Main

Idea: It's in the

Bag!
Second Grade, Third Grade Reading 90 minutes
Standards: RI.2.6, RI.3.2

by Leslie Diaz June 4, 2015

Help your class grasp the concept of "main idea" with this fun, hands-on lesson. Students will
dive into mystery bags full of supportive detail clues to determine the main idea of each bag.

Learning Objectives
After this lesson, students will be able to identify the main idea and supporting details in a
passage.

Materials and Preparation

Brown paper lunch bags (one per station)
Main Idea Recording Sheet (one per student)
Find the Main Idea: Elephants worksheet
Find the Main Idea: Animals worksheet
Themed items for bags (one group per station, e.g. puzzle pieces, toys, magazine
cut-outs, etc.)
Timer (optional)

Key Terms: Attachments
main idea
supporting details
PDF PDF PDF

Main Idea Find the Main Find the Main

Recording Idea: Idea: Animals
Sheet Elephants

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Lesson
Introduction (15 minutes)
Before beginning this lesson, be sure that you have created a number of "themed" bags, full of
items that represent the supporting details to help students identify the main idea of each bag.
The number of bags you create should match the number of stations you set up, including one
extra for you to use as a model to the class. The objects can include small toys, puzzle pieces,
magazine cut-outs, or anything that can stand in as supporting details. Some theme ideas and
example objects include:

Farm Animals: cat, horse, cow, pig, goat

Predators of the Sea: shark, jellyfish, eel, stingray, sea lion
Hawaiian Vacation: Hawaii map, ocean pictures, divers, sea creatures, airplane

The possibilities are endless. Choose themes that will resonate with your class.

1. Begin the lesson by reviewing the definition of main idea, or the most important topic in a
text.
2. Play the video Main Idea by Brain POP for your class.
3. Once the video finishes, read the passage on the Main Idea: Elephants attachment to the
class. After finishing, highlight what the main idea is, using supporting details, or facts,
statements, or examples that help illustrate the main idea.
4. Summarize the main idea in a concluding sentence. Write the sentence on your
whiteboard.
5. Explain to the class that today, they will be split into groups to look through mystery bags of
supporting details and determine the "main idea" of each bag. They will write a conclusion
sentence that summarizes the main idea of each bag, and share their findings with the
class.

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Explicit Instruction/Teacher Modeling (15 minutes)
Explain to each group that they will be looking at the supporting details inside a mystery
bag at each station to determine the main idea for each bag.
Remind the class that each group will have five minutes at each station to review the
supporting details, agree on the main idea, and write a conclusion sentence.
Using a model bag, demonstrate what your students are expected to do in each station.
Take out the items in the bag one by one, and hold them up for the class to see. For
example, take a pen, a pencil, markers, and crayons out of the bag.
Verbalize your thought process for each item as you remove it from the bag. For example,
you could say, "A pencil and a pen are things that people use to write. Markers and crayons
are things people use to color and draw. Some artists also draw with pens and pencils.”
Conclude by giving your thoughts on what the main idea for this bag could be. For example,
say that you think the main idea of the bag is art tools.

Guided Practice/Interactive Modeling (10 minutes)

Ask your class for additional suggestions for the main idea of this bag. Encourage
volunteers to use the supporting details as evidence for their suggestions.
Write the students' examples on the board.
Remind students that they will have to work together to come up with the main idea for each
bag. They will record their main ideas on their worksheets.

Independent Working Time (30 minutes)

Split your students into groups of four or five students. This will allow everyone to
participate as well as keep the stations more manageable.
Pass out a copy of the Main Idea Recording Sheet to each student.
Have each group go to a station, and begin working.
As students work, walk around the classroom providing support as needed.
Set a timer in five minute intervals. Each time the timer goes off, have students move to a
new station.

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Extend
Differentiation
Enrichment: Have students that need greater challenge come up with supporting detail
sentences using the items in the bag, in addition to the main idea conclusion sentence.
Support: Give students that need extra help a list of main idea sentences, one that
describes each mystery bag. These students should match each main idea to the correct
mystery bag.

Related Books and/or Media

Review
Assessment (10 minutes)
To assess student understanding during the course of the lesson, walk around the room to
observe each student's understanding of the concept of a main idea.
Collect the Main Idea Recording Sheets and determine whether or not students where able
to define the main idea and write a sentence for each bag.
Give each student a copy of the Find the Main Idea: Animals worksheet to complete.

Review and Closing (10 minutes)

Call the class together, and have the students take turns sharing their recordings for each
mystery bag.
Allow your students to discuss any similarities or differences in each station.
After the discussion, remind students that the main idea is the most important point in a
passage, and that supporting details are facts that help support the main idea.

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