2014
Common Core
Reading Instruction 3
Lesson 2
Part 1: Introduction
CCSS
Finding Main Ideas and Details
RI.3.2: Determine the main idea of a text;
recount the key details and explain how they
support the main idea.
Theme: World Communities
The main idea of a passage is what the passage is mostly about. Details are all the
facts and ideas in a passage. The most important key details in a passage support the
main idea by giving more information about it.
Read the following passage about the way people lived in the American colonies.
Life in the American colonies was not easy. People had to work very hard
to make a living. Some families lived on farms and made their living by selling
food to people in faraway towns. Getting to a town could take two hours or
more. They had to travel by horse, which was not easy on the rough terrain.
Once in town they sold their goods. Then they would take the long trip back
to the farm.
Underline the first sentence of the passage. This is the main idea. Then circle
three details that help explain why life in the American colonies was not easy.
The table below shows you how to keep track of a main idea and key details.
Complete the table by filling in the last key detail.
Main Idea
Life in the American colonies was not easy.
Key Detail
Key Detail
People had to work hard
to make a living.
Getting to town could take
two hours.
Key Detail
In the passage above, the first sentence told you the main idea. That doesn’t always
happen. Sometimes, the main idea doesn’t show up until later in the passage. In this
lesson, you will practice several ways to determine the main idea and key details.
L2: Finding Main Ideas and Details
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Part 2: Modeled Instruction
Lesson 2
Read the first part of a social studies passage about communities.
Genre: Social Studies
What Is a Community? by Clayton James
A community is a group of people who live and work in the same area. People do
different things to help make a community.
Think about the people you saw on your way to school today. Maybe you saw a bus
driver. A bus driver helps get you to school on time and safely. Maybe you saw a police
officer. A police officer makes sure that people follow the laws and stay safe. Maybe you
saw a mail carrier, a delivery person, or people on their way to work. All of these people
work together to make a community. This community is your city or town.
(continued)
Explore how to answer this question: “What is a detail in the passage that supports the
main idea?”
First, look for a sentence that tells what the passage is mostly about. What is the main thing
you learn from reading this passage?
The main idea and two details that support it are shown in the chart below. Find a third detail
from the passage that supports the main idea by filling in the blank in the chart.
Main Idea
“A community is a group of people who live and work in the same area.”
Key Detail
“A bus driver helps get you to
school on time and safely.”
Key Detail
“A police officer makes sure
that people follow the laws
and stay safe.”
Key Detail
A city or town is a type of
.
Fill in the blank below to write about a detail that supports the main idea of the passage.
A detail that supports the main idea is that a city or town is a type of
12
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Part 3: Guided Instruction
Lesson 2
Continue reading about communities. Use the Close Reading
and the Hint to help you answer the question.
(continued from page 12)
Once you got to school, you saw teachers, other students,
parents, and the principal. All of these people work together
to help make your school community. They help make sure
Close Reading
A paragraph also has
a main idea. In the last
paragraph, find and
underline details that
tell how you are part
of your community.
Hint
you have what you need to learn and be safe.
You are a part of your community, too. You do things to
make a difference. You can help keep your community clean.
You can follow rules and laws. You can help others in your
community who are in need. You and everyone around you
work together to make a community.
Circle the correct answer.
Remember: The main
idea isn’t always the
first sentence.
Which sentence best tells the main idea about what makes a town
or city a type of community?
A “Once you got to school, you saw teachers, other students,
parents, and the principal.”
B “You are part of your community, too.”
C “You can follow rules and laws.”
D “You and everyone around you work together to make
a community.”
Show Your Thinking
Look at the answer that you chose above. Explain which details in the last paragraph
support your answer.
Pick one answer you didn’t choose. Tell your partner why this answer is a detail,
not a main idea.
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Part 4: Guided Practice
Lesson 2
Read this personal essay written by a Native American girl in the late 1800s. Use the Study
Buddy and Close Reading to guide your reading.
Genre: Personal Essay
Life in My Village by Maahe, a 19th-century Cheyenne Indian
1
The main idea isn’t
always stated in the
first sentence of a
passage. I’m going to
reread the passage
to see how the details
add up to a main idea.
