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Main Idea and Details!!

This week, our focus was on understanding main idea and details. This seems to be an abstract and difficult concept for many of my little darlings. We read a story in our reading series that many of the kids were not connecting with. So I decided to use a craftivity about Main Ideas from Amy Lemons. We created super cute trees! On the trunk of the tree, we wrote the main idea and we wrote the details on the each of the leaves. We created one large tree together as a class, which included as many details as the kids could find in the story.
Then the kids got to work to create their own trees about the story we read. They need to write the main idea and choose four meaningful details to write on the leaves.
We then created a class bulletin board titled, "Rooted in a Great Story."
I posted the Main Idea and Details anchor charts on the board to remind the kids how to use the skill they just learned. Here is a closer look which shows the kid-friendly standard as well.

I think using a hands-on activity to reinforce more difficult concepts helps create ownership for the kids and they are more likely to understand and apply it. What great ideas do you use to teach main idea and details?
Click the button above and hop on over to Teaching Fourth and link up with your fun ideas and activities for the week!



5 comments :

  1. I love your main idea trees. I'd also like to invite you to my linky called "Fun Friday." It is all about the fun things we do in our classrooms. I'd love for you to stop by and link up!!

    Kelly
    Teaching Fourth

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  2. Great idea. I am definitely sticking this one in my back pocket for when we come up on main idea. It is such a hard concept! Thanks for sharing.

    Tamara
    Life's A Beach in First Grade

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  3. I love the idea of using the trees!

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  4. We just finished talking about main idea and key details, and I totally might go back and use this idea to reinforce what it means! I love this!

    BTW - I am hosting a giveaway on my blog - a free, personal laminator! Come check it out if you don't have one already! :)

    Heather
    Sensational Seconds

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    Replies
    1. Thanks for stopping by my blog! My kids loved this activity and we are continuing main idea and details this week for more reinforcement. I hope this activity helps your kiddos understand the concept!
      -Jaime
      Bright Concepts 4 Teachers

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