Sorting Details Under Main Ideas

Sorting details is a good way to see how main ideas work. Imagine two main ideas: 'Things we do in the morning' and 'Things we do at night.

' Now sort these details: brush teeth and eat breakfast, put on pajamas, catch the school bus, read a bedtime story. Eating breakfast and catching the bus go under morning. Pajamas and the bedtime story go under night.

Each detail belongs with the main idea it supports. When details are sorted, the main ideas become easy to see.

• 1Details can be sorted under main ideas.
• 2Each detail goes with the idea it supports.
• 3Sorting makes main ideas clear.