Name:________________________________________
RL.2 Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through
particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions
or judgments.
Book Title:_____________________________________
Remember the common mistakes made
when identifying central idea.
Some people think the central idea is the summary.
Some people think the central idea is something
that only applies to the article.
The central idea is NOT the summary!
What is the summary of this article?
The central idea is NOT specific to the characters
Some people think the central idea is a topic or
in the article. The central idea can be applied to
subject.
real people
and the real world.
The central idea is NOT the topic or
subject!
What are some topics or subjects addressed in
this article?




What is the central
idea?
What IS theme?
Check your central
Remember…The central Idea IS
idea.
the message or lesson the author wants you to take away from reading.
What is the central idea of this article?
If you can answer YES to
all three questions, you
are on the right track!
Is your central idea a
compete sentence?
YES / no
Does your central idea
apply to the real world?
YES/ no
Does your central idea
state an opinion about a
topic/ subject?
YES/ no
How can you apply the central idea of the article to your own life? Describe
a situation when this idea would be important to remember.
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