Finding Key Concepts in Paragraphs
Learning Objective
I can find the main idea and supporting details in a paragraph.
Key Concepts
To identify the main idea or ideas in a text, first ask yourself, "What is the topic of this text?"
Then ask yourself, "What does the author mainly want to tell or teach me about the topic?"
If you think a text has more than one main idea, ask yourself, "Does one of the ideas support the other one, or are the two ideas equally important?"
Practice Questions
This lesson includes 3 practice questions to reinforce learning.
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1. What is the first step in identifying the main idea(s) of a text, according to the video?
2. A paragraph discusses the history of basketball in the first half and the rules of basketball in the second half. Are these two topics equally important? Explain your reasoning.
3. Which question helps you determine the main idea of a text?
Educational Video
Finding two or more main ideas in informational text | Reading | Khan Academy
Khan Academy