READING AND WRITING I
Identifying the Main Ideas of Paragraphs/SPACE TRAILBLAZER
. What is the Main Idea?
The main idea is the central point or message of a paragraph.
It tells the reader what the paragraph is mostly about. Where to Find the Main Idea Usually in the first sentence (topic sentence).
Sometimes in the last sentence.
Occasionally implied, not directly stated.
Why is Identifying the Main Idea Important?
Helps you understand and remember what you read.
Makes it easier to summarize paragraphs.
Improves reading comprehension.
Tips for Finding the Main Idea
Look for repeated words or ideas.
Ask “What is this paragraph mostly about?”
Check the first and last sentences first.
Pay attention to details that support one big idea.
IDENTIFY MAIN IDEAS Read the paragraph
As a child, Kakenya Ntaiya had her life planned out for her. Everyone wanted her to get married by the time she was 13 years old. After marriage, she would cook, clean, and take care of her babies. However, Kakenya wanted a different kind of life. When she was 12, she asked her parents to let her stay in school. It was hard to be different from all the other girls in her village in Kenya, but Kakenya kept going. She had a big goal—to help other girls in her village. Years later, she started Kakenya’s Dream, an organization that helps girls and works to end child marriage. It was difficult for Kakenya to change her life, but she worked hard to achieve her goal.
Scan this code and answer the multiple question about it.
Which sentence in the paragraph gives the main idea?
IDENTIFY MAIN IDEAS Read the paragraph
Read the passage. Choose the correct answer.
Several programs in Senegal, and some other West African countries, use cell phones to improve people’s reading and writing skills. And they are successful. The population of many African countries is growing fast and that can mean that there aren’t enough texts for students. But cell phones are everywhere—about eight in ten adults in Senegal have a phone. Another reason is that people are motivated to improve their reading and writing skills because they enjoy using their cell phones. And they are also very useful. It means they can communicate by text with other people in their community, as well as use them for business. Learning these skills gives people more opportunities in their lives.
Scan this code and answer the multiple question about it.
Which sentence in the paragraph gives the main idea?
Katherine Johnson calculated trajectories1 for rockets. She worked in a time and place where
only white men were usually allowed to work. Her courage inspired others. A
PREVIEW A "trailblazer" is the first person to do something that makes it easier for others to
follow them. Look at the photo and read the caption. How do you think Katherine Johnson was
a trailblazer? B MAIN IDEAS Watch the video. Check your ideas in Exercise A. Why do people think Johnson was a trailblazer? Discuss with a partner.
Subtítulo
Watch and complete
APPLY Who are or were trailblazers in business, music, or science? What did they have the courage to do? What challenges did they face? Discuss your ideas with a partner.
THANK YOU!
Identifying the Main Ideas of Paragraphs/SPACE TRAILBLAZER
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Transcript
READING AND WRITING I
Identifying the Main Ideas of Paragraphs/SPACE TRAILBLAZER
. What is the Main Idea?
The main idea is the central point or message of a paragraph. It tells the reader what the paragraph is mostly about. Where to Find the Main Idea Usually in the first sentence (topic sentence). Sometimes in the last sentence. Occasionally implied, not directly stated.
Why is Identifying the Main Idea Important?
Helps you understand and remember what you read. Makes it easier to summarize paragraphs. Improves reading comprehension.
Tips for Finding the Main Idea
Look for repeated words or ideas. Ask “What is this paragraph mostly about?” Check the first and last sentences first. Pay attention to details that support one big idea.
IDENTIFY MAIN IDEAS Read the paragraph
As a child, Kakenya Ntaiya had her life planned out for her. Everyone wanted her to get married by the time she was 13 years old. After marriage, she would cook, clean, and take care of her babies. However, Kakenya wanted a different kind of life. When she was 12, she asked her parents to let her stay in school. It was hard to be different from all the other girls in her village in Kenya, but Kakenya kept going. She had a big goal—to help other girls in her village. Years later, she started Kakenya’s Dream, an organization that helps girls and works to end child marriage. It was difficult for Kakenya to change her life, but she worked hard to achieve her goal.
Scan this code and answer the multiple question about it.
Which sentence in the paragraph gives the main idea?
IDENTIFY MAIN IDEAS Read the paragraph
Read the passage. Choose the correct answer.
Several programs in Senegal, and some other West African countries, use cell phones to improve people’s reading and writing skills. And they are successful. The population of many African countries is growing fast and that can mean that there aren’t enough texts for students. But cell phones are everywhere—about eight in ten adults in Senegal have a phone. Another reason is that people are motivated to improve their reading and writing skills because they enjoy using their cell phones. And they are also very useful. It means they can communicate by text with other people in their community, as well as use them for business. Learning these skills gives people more opportunities in their lives.
Scan this code and answer the multiple question about it.
Which sentence in the paragraph gives the main idea?
Katherine Johnson calculated trajectories1 for rockets. She worked in a time and place where only white men were usually allowed to work. Her courage inspired others. A PREVIEW A "trailblazer" is the first person to do something that makes it easier for others to follow them. Look at the photo and read the caption. How do you think Katherine Johnson was a trailblazer? B MAIN IDEAS Watch the video. Check your ideas in Exercise A. Why do people think Johnson was a trailblazer? Discuss with a partner.
Subtítulo
Watch and complete
APPLY Who are or were trailblazers in business, music, or science? What did they have the courage to do? What challenges did they face? Discuss your ideas with a partner.
THANK YOU!