Language Arts: A Mini Lesson for Identifying the Main Idea

Overview

Identifying the Main Idea is one of the 30 MicroLessons (mini lessons) available in the series, Language Arts Presenter.

Just connect your computer to a digital projector or SMART Board, select a student to operate the mouse and let Dave, the avatar, teach your kids a lesson on Identifying the Main Idea.

This MicroLesson (like all of the others in the series) comes with a word search activity and a crossword puzzle based entirely on the presentation--the words found in the word search provide the word bank for the crossword puzzle.

Therefore, this presentation along with the time required to complete both puzzles will require 50-60 classroom minutes.

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MicroLesson 13 Details
Screenshots
PDF Puzzles
Noteworthy Notes
Free Download Details and Link
Full Download Details and Link 

MicroLesson 13 Details

MicroLesson 13
Identifying the Main Idea
Presentation Time: 20-25 minutes
By the end of this MicroLesson, students will be able to...

• define topic and define main idea
• identify facts, detail, and examples that support the main idea.
• identify the topic and main idea of sample paragraphs.
• recognize that the author may present the main idea directly or indirectly.
• recognize that when the main idea is presented directly, it usually appears at the beginning of the paragraph.
• demonstrate mastery by correctly identify the main idea in 5 sample passages.

Identifying the Main Idea, Full Version comes with a word search, and a crossword puzzle.

I have thoroughly tested this MicroLesson with actual students in real-life, public, middle school classrooms--the vast majority of students became engaged, responsive, and productive (even the So-Whats?).

Screenshots

Both of the screenshots below are samples from the instruction portion of Identifying the Main Idea.

These screenshots show how one of the questions and its associated answer appear in Identifying the Main Idea:

PDF Puzzles

Here is the word search activity for Identifying the Main Idea:

The words found in the activity above become the word bank for this crossword puzzle:

Noteworthy Notes

Like all of the MicroLessons in the Language Arts Presenter series, Identifying the Main Idea includes...

• definitions and examples.
• direct instruction.
• a summary of the instruction.
• practice quizzes ranging from 5 to 15 questions.
• an on-screen answer key.
• a word search and crossword puzzle to extend the mini lesson.

Teachers report that during MicroLessons, they...

• appoint students to be mouse operators while they roam the classroom, keeping a wary eye on the knuckleheads.
• become dynamic partners with the avatars, giving additional examples of concepts, checking for comprehension, and reading questions and answer choices orally to the class.
• record scores, grade papers, or even work on lesson plans.

All of the titles in the Language Arts Presenter series are accessible with any of the major web browsers, including Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome, and Safari.  As a result, these apps are compatible with all versions of both Windows and Mac.

Free Download Details and Link

Identifying the Main Idea, Free Version is...

• complete in every regard.
• fully operational.
• available for an unlimited time trial.

The "Free Trial Version" stamps are a necessary annoyance.

When you consider the fact that I spent two and a half years of my life developing these MicroLessons, I would sincerely hope that you would agree that giving them away completely free of charge is not a plausible option.

Download: Identifying the Main Idea, Free Version

Full Download Details and Link

Identifying the Main Idea, Full Version...

• is exactly the same as the free version.
• is completely devoid of all "Free Trial Version" stamps.
• comes with a word search and a crossword puzzle.

Both versions of Identifying the Main Idea are accessible with any of the major web browsers, including Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome, and Safari.  As a result, these apps are compatible with all versions of both Windows and Mac.

Purchase: Identifying the Main Idea 

NOW ON SALE: 50% OFF!

The Comprehension Bundle contains all seven Comprehension MicroLessons from the Language Arts Presenter series.

If purchased individually, the total cost for Identifying the Main Idea along with its 6 companions would be $34.65. The bundle is now available for the much lower cost of $16.95--a savings of over 50%!

The titles in The Comprehension Bundle are as follows:

• Using Context Clues
• Identifying Cause and Effect
• Distinguishing Fact and Opinion
• Comparison and Contrast
• Recognizing Supporting Details
• Identifying the Main Idea
• Making Inferences

The Comprehension Bundle comes with a word search and a crossword puzzle for each MicroLesson.

MicroLesson 13: Identifying the Main Idea, Full Version by Chad Manis is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License. 

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