Skill
Central or Main Idea
OBJECTIVES 1. Learn the definition of central or main idea.
2. Practice using concrete strategies for identifying central or main idea.
3. Participate effectively in a range of conversations and collaborations to express ideas and build upon the
ideas of others.
CA ELA Common Core Standards:
Reading: Informational Text - RI.8.1, RI.8.2
Speaking & Listening - SL.8.1a, SL.8.1b, SL.8.1c, SL.8.1d, SL.8.2
Language - L.8.6
CA ELD Standards:
Collaborative - ELD.PI.8.1.Ex, ELD.PI.8.1.Br, ELD.PI.8.2.Em
Interpretive - ELD.PI.8.5.Em, ELD.PI.8.5.Ex, ELD.PI.8.5.Br, ELD.PI.8.6.a.Em, ELD.PI.8.6.a.Ex,
ELD.PI.8.6.c.Em, ELD.PI.8.6.c.Ex, ELD.PI.8.7.Em, ELD.PI.8.7.Ex, ELD.PI.8.7.Br
Productive - ELD.PI.8.10.a.Em, ELD.PI.8.11.a.Br
TIME 20 minutes
MATERIALS StudySync Skills lesson on central or main idea in "A Celebration of Grandfathers"
StudySync Speaking & Listening Handbook
StudySync Access 1 handout (Emerging)
StudySync Access 2 handout (Expanding)
StudySync Access 3 handout (Bridging)
StudySync Access 4 handout (Approaching)
OVERVIEW Determining the central or main idea in a text is critical for understanding what an author wants readers to
understand. Students will need to infer the central or main idea in "A Celebration of Grandfathers," for it is not
stated directly. This lesson plan provides follow-up questions and useful enrichments to help teachers guide
students toward a usable, repeatable method for uncovering an implied central or main idea.
1. Define Core Path
Access Path
Watch. Watch the Concept Definition video on
central or main idea with your students. Make sure
students understand the definition of central or main
idea, as well as how to write a proper summary.
Pause the video at these key moments to discuss the
information with your students:
1. 0:23 - Why is it necessary to have a central or
main idea in an informational text? How might
an informational text be different if there were
ELD All Levels & Approaching Match. Have students complete the matching
exercise on the Access 1, 2, 3, and 4 handouts as they
watch the video. Correct answers are located at the
end of the lesson plan.
Copyright © BookheadEd Learning, LLC - 16169
CA ELD: ELD.PI.8.5.Em, ELD.PI.8.5.Ex, ELD.PI.8.5.Br
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Lesson Plan
Central or Main Idea
no central or main idea within?
2. 0:43 - How do you determine the "key details"
in a given text? What are a few strategies for
figuring out which details in the text are more
important than others?
3. 1:09 - Why is summarizing such an important
study skill? How do we apply this skill outside
of the classroom, as well?
CA CCSS: RI.8.2; SL.8.2
Read and Discuss. After watching the Concept
Definition video, have students read the definition of
central or main idea. Either in small groups or as a
whole class, use these questions to engage students
in a discussion about central or main idea. Make sure
students follow the rules for collegial discussions and
respond to the questions and comments of others in
the class with relevant evidence, observations, and
ideas.
1. Can you remember the central or main idea of
another essay or article that you have read in
this class or elsewhere? Cite examples.
(Answers will vary.)
2. Why does an author need to provide key
details in an essay? (Details are facts that
support the main idea. In other words,
identifying and classifying the information
provided in the key details an author presents
will give readers the main idea.)
3. Can you think of a time when you used one of
the strategies outlined in the definition to help
you determine the central or main idea of an
essay or article? Describe the strategy.
(Answers will vary.)
Emerging Finish the Sentences. Have these students complete
the sentence frames on the Access 2 handout as they
read the definition. Have them use the completed
sentence frames to help them participate in the
discussion. Correct answers for this exercise are
located at the end of the lesson plan.