Close Reading
The essay tells what
people do in the village.
In paragraph 3, circle
three activities that
people do.
My name is Maahe. I am a Cheyenne Indian. I live with
my family on the plains. We work hard in my village, but we
also have fun. Each morning before the sun rises, people in
my village build a fire. Then women walk to the stream to
collect water. They use the water to make the morning meal.
2
After our morning meal, a man called the crier circles our
village on a horse. He makes announcements. We all gather
to hear the day’s news.
3
After cleaning up from our morning meal, the children
play games and swim. The women leave camp to gather
sticks and roots. They tie the sticks into bundles and carry
them back to camp on their backs.
4
We live in tipis made of buffalo hides. We can put them
up or take them down quickly. The tipis are our homes.
What is paragraph 4
mostly about?
Underline a sentence
in paragraph 4 that tells
its main idea.
Because we follow the buffalo herds, we move often. We can
pack up our entire village in one hour! Dogs or horses help
pull all our belongings, including our tipis, on big sleds.
5
When we hunt buffalo, both men and women help. The
women chase the buffalo toward the men. The men use
their bows and arrows to kill the buffalo.
6
As evening falls, everyone gets ready for the evening meal.
We eat, dance, tell stories, and play music. Then, everyone
goes to sleep. We know tomorrow will be another busy day!
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Part 4: Guided Practice
Hints
Lesson 2
Use the Hints on this page to help you answer the questions.
1 What is one main idea of “Life in My Village”?
Pick the choice that
describes the whole
passage.
A People in the village work hard but also have fun.
B People in the village build a fire each morning.
C Maahe and her family live in a village on the plains.
D Women in the village make the morning meal.
Choose a sentence that
gives examples of what
was mentioned in the
main idea.
2 Which sentence from the passage best supports the answer you
chose for question 1 above?
A “After our morning meal, a man called the crier circles our
village on a horse.”
B “After cleaning up from our morning meal, the children play
games and swim.”
C “We eat, dance, tell stories, and play music.”
D “When we hunt buffalo, both men and women help.“
Reread paragraph 4.
What details does the
author give to help
explain the main idea
of this paragraph?
3 Explain why tipis are important to the people in Maahe’s village.
Use two details from paragraph 4 in your response.
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Part 5: Common Core Practice
Lesson 2
Read the social studies passage. Then answer the questions that follow.
Living in the Clouds
by Jeanette Cannon
  1 Imagine living in a place so high that clouds are everywhere. Not high in the sky, but all
around! This is what life is like in the Andes. The Andes are very high mountains in South
America. The Inca people have lived in the Andes Mountains in Peru for over 500 years.
As you might guess, it is not easy making a living on high, rocky mountain land.
Mountain Farming
  2 The mountainsides make for difficult farming in the Andes. Farmers cut giant steps into
the mountain so they have a flat area to plant. They grow potatoes, corn, wheat, and grains.
There are hundreds of different kinds of potatoes grown in the Andes. In other parts of the
Andes, cotton, bananas, and sugarcane are grown.
  3 The Incas raise sheep, llamas,
guinea pigs, and alpacas. Llamas were
important to the Inca people 500 years ago
and still are today. They are used to carry
heavy loads through the mountains. They
are surefooted, which means they do not
easily trip or fall. People drink llama’s
milk just as many other people drink
cow’s milk.
Made in Peru
  4 Beautiful handmade objects
come from Peru. Spinners and weavers
especially like to work with the soft wool
of llamas and alpacas. Spinners spin the
wool into threads or yarn. People use the
yarn to knit beautiful sweaters, scarves,
and other cozy objects. Weavers form
cloth from the threads to make blankets,
handbags, and hats. Objects made in
Peru are known for their bright colors.
16
Pacific
Ocean
North
America
Central
America
Andes
Mountains
Atlantic
Ocean
Peru
South
America
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Part 5: Common Core Practice
Lesson 2
Ancient Cities
  5 Visitors come to Peru to see things they could not see anywhere else. One of the most
famous places to visit is Machu Picchu. The Incas carved this city on a mountaintop. To get
there, people can walk the same trail the Incas walked 500 years ago. It is important to keep
the city and trail clean. Hikers and campers have to take their trash with them. Many people
come every year. It is worth the trouble and sore legs to see the ruins of this beautiful Inca city.
