Design for Learning

Instructor: Chelsea Bowden

Lesson Title: Main Idea
Curriculum Area: ELA

Grade Level/Cooperating Teacher: 4th Grade/Watkins

Date: Tuesday, April 12th
Estimated Time: 30 minutes

Standards Connection:
11.) Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize
the text. [RI.4.2]
Learning Objective(s):
When given a reading passage, students will be able to identify the main idea and key details
with 100% accuracy.
Learning Objective(s) stated in kid-friendly language:
Boys and girls, today we will be learning about the main idea and key details of a text and/or
reading. At the end of todays lesson, you will be given a reading passage where you will identify
the main idea of the passage and the key details that support the main idea with 100% accuracy.
Evaluation of Learning Objective(s):
The teacher will provide each student with a reading passage. The students will read the passage
independently and determine the main idea of the passage and the key supporting details. The
teacher will collect the students responses and determine if the students met the lesson objective:
When given a reading passage, students will be able to identify the main idea and key details
with 100% accuracy.
Engagement:
The teacher will introduce the topic of main idea and key details. Then she will engage the
students and begin the lesson. Boys and girls, today we will be learning about the main idea and
key details of a text and/or reading. Can someone please tell me why it is important to know the
main idea and key details of a reading? Thank you for sharing. Our friend is correct, it is
important to know the main idea and key details of a text because it helps the reader understand
the message the author or writer is trying to convey. Before we dive into the lesson, I want us to
watch a quick video clip on main idea and key details. Please listen quietly and pay attention.
The teacher shows the students the video clip. The video clip is a BrainPop video that will
engage the students to think about main idea and key/supporting details. Once the students have
viewed the video clip, she will then transitions into the teaching of main idea and key details.
Boys and girls, wasnt that a great video to highlight the importance of main idea and key

details? Well lets take a deeper look a main idea and key details together. Shall we? The teacher
transitions into the teaching portion of the lesson.
Learning Design:
I. Teaching: The teacher will use an anchor chart to teach main ideas and key details, while the
students fill out a similar notetaking guide as she writes on the anchor chart. The teacher and
students will engage in discussions about main idea and key details as the students fill out their
notetaking guide, which will be a study resource for the students. Boys and girls, I am now going
to pass out a notetaking guide that you will use to take notes as I write on the anchor chart I
have posted on the board. Do you understand? Okay, great. You are responsible for taking notes
as I do, so you can reference this sheet for studying later. The teacher walks around and passes
out the notetaking guide for each student. She then proceeds to the board where her anchor chart
is posted. Friends, look at your notetaking guide and look at my anchor chart. You can see there
is a picture of an ice cream cone and scoops of ice cream. Why do you think I choose this image
as an example for main idea and key details? Thank you for sharing. The reason I chose this
image is because the main idea is like the cone. It is the main thing that holds the details in
place. The key details are like the scoops of ice cream. They support the main idea. Does that
make sense? Okay great lets continue. The teacher will read the paragraph to the students that
she has written on her anchor chart and that is also on the students notetaking guide. Friends,
follow along on your worksheet I have given you as I read the paragraph I have on my anchor
chart. An average bee hive consists of about 20,000 bees. Within the colony, there are three types
of bees each with its own important job. There is only one queen bee in the hive, and her only job
is to fill the hive with eggs. A queen will lay about 1,500 eggs a day. Male bees are called
drones. Their only job is to mate with the queen. Worker bees, on the other hand, are extremely
busy. They are female bees that lay no eggs. Worker bees tend the hive by taking care of the
babies, building honey- combs, and keeping the hive cool. Some worker bees also leave the hive
to go collect nectar and pollen. What I would like for us to do now is determine the main idea
and key details of this paragraph, okay? Great. So, the first thing we need to do is underline the
details of this paragraph. The teacher will walk through the paragraph with the students and
underline the key details of the paragraph and write them next to the ice cream scoops. The
students will underline and write on their notetaking guide as well. Boys and girls, the first detail
I notice is the queen bees only job is to fill the hive with eggs. Please underline queen bee and
her only job is to fill the hive with eggs. Next, I noticed male bees are called drones and their
only job is to mate with the queen. Please underline drone and their only job is to mate with the
queen. Finally, I see that worker bees are female bees that do not lay eggs, but rather tend to the
hive and collect nectar and pollen. Please underline worker bees, tend the hive, and collect
nectar and pollen. Now that we have identified the underlined key details, lets determine the
main idea of the paragraph. When I was reading and after I identified my key details, I went
back to the first sentence and I think the main idea of the paragraph is, three types of bees each
with its own important job. Please box that statement. Now, I think this statement is the main
idea of the paragraph because all the details I have found and underlined talk about the types of
bees and their job. Does that make sense? Great. Now lets write the details and main idea next
to the ice cream scoops and cone. The teacher walks through writing the details and main idea
next to the appropriate ice cream scoops and cone. The students will do the same on their
notetaking guide. Boys and girls, as you can see we have the key details (ice cream scoops) that