CA CCSS: W.8.4
CA ELD: ELD.PI.8.1.Em, ELD.PI.8.2.Em;
ELD.PI.8.10.a.Em
Expanding & Bridging Discuss Prompts. To help these students participate
in the discussion, prompt them with questions that
can be answered briefly, such as:
The central or main ideas of a text answers
what question for the reader? (What's this all
about?)
How can a reader determine what the central
or main idea is? (by looking for key details and
figuring out what they have in common)
Can you summarize another article or
informational text, stating the central or main
ideas? (Answers will vary.)
CA CCSS: RI.8.2; SL.8.1.A, SL.8.1.B, SL.8.1.C, SL.8.1.D,
SL.8.2
CA ELD: ELD.PI.8.1.Ex, ELD.PI.8.1.Br
Approaching Complete a Chart. To prepare these students to
participate in the discussion, have them complete the
chart on the Access 4 handout as they read the
definition. Encourage students to think of
information they recently read or to pull from their
own personal experience to better help them
understand the relationship (and distinguish)
between key details and the main idea. Sample
answers are located at the end of the lesson plan.
CA CCSS: W.8.3a
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Lesson Plan
Central or Main Idea
CA CCSS: W.8.3a
Beyond Discuss. Have students select an article they've read
and determine its central or main idea. Compile a list
of examples. Have students discuss how the central
or main idea of each work affects what the reader
understands about the article and the author's
purpose. How might different key details affect not
only what the reader determines is the central or
main idea, but how well he or she understands the
text?
CA CCSS: SL.8.1a
Extend Organize. Have students meet in small groups to
decide which type of graphic organizer they think
would best present the central or main idea of "A
Celebration of Grandfathers," as well as the key ideas
and details that support it. Have groups decide on
one graphic organizer and complete it using details
from the selection. Have group representatives share
and explain their graphic organizer choices. Then
invite questions and comments that compare and
contrast the graphic organizers and the information
that they contain.
CA CCSS: RI.8.2; SL.8.1a, SL.8.5
2. Model Core Path
Access Path
Read and Annotate. Have students independently
read the Model section. As they read, ask students to
use the annotation tool to:
highlight key points
Note: During this portion of the lesson, instruction shifts
from whole group to individual work. Use this time to
work one-on-one or in small groups with Emerging,
Expanding, Bridging, and Approaching students.
ask questions
identify places where the Model is applying the
strategies laid out in the Identification and
Application sectionon central or main idea
CA CCSS: RI.8.2
Emerging & Expanding Coach the Reading. Work with these students (either
individually or in small groups) to fill out the Guided
Reading questions on the Access 1 and 2 handouts.
Have Emerging students refer to the Model Glossary
on the Access 1 handout to help them determine the
meaning of difficult words. (Note: Provide the Access
1 handout glossary to Expanding students if
necessary.) Let students know they'll use these
answers to help participate in the discussion about
the Model. Sample answers for this exercise are
located at the end of the lesson plan.
CA CCSS: W.8.4; L.8.4c, L.8.6
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Central or Main Idea
CA ELD: ELD.PI.8.6.a.Em, ELD.PI.8.6.a.Ex,
ELD.PI.8.6.c.Em, ELD.PI.8.6.c.Ex, ELD.PI.8.7.Em,
ELD.PI.8.7.Ex
Bridging Identify Evidence. Provide these students with the
same instructions to read and annotate as on-grade
level and Beyond students. In addition, ask Bridging
students to complete the Identify Evidence exercise
on the Access 3 handout. Let students know that
they'll use these answers to help participate in the
discussion about the Model. Sample answers for this
exercise are located at the end of the lesson plan.
CA ELD: ELD.PI.8.7.Br; ELD.PI.8.11.a.Br
Approaching Guided Reading. Have students complete the Guided
Reading questions on the Access 4 handout as they
read. Let them know that they'll use these answers to
help participate in the discussion about the Model.
Sample answers for this exercise are located at the
end of the lesson plan.