Peru’s Garden of Eden
  6 Peru is home to Manu, one of the world’s few rain forests. Many of the trees of the rain
forest were being cut down. Some people are trying to stop that from happening. Rain forests are
home to animals and plants that do not live anywhere else. Many travelers visit the rain forest.
People who live there hope that will show how important it is to leave the rain forest alone.
  7 Though life can be hard, the Inca people have found a way to make the most of what
the land offers. And more and more visitors are learning a little about what life is like near
the clouds.
Answer Form
Answer the questions. Mark your answers to
questions 1–3 on the Answer Form to the right.
1 A B C D
2 A B C D
3 A B C D
Number
Correct
3
1 Read this sentence from the passage.
“Though life can be hard, the Inca people have found a way to make the
most of what the land offers.”
This sentence suggests that the Incas’ way of life depends on what they can get
from the land. Which sentence from the passage supports this idea?
A “They grow potatoes, corn, wheat, and grains.“
B “Beautiful handmade objects come from Peru.“
C “One of the most famous places to visit is Machu Picchu. “
D “Peru is home to Manu, one of the world’s few rain forests.“
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17
Part 5: Common Core Practice
Lesson 2
2 Which sentence about llamas best explains the main idea of paragraph 3?
A “The Incas raise sheep, llamas, guinea pigs, and alpacas.”
B “Llamas were important to the Inca people 500 years ago and still
are today.”
C “They are surefooted, which means they do not easily trip or fall.”
D “People drink llama’s milk just as many other people drink cow’s milk.”
3 How do the details about handmade objects help you understand the main idea
of paragraph 4?
A They describe which bright colors are used to make beautiful scarves
and sweaters.
B They describe how the Inca make different things from llama and
alpaca wool.
C They describe how sheep and llamas are used to make yarn for
homemade objects.
D They describe how blankets, handbags, and hats are made in factories.
4 Write a paragraph telling how the Incas in Peru live. Use three details from the
text in your answer.
Self Check Go back and see what you can check off on the Self Check on page 1.
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2014
Common Core
Reading Teacher Resource Book 3
Lesson 2
(Student Book pages 11–18)
Finding Main Ideas and Details
Theme: World Communities
LESSON OBJECTIVES
TAP STUDENTS’ PRIOR KNOWLEDGE
•Identify the main idea from a text.
•Tell students that they are learning about identifying
main ideas in informational texts. Review with
students what a main idea is. (A main idea is what
a passage is mostly about.)
•Recount key details and explain how they support
the main idea of a text.
THE LEARNING PROGRESSION
•Grade 2: CCSS RI.2.2 requires students to identify
the general topic of a text as well as the focus of each
paragraph within the text.
•Grade 3: CCSS RI.3.2 builds on the Grade 2
standard by asking students to go beyond the
topic and think about the main idea. This
standard requires students to closely read a text
to identify its main idea, and to recount and
begin to explain how the key details support
what the text is mostly about.
•Grade 4: CCSS RI.4.2 adds an emphasis on
explaining how the main idea is supported by key
details. Students will continue to practice identifying
the main idea and most important details of a text,
and begin to analyze the relationship between the
main ideas and the details that support them.
PREREQUISITE SKILLS
To be proficient with this standard, students need
to know the following skills and strategies:
•Then ask students about the difference between
main idea and details. (A main idea tells what the
whole passage or paragraph is about. A detail just
tells one fact or other piece of information about the
main idea.)
•Write the following sentences on the board: “Last
week, James learned how to knit. He learned from
his teacher. He knitted a scarf for his mom. The scarf
was red.”
•Ask students to identify the sentence that states the
main idea. (Last week, James learned how to knit.)
Next, ask students to name two details that support
the main idea. (He learned from his teacher, and he
knitted a scarf for his mom.) Finally, ask students
to identify the detail among the sentences that is
unimportant to the main idea. (The color of the scarf
does not matter to the main idea.) Discuss that this
detail does not support the main idea, so it is less
important.
