chapter or entire text.

Details

Facts or statements that help the reader understand the main idea. Details help describe and explain the main idea.

Read the following text:

Sidewalk Sensations

Main Idea

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Detail

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Main Idea

Let’s start with the main idea. For this example, we will look at the main idea of the whole article.

What was this article mostly about?

When we summarize the main idea, try to put it in your words only uses one to three sentences. Your main idea and the example should be very similar!

David Zimm has been an artist all of his life. Currently, he creates sidewalk art that is world famous.

Details

Details tell you more specific facts about the main topic. The most important part of finding good details in a nonfiction text is that it should support the main idea.

Usually, three details are enough to support the main idea. Details should be one sentence written in your own words. Your details and the examples may vary. They must support your main idea.

At 12 years old, David was a freelance writer for his dad’s company.

David was a commercial artist for 20 years, but was bored sitting behind a desk.

Today, his sidewalk art is seen around the country and world at over 212 art galleries and throughout the public.

Main Idea

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Putting it all together!

At 12 years old, David was a freelance writer for his dad’s company.

David was a commercial artist for 20 years, but was bored sitting behind a desk.

Today, his sidewalk art is seen around the country and world at over 212 art galleries and throughout the public.

David Zimm has been an artist all of his life. Currently, he creates sidewalk art that is world famous.

Details

Now, let’s connect the details to the main idea. Looking at the whole organizer can help connect your thoughts!

How do the details support the main idea?

• Main Idea: David Zimm has been an artist all of his life.
• The details support the main idea, because at age 12 he worked for his dad’s company then for 20 years he was a commercial artist. Currently, he is a world famous sidewalk chalk artist.

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• Main Idea: Currently, he creates sidewalk art that is world famous.
• The detail that supports this main idea, because he has art in the country and in the world. He is at over 212 museums and throughout the public.

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Main Ideas and Details in Other Texts

In many nonfiction articles, the author may organize the article under several different headings. In some articles, this is not the case.

In the article Sidewalk Sensations, there are no headings. As a reader, we looked at the main idea and details of the whole article.

When reading nonfiction articles with different headings. It is important to think of the main idea and details of each heading.

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Reread the following section from the article, Salamanders.

Main Idea

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Complete the following organizer for the section of Salamanders.

All salamanders have smooth skin that is covered in a wet mucus. Their colors and patterns may vary.

Some salamanders have dull skin and some are brightly colored. The brightly colored ones are poisonous.

Some salamanders have stripes or spots.

Details

Since the section on how they look is shorter than an entire article, two details were plenty to support the main idea.

How do the details support the main idea?

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• Main Idea: The salamanders colors and patterns may vary.
• The details support the main idea, because salamanders can have stripes or spots. Salamanders may be brightly colored or dull.

Review

• The main idea is the big picture. What was the story mostly about? Think of the main idea as summarizing the story in one or two sentences.
• The details are the small events that occur. The details will help you determine the main idea.
• When thinking of the main idea of a nonfiction text you may look at the main idea of:
• A Section
• An Article
• A Book