help us identify the main idea (ice cream cone) of this paragraph. This helps us convey the
message of the paragraph, which is there are three types of bees and all have important jobs to
do. This is how you should be investigating and identifying main idea and key details as you are
practicing this, okay? Great. Lets move on. The teacher will move on to opportunity for practice
and the students will work with main idea and key details in further detail.
II. Opportunity for Practice: The teacher will now let the students work in partner pairs at their
seats to complete a worksheet where they will write the main idea from a story in a center web
and then write the details in the web branches. Boys and girls, you are now going to practice
what we just learned with your partner seated next to you. I am going to give you each a
worksheet with a paragraph on it and you and your partner will read the paragraph together
and then identify the main idea of the paragraph and the details, by placing them in the
appropriate boxes that are provided. This is a group effort, so as I walking around I should hear
your conversations about the reading and your thoughts as a collective pair. Do you
understand? Good. I am now going to walk around and pass out the worksheets, but before you
get started we will read the directions together. Please sit quietly as I pass the worksheet out. I
shouldnt hear anyone talking yet and no one should be moving. The teacher will walk around
and pass out the worksheet to each student, then move on to reading the directions. Please follow
along as I read you the directions: Read the story, then write the main idea in the middle box.
Write one detail in each of the other boxes. The teacher will make sure there are no other
questions before releasing the students to begin working. So, are there any questions about what
you and your partner are to be doing? Okay. Well then you may begin. Remember, this is a team
effort and I should hear both partner talking and giving insight. I will be listening! The teacher
walks around as the students are working on the practice sheet. She listens to the students
conversations and makes sure all the students are on task. The teacher will give the students
plenty of time to complete the practice before handing out the assessment sheet. Okay, it looks
like everyone has completed the worksheet and if you havent thats okay; you can finish it
another time. Lets review the practice you just completed. Can I have a volunteer read the
paragraph? A student reads the paragraph. Thank you for reading. Now can I have a pair of
partner tell me what they main idea of this paragraph is? Awesome, you are correct. The main
idea is Ellies first day of school and she is excited. Now, can I have another group give me one
detail that establishes the main idea? Thank you for sharing. Ellie takes her new backpack and
lunchbox. Great. Can I have another group give me another detail please? Thank you for
sharing. Ellie is happy to see her friends in the classroom. Can I have another pair share about
detail? Thanks. The students like the teacher. Finally, one more partner pair, will you please
share the final detail you identified? Great. Everyone has a good first day of school. Wow! Great
job groups. That was awesome. I think you all are ready to move on. Please flip those over on
your desk and I will come by and collect those. You did an excellent job working together! The
teacher walks around and collects the practice sheet, then moves onto explaining the assessment.
Friends, now that I have collected your practice work, we are now going to move on to the last