Teacher Toolbox
Prerequisite
Skills
•Identify the topic of a text.
•Identify the main idea of each paragraph within
a text.
Ready Lessons
Tools for Instruction
Interactive Tutorials
Teacher-Toolbox.com
RI.3.2
✓
✓✓
✓
CCSS Focus
RI.3.2 Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea.
ADDITIONAL STANDARDS: R I.3.1; RI.3.4; RI.3.5; RI.3.8; W.3.2; W.3.7; W.3.8; SL.3.1; SL.3.2; SL.3.4; SL.3.5; L.3.1.i; L.3.4.a; L.3.5.a
(See page A39 for full text.)
10
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Lesson 23
Part 1: Introduction
At a glance
Students find the main idea and details in a passage
about life in the American colonies. They learn how
to keep track of this information in a table.
step by step
•Read the definitions of main idea, details, and key
details. Encourage students to read the passage and
underline the first sentence. Then have students
circle three details that help explain the main idea
that is stated in the first sentence.
•Explain that the table organizes the passage’s main
idea and key details. Read the main idea and have
students find this main idea in the passage.
•Next, read the first two key details and ask students
to compare them to two of the details they circled.
•Finally, have one or more volunteers share any
details they feel should go into the last box. Have
students say why they feel the detail is a key detail.
•Ask students to share the main idea of a nonfiction
text they have read recently in a textbook, an
encyclopedia, a web page, or a magazine article.
•Reinforce how finding the main idea and key details
in a text is a valuable reading strategy by sharing the
main idea and some key details in a book or article
you are reading. Explain how finding this
information helped you to better understand the text.
Lesson 2
Part 1: Introduction
ccSS
Finding main Ideas and Details
RI.3.2: Determine the main idea of a text;
recount the key details and explain how they
support the main idea.
Theme: World Communities
The main idea of a passage is what the passage is mostly about. Details are all the
facts and ideas in a passage. The most important key details in a passage support the
main idea by giving more information about it.
Read the following passage about the way people lived in the American colonies.
Life in the American colonies was not easy. People had to work very hard
to make a living. Some families lived on farms and made their living by selling
food to people in faraway towns. Getting to a town could take two hours or
more. They had to travel by horse, which was not easy on the rough terrain.
Once in town they sold their goods. Then they would take the long trip back
to the farm.
underline the first sentence of the passage. This is the main idea. Then circle
three details that help explain why life in the American colonies was not easy.
The table below shows you how to keep track of a main idea and key details.
complete the table by filling in the last key detail.
main Idea
Life in the American colonies was not easy.
Key Detail
Key Detail
Key Detail
Traveling by horse
People had to work hard
to make a living.
Getting to town could take
two hours.
was not easy.
In the passage above, the first sentence told you the main idea. That doesn’t always
happen. Sometimes, the main idea doesn’t show up until later in the passage. In this
lesson, you will practice several ways to determine the main idea and key details.
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11
Genre Focus
Informational Text: Personal Essay
Tell students that, in this lesson, they will read a
personal essay. Explain that a personal essay can take
many different forms. The purpose of a personal essay
is to inform and entertain. It is usually a short piece of
writing told from the author’s point of view. Authors of
essays write about a variety of topics, including details
and observations of their daily life, their opinions about
different subjects, and reflections on their experiences.
Personal essays usually answer the questions:
•What subject about his or her life does the author
write about?
The passage “Life in My Village” is an example of a
personal essay. It is told by Maahe, a 19th-century
Cheyenne Indian. Maahe tells about daily life in her
village and shares her observations and opinions.
Have students name other personal essays they have
read. What did they like about the way the facts and
ideas and feelings were presented? Ask students to
discuss which topics are best suited for a personal essay.
Explain that “Living in the Clouds” is an example
of an informational text. It presents details and facts
about the Incas, but it is not a personal essay.
•What are the author’s feelings about the subject?
What meaning does the subject have to the author?
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11
Lesson 2
Part 2: Modeled Instruction
at a glance
Students find the main idea in a social studies passage
and then identify details to support the main idea.
Part 2: modeled Instruction
Read the first part of a social studies passage about communities.
Genre: Social Studies
What Is a Community?
step by step
•Read aloud the passage “What Is a Community?”
•Then read the question “What is a detail in the
passage that supports the main idea?”
A community is a group of people who live and work in the same area. People do
Think about the people you saw on your way to school today. Maybe you saw a bus
driver. A bus driver helps get you to school on time and safely. Maybe you saw a police
officer. A police officer makes sure that people follow the laws and stay safe. Maybe you
saw a mail carrier, a delivery person, or people on their way to work. All of these people
work together to make a community. This community is your city or town.
•Point out that the main idea is introduced in the first
sentence of paragraph 1. It answers the question
posed in the title of the passage.
•Direct students to the chart and ask where they’ve
seen a similar chart. Review that the chart shows a
main idea and key details. Point out the main idea.
Think Aloud: Next, I will look for details that give
information about the main idea that a community is
a group of people who live and work in the same area.
•Have students find the names of different people and
circle them. Then have students compare the details
they circled with the first two details in the chart.
Think Aloud: These details support the idea that a
community is a group of people. I wonder if there’s
a detail that supports the idea that these people live
and work in the same area?
•Work with students to locate this detail in the text
and fill in the third column of the chart.
•Finally, have students answer the question at the
bottom of the page. Invite volunteers to share their
answers with the class.
12
(continued)
explore how to answer this question: “What is a detail in the passage that supports the
main idea?”
First, look for a sentence that tells what the passage is mostly about. What is the main thing
you learn from reading this passage?
The main idea and two details that support it are shown in the chart below. Find a third detail
from the passage that supports the main idea by filling in the blank in the chart.
main Idea
•Now tell students you will use a Think Aloud to
demonstrate a way of answering the question.
Think Aloud: I know the main idea of a passage is
often included near the beginning. I’ll reread the first
paragraph and see if I can find a sentence that tells
what the passage is mostly about.
by Clayton James
different things to help make a community.
•Remind students they just found the main idea and
three details in a short passage about the American
colonies.
•Tell students that in this lesson they will find the
main idea and details in an informational text.
Lesson 2
“A community is a group of people who live and work in the same area.”
Key Detail
“A bus driver helps get you to
school on time and safely.”
Key Detail
“A police officer makes sure
that people follow the laws
and stay safe.”
Key Detail
A city or town is a type of
community
.
Fill in the blank below to write about a detail that supports the main idea of the passage.
A detail that supports the main idea is that a city or town is a type of community
12
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Tier Two Vocabulary: Carrier
•Write the words teach and teacher on the board,
and discuss with students that the ending -er
was added to the verb teach to form the noun
teacher. Say, “A teacher is a person who teaches.”
Repeat with sing and singer.
•Carry a pile of books around the room. Tell
students that you carry the books from one place
to another.
•Ask students what other things might carry
something. (cars and boats carry people) Write the
word carry on the board. Then point out the word
carrier in paragraph 2. Review the spelling change
of y to an i before adding -er. Ask students what
carrier means in the passage’s context. (a person
who carries or moves mail) (RI.3.4; L.3.4.a)
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Lesson 2
Part 3: Guided Instruction
At a Glance
Part 3: guided Instruction
Students continue reading about communities. They
answer a multiple-choice question and analyze the
details that helped them select the correct answer.
Lesson 2
continue reading about communities. use the close Reading
and the hint to help you answer the question.
(continued from page 12)
Once you got to school, you saw teachers, other students,
Step by Step
•Tell students that they will continue reading about
communities.
•Close Reading instructs students to underline details
that tell how they are part of their community. The
Hint will help them understand that the question
asks for the main idea of the last paragraph.
•Have students read the passage and underline details
that tell how they are part of their community,
as directed by Close Reading.
•Ask volunteers to share a detail they underlined.
Discuss why that detail shows how individuals
are part of their communities.
•Have students circle the answer to the question,
using the Hint to help. Then have them respond to
the prompt in Show Your Thinking. Place students
into pairs to discuss the Pair Share prompt. Have
students review the definitions of main idea and
detail to help them explain their answer.
Answer Analysis
Choice A is incorrect. It includes details about different
people found in a community.