CA CCSS: W.8.9b
Discuss. After students read the Model text, use these
questions to facilitate a whole group discussion that
helps students understand how to determine the
central or main idea of a text. Remind students to
follow rules for collegial discussions and to use
academic vocabulary correctly. In addition, make sure
students have read the selection and draw on that
preparation by referring to evidence from the text
during the discussion.
1. According to the Model, what is the main or
central idea of an informational text, and how
do readers go about finding or identifying it?
(The central or main idea of an informational
text is the most important point that the
author wants readers to remember. In order to
identify the central idea, readers need to note
the important details the author includes, as
well as what those details have in common.)
2. When it is not explicitly stated, you can
determine a central idea by identifying and
analyzing particular details. Let's reread the
second paragraph. What do most of the details
in this paragraph tell about or explain?
(Possible answer: The author writes that the
old people he remembers from his childhood
were strong in their beliefs, and they shared
important knowledge with the young. They
knew the value of nurturing.)
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Lesson Plan
Central or Main Idea
3. Now let's look at the third and fourth
paragraphs. What do most of the details in
these two paragraphs tell about or explain?
(Possible answer: The "old ones" understood
the "great design of creation," and learned
that to survive one had to share both good
times and bad times.") According to the Model,
why is analyzing what the details in a text have
in common important when attempting to
identify the main or central idea? (Textual
details offer the specific evidence that builds
and supports an author's central or main idea.)
4. According to the Model, how does the fact that
"A Celebration of Grandfathers" is a memoir
help readers to determine the central idea?
(Because "A Celebration of Grandfathers" is a
memoir, the author recalls details from the
past that express his opinions about his
grandfather. Anaya shows, through examples,
how his grandfather impressed him with
special skills like commanding the horses with
"one click of his tongue." These examples build
upon each other to help develop the central
idea of the memoir.)
CA CCSS: RI.8.1,RI.8.2; SL.8.1a, SL.8.1b, SL.8.1c; L.8.6
Extend Demonstrate Supporting Ideas. Use a virtual post-it
note board such as Padlet
(http://tinyurl.com/p4dhemf) to create "building
blocks" that represent the central idea and
supporting ideas of "A Celebration of Grandfathers."
Starting with the first section (up to
"Newcomers to New Mexico"), ask students to
pull the key points and supporting ideas from
the text. Have them record each idea on a
note (a "block").
Place supporting ideas beneath the central
idea to demonstrate physical support and
structure.
Move select supporting ideas off to the side to
show that the central idea becomes
unbalanced without sufficient support.
Ask students to determine which supporting
ideas are strongest. Remove the weaker ideas
and rebuild the structure.
Repeat the activity with the second section, up
to "But not all of our old ones…" and then with
the third section, up to "For some time...";
then finish with the conclusion.
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Central or Main Idea
CA CCSS: RI.8.2
3. Your Turn Core Path
Access Path
Assess and Explain. Have students answer the
comprehension questions to test for understanding.
Share the explanations for Part A and B (located at the
end of the lesson) with your students.
CA CCSS: RI.8.1, RI.8.2
Extend Share and Discuss. Have students complete the Your
Turn section in class. Poll students about their
responses and as a class discuss the different
strategies they used to determine the correct
answers. Ask students which aspects of the questions
they found hard, and how they solved the difficulty.
Conduct your poll by asking your students to
complete a handout with questions or using Poll
Everywhere ( http://tinyurl.com/3zyw33) or
Socrative (http://tinyurl.com/3bxbjpt).
CA CCSS: SL.8.1a
Extend Make a Dramatic Application. Divide the class into
small groups and instruct each group to design and
present a short skit that illustrates a common
difficulty (perhaps something related to life at school)
that they or their friends may have encountered.
After each skit, allow the other groups time to talk
about the scene. Then have them assume the role of
the author's grandfather, imagining what he might
have thought if he had witnessed the scene. Instruct
students to write and share a brief comment that
would be similar to the comments that the author
quotes his grandfather as saying after the author
stumbled into the anthill. Invite comparisons and
follow-up discussion.