thing for this lesson today. Please listen and sit quietly as I give instructions for the next part of
the lesson. Thank you. The teacher transitions to the assessment.
III. Assessment: The teacher will first pass out the reading passage to each student. Once every
student has a reading passage, the teacher will read the directions to the students and answer any
final questions before allowing the students to complete the assessment. Boys and girls, now that
you all have the reading passage will you please look at the directions as I read them aloud. The
teacher will read the directions to the students. Read the following paragraph. Determine the
main idea and write it beside the cone. Identify the three most important details and write them
beside the scoops of ice cream. Are there any questions before I let you work on this
independently? Okay great! You should be silent and I should not hear anyone talking. When you
are finished, please turn it over on your desk and pull out a book to read. We will be silent until
all our friends have finished. Do you understand? Great. You may begin. The teacher will
circulate the room as students work on the assessment. She will give all the students plenty of
time to complete the assessment before collecting it and checking it for accuracy. It looks as
though all my friends have finished the assignment. I am going to walk around and collect your
worksheets. I should not hear any talking and you should continue to read. The teacher walks
around and collects the assessment, then moves into the final closure of the lesson.
IV. Closure: The teacher will recap the importance of identifying the main idea and key details in
a text and answer any final questions before closing the lesson. Okay, great job everyone
completing those worksheets. I cant wait to see what you learned over the course of this lesson
about main ideas and key details. Before we close this lesson, I would like to ask you some
questions. Please turn all your attention to me and listen please. Can someone raise their hand
and tell me what is the main idea of a text? Thank you for sharing. The main idea of a text is the
point the author and/or writer are trying to make to the reader. Can someone else raise their
hand and tell me what do details tell the reader about the main idea? Awesome! Details help the
reader identify the main idea and show what pieces of the text are significant to the main idea of
the text. Thank you for sharing. Now, can I have someone tell me how the author helps the
reader determine the main idea of a text? Great job! The author uses key details in the text to
help the reader identify the main idea and support the main idea. Thank you! Boys and girls,
being able to identity the main idea and key details in a text will help you understand the
message the author/writer is trying to convey to the reader. Does that make sense? Great! Well
thats it for today about main ideas and key details. You all did an awesome job and Im so proud
of the way you worked today! The teacher ends the lesson and moves onto the next lesson.
Materials and Resources:
BrainPop Video Clip:
o https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THX0XRB54Yk
Anchor Chart

Notetaking Guide (Teaching)

Partner Practice Worksheet
Assessment Passage
Main Idea and Supporting Details Choice Board
Main Idea Supporting Details Rubric

Differentiation Strategies (including plans for individual learners):

Extension- The teacher will provide students with a Main Idea and Supporting Details Menu
choice board (example attached). This will provide students with an extension on what they
already know about main ideas and supporting details. Students will choose an option from each
row to complete, making it three completed activities they engage in. Once the students have
completed the three activities of their choice, the teacher will collect their work and the Main
Idea and Supporting Details Menu Rubric (example attached) that the students are to check off as
they complete an assignment from the choice board. The teacher will assess their work based on
the rubric and the work summited by the student.
Reteaching- After reviewing the students assessments, the teacher will specifically work with
the students who did not meet the learning objective. She will pull the students in a small group
and reteach the necessary material. The teacher will walk the students through the process of
identifying main idea and key details using a piece of text and discussing why. This will
hopefully establish students understanding of main idea and key details.
Data Analysis: After reviewing the assessments, the students did excellent on the reading
passage and identifying the main idea and key details. Only a few students gave responses that
were way outside the correct response. Overall, I believe the students dont need to be retaught
the material, but rather need to be challenged with a deeper idea of main idea and details. This
can be done through harder, more complex passages and/or have the students explain more
showing their understanding through explanation and analysis. For the students that struggled I
need to pull them and work with them one-on-one to make sure they are clear on main idea and
key details. This will help them and allow me to see what areas if any need to be retaught to the
specific children of need. I am pleased with the assessment scores that the students produced and
would do a similar assessment in the future, but with more complexity.
Reflection: After receiving my feedback from Dr. Hoaglund, I feel really good about my next
lesson and beginning to plan. Overall, I felt like this lesson went really and the students were
really receptive to what I taught on main idea and key details. The students were engaged and
followed directions as I asked them to. I felt like my classroom management was good and the
students listened to the directions I instructed to them. Something as a professional I really need
to focus on is making sure the standard and my teaching align. The standard mentions explaining
and I need to make sure students are meeting that requirement. I need to ask more questions and

engage in conversation with the students about the topic. That was great feedback I received
from Dr. Hoaglund that I need to remember as I begin to plan for the next lesson I teach. Another
piece of advice she provided me with is to give the students examples and non-examples. This
helps them see exactly what they need do to be sufficient in the learning objective. In closing, I
think this lesson went really well and the students were great. The things I need to change and fix
in the future are with my teaching strategies and how I approach teaching the lesson to the
students. I need to engage the students more and talk with them through the learning. I am
pleased with my overall lesson, but with slight changes in the future the lesson will be much
better and taken to another level of complexity for the students understanding.

Samford University
Design for Learning

Assessment