Primary Main Idea Review: Ideas and Details

Let's use every main idea tool on one text. Title: 'Busy Beavers. ' Read: 'Beavers are hard workers. They cut down trees with their strong teeth. They build dams across streams. They make cozy lodges to live in.

' Step one, the title and repeated word tell the topic: beavers. Step two, the first sentence is the main idea: beavers are hard workers. Step three, the key details are cutting trees, building dams, and making lodges. Step four, test the size.

Does the main idea cover every detail without going too big? Yes, it fits just right.

• 1Find the topic from the title and repeated words.
• 2Find or state the main idea sentence.
• 3Check that key details support it and it is the right size.