CA CCSS: RI.8.2, RI.8.7; SL.8.6
Answer Key 1. Define
Match (ELD All Levels & Approaching) Copyright © BookheadEd Learning, LLC - 16169
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Lesson Plan
Central or Main Idea
central or main idea
the most important point an author is trying to make
key details
what a reader should look for to find the central or
main idea
summary
a short statement that covers the most important
ideas in a text
similarities
what a reader is looking to find between key details
personal opinions
what a summary should not include
Finish the Sentences (Emerging) 1. The central or main ideas are the most important points that an author makes about a topic.
2. These ideas answer the question "What's this all about?"
3. In order to find the answer, the reader must look for key details.
4. When looking at the details, the reader should ask themselves what they have in common, and also what
they tell about, explain, or describe.
5. Once a reader has determined a central or main idea, they can use this, along with details to write a
summary , which is a short statement that expresses the main idea.
6. In this statement, readers should be sure not to include personal opinions or judgement.
Complete a Chart (Approaching) the most important points an author makes about a
topic
central or main ideas
central or main ideas answer this question about a
topic
"What's this all about?"
the reader must look for these in order to determine
the central or main ideas in a text
key details
the reader must try to determine this relationship
between key details to find the central or main ideas
similarities
using the central or main ideas and key details,
readers can then do this
write a summary
when writing this short statement, readers should
omit including these
personal opinions
2. Model
Guided Reading (Emerging, Expanding, & Approaching) 1. If the central or main idea is not explicitly stated, the reader can identify it by identifying and analyzing
particular details.
2. Each paragraph also has a central or main idea.
3. To write a summary, you should identify the main idea in the paragraphs and note details that support
each main idea. You should not include personal opinions or judgements.
4. In the beginning of "A Celebration of Grandfathers," Rudolfo Anaya introduces the idea of the need for
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Lesson Plan
Central or Main Idea
society to respect/value older generations.
5. How is the greeting "God give you a good day, Grandfather," a clue to one of Anaya's central or main
ideas in the text? It is a hint that the author wants us to pay attention to and respect people like his
grandfather.
6. When analyzing the text, the reader can see that the author not only remembers examples of what the old
ones did, but also interprets them.
7. The author expresses opinions and judgements about the details and ideas he writes about, but that is
appropriate because this is not a summary , but rather a type of essay called a memoir.
Identify Evidence (Bridging) Students should circle sentences 1, 3, 4, and 5.
1. The circled sentences provide evidence supporting the central or main ideas because they show evidence
that the author considered these people deserving of attention and respect.
2. The uncircled sentences do not tell anything about why these people were particularly deserving of
respect, they only mention everyday things that most people did.
3. Your Turn
Part A CA CCSS: RI.8.2
A)Correct. The false image of old age presented in the media, especially in commercials, keeps modern society
from understanding what the lives of old people are really like. It's a situation that the author says has been going
on for some time.
B)Incorrect. The passage suggests that modern society glorifies young people. It says nothing about old people
envying the young.
C)Incorrect. The essay, overall, expresses this idea, but this passage notes only that commercials show old people
acting young.
D)Incorrect. In context, it is clear that when the author describes the vigor of older persons in the media, he
means the opposite.
Part B CA CCSS: RI.8.1, RI.8.2
A)Incorrect. This sentence states a provable fact, not an opinion, that old people are not shown in the media.
However, there is no discussion of the effect of this.
B)Incorrect. This sentence describes the media's presentation of the elderly but does not indicate that this
presentation is misleading.
C)Incorrect. Here the author states, with a touch of sarcasm, the general depiction of old men in commercials.
The detail, however, does not does not give an alternate view.
D)Correct. The author's main idea in this passage is to criticize the way the media distorts who old people really
are.
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Central or Main Idea