Choice B is incorrect. It points out that a student is part
of a community, but it does not tell what makes a town
or city a type of community.
Choice C is incorrect. It also includes a detail about one
of the things you can do in your community.
Choice D is correct. It is a general statement that tells
what the whole passage is mostly about.
ERROR ALERT: Students who did not choose D
might not have understood the difference between
main idea and details. Remind them that main idea
is what the whole passage is mostly about. Details
give more information about the main idea.
L2: Finding Main Ideas and Details
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parents, and the principal. All of these people work together
to help make your school community. They help make sure
you have what you need to learn and be safe.
close Reading
A paragraph also has
a main idea. In the last
paragraph, find and
underline details that
tell how you are part
of your community.
hint
You are a part of your community, too. You do things to
make a difference. You can help keep your community clean.
You can follow rules and laws. You can help others in your
community who are in need. You and everyone around you
work together to make a community.
circle the correct answer.
Remember: The main
idea isn’t always the
first sentence.
Which sentence best tells the main idea about what makes a town
or city a type of community?
A “Once you got to school, you saw teachers, other students,
parents, and the principal.”
b
“You are part of your community, too.”
c
“You can follow rules and laws.”
D “You and everyone around you work together to make
a community.”
Show your Thinking
Look at the answer that you chose above. Explain which details in the last paragraph
support your answer.
Responses will vary.
Pick one answer you didn’t choose. Tell your partner why this answer is a detail,
not a main idea.
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13
ELL Support: Homophones
•Explain to students that homophones are words
that sound alike but have different meanings
and spellings.
•Say the word flower to students. Some students
may hear flour. Work with students to define the
word they heard. As students give a definition,
write it on the board. Then write the word next
to the definition. For example, if students say
“a plant part,” write flower next to the meaning.
Repeat for the other word. (flour: “a powdery,
finely ground grain used in baking”)
•Point out to students the word principal in the first
sentence on page 13 and discuss its meaning. (the
most important in a group; chief) Then say and write
the word principle. Tell students this word means
“a rule or law that explains a basic truth.” Discuss
an example, such as the Golden Rule. Explain that
principle is a homophone of principal. (L.3.4.a)
13
Lesson 2
Part 4: Guided Practice
at a glance
Students read a passage about life in a Native American
village twice. After the first reading, ask three questions
to check your students’ comprehension of the passage.
Part 4: guided Practice
Lesson 2
Read this personal essay written by a Native American girl in the late 1800s. use the Study
buddy and close Reading to guide your reading.
Genre: Personal Essay
Life in My Village
by Maahe, a 19th-century Cheyenne Indian
step by step
•Have students read the passage silently without
referring to the Study Buddy or Close Reading text.
•Ask the following questions to ensure student
comprehension of the text:
Who is the narrator of this passage? (Maahe,
a Cheyenne Indian, is narrating the passage.)
What is Maahe describing in this passage?
(Maahe is describing a typical day in her village.)
Why is it important for the people in the village
to be able to move quickly and often? (The village
follows the buffalo herds, which are always moving.)
•Then ask students to reread paragraph 1 and look
at the Study Buddy think aloud. How does the Study
Buddy help them think about a good way to look for
details that give information about the main idea?
1
The main idea isn’t
always stated in the
first sentence of a
passage. I’m going to
reread the passage
to see how the details
add up to a main idea.
close Reading
The essay tells what
people do in the village.
In paragraph 3, circle
three activities that
people do.
My name is Maahe. I am a Cheyenne Indian. I live with
my family on the plains. We work hard in my village, but we
also have fun. Each morning before the sun rises, people in
my village build a fire. Then women walk to the stream to
collect water. They use the water to make the morning meal.
2
After our morning meal, a man called the crier circles our
village on a horse. He makes announcements. We all gather
to hear the day’s news.
3
After cleaning up from our morning meal, the children
play games and swim. The women leave camp to gather
sticks and roots. They tie the sticks into bundles and carry
them back to camp on their backs.
4
We live in tipis made of buffalo hides. We can put them
up or take them down quickly. The tipis are our homes.
What is paragraph 4
mostly about?
underline a sentence
in paragraph 4 that tells
its main idea.
