= Partner SiteMain or Central Idea
A main idea is the brief summary of the most important concept or concepts in a passage. There can be a main idea, sometimes called a central idea, in a paragraph or a section of a text as well. Be sure to check out our printable main idea graphic organizers and main idea anchor chart too!
The French Revolution, whose roots began in 1787 and continued until 1799, marked the creation of the modern era. It is widely considered one of the seminal events in human history. The Revolution’s origin stemmed from a complex interaction of factors including: (1) the political aspirations of a growing class…
Can you write with your left hand and your right hand? Can you write with your teeth and your toes? Bessie Blount Griffin could do all of these things. She used her education and knowledge to help injured soldiers. She was also a handwriting expert and crime fighter. Bessie Blount…
Robert Louis Stevens was a Scottish author, famous for his novels Kidnapped and Treasure Island. In 1879 he took a trip across the U.S. In this passage he talks about crossing the plains of Nebraska on the train. —————————— It had thundered on the Friday night, but the sun rose…
In the story, Tom Egerton and Bertie Fellows are students at an English boarding school. Both have to stay at school over the Christmas holiday. Tom’s parents are in India, which is too far for him to go for the holiday. Bertie’s sister is sick, so he cannot go home…
Jack “Jackie” Roosevelt Robinson was the first African American to play in major league baseball. Through his dedication, resilience, and patience, he paved the way for other African American baseball players to play in the “majors” and helped move America towards racial equality. The United States during the 1920’s was…
Helen Keller was born in 1880. She was a healthy and happy child until she became seriously ill before her second birthday. While she did get well, she lost both her hearing and her sight after the illness. Opportunities for those with a disability were few in the 19th century.…
When you think of the vast amount and variety of art created throughout history, you might also think that the people who created those works of art must have spent years as students in art school or as apprentices to other artists. You may even see them as members of…
The little girl reached high up on her tip toes. She opened the mailbox and carefully put her letter inside. Happy, Lucy skipped back home, sure that Santa would be able to help her. **************** At the North Pole, it was getting very busy. All the elves were working…
Sally Ride was the first woman astronaut from the U.S. to go into space. She flew two missions on the space shuttle. One was in August 1983, and the other was in October 1984. Both times she flew as a member of the crew of the space shuttle Challenger. Sally…
Bats are the only mammals that can truly fly. They play a very important role in ecosystems around the world. They help eliminate pests for farmers. They also help ensure that rainforests stay healthy. Bats face many threats though. This means ecosystems across the globe are threatened too. There are…