Because we follow the buffalo herds, we move often. We can
pack up our entire village in one hour! Dogs or horses help
pull all our belongings, including our tipis, on big sleds.
5
When we hunt buffalo, both men and women help. The
women chase the buffalo toward the men. The men use
their bows and arrows to kill the buffalo.
6
As evening falls, everyone gets ready for the evening meal.
We eat, dance, tell stories, and play music. Then, everyone
goes to sleep. We know tomorrow will be another busy day!
14
L2: Finding Main Ideas and Details
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Tip: The Study Buddy notes that the main idea
isn’t always stated in the first sentence of a passage.
Rereading the passage is a good strategy for finding
the details that lead to the main idea.
•Have students read the rest of the passage. Tell them
to follow the directions in the Close Reading.
Tip: Understanding that a passage has a main idea
and a paragraph has its own supporting main idea is
an important distinction for students to learn. This
will help students comprehend nonfiction texts as
well as organize their own nonfiction writing.
•Finally, have students answer the questions on
page 15. When students have finished, use the
Answer Analysis to discuss correct and incorrect
responses.
14
Tier Two Vocabulary: Plains
•Ask students whether they would like a plain
birthday cake or a decorated birthday cake.
Explain that the word plain describes something
that doesn’t have anything extra on it.
•Tell students that the word plain also means
“a large area of land that is mostly flat, with few
trees.” Ask, “Why do you think this type of land
is called a plain?” (It doesn’t have many things on it;
in other words, it’s “plain” or lacking visual interest.)
•Ask students to find the word plains in paragraph 1
of the passage. Which meaning of plain is used here?
Does it describe what something is like, or does it
tell what something is? If necessary, guide students
to understand that plains tells where Maahe lives, so
it defines the type of geographical feature described
above: “a large area of land that is mostly flat, with
few trees.” Also note for students that the plains
cited in this passage refer to the Great Plains of the
western United States. (RI.3.4; L.3.4.a)
L2: Finding Main Ideas and Details
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Lesson 2
Part 4: Guided Practice
step by step
Part 4: guided Practice
•Have students read questions 1–3, using the Hints to
help them answer those questions.
use the hints on this page to help you answer the questions.
hints
1 What is one main idea of “Life in My Village”?
Pick the choice that
describes the whole
passage.
Tip: Make sure students read paragraph 4 carefully
. before answering question 3. The text does not
explicitly state why tipis are important. Students
will need to infer this information based on what
Maahe says they are used for.
Lesson 2
A People in the village work hard but also have fun.
b
People in the village build a fire each morning.
c
Maahe and her family live in a village on the plains.
D Women in the village make the morning meal.
Choose a sentence that
gives examples of what
was mentioned in the
main idea.
•Discuss with students the Answer Analysis below.
Answer Analysis
2 Which sentence from the passage best supports the answer you
chose for question 1 above?
A “After our morning meal, a man called the crier circles our
village on a horse.”
b
“After cleaning up from our morning meal, the children play
games and swim.”
c
“We eat, dance, tell stories, and play music.”
D “When we hunt buffalo, both men and women help.“
Reread paragraph 4.
What details does the
author give to help
explain the main idea
of this paragraph?
1 The correct choice is A. It states the main idea,
describing the contents of the whole text. The other
answer choices are details from the text.
3 Explain why tipis are important to the people in Maahe’s village.
Use two details from paragraph 4 in your response.
See sample response.
2 The correct choice is B. This sentence shows
examples of both work and fun activities, which
support the statement in the answer to question 1.
Choice A shows a job, but not a leisure activity.
Choice C shows only the fun villagers have, and
choice D shows people working.
3 Sample response: The tipis are homes for people in
the village. They can be taken down and moved
quickly. This is important because the people follow
the buffalo herds, which they hunt for food. These
details show the importance of tipis to the people
in the village.
L2: Finding Main Ideas and Details
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Use a graphic organizer to verify the correct answer to
question 3. Draw the graphic organizer below, leaving
the boxes blank. Work with students to fill in the
boxes, using information from the passage. Sample
responses are provided.
Integrating Standards
1 How do the Cheyenne Indians find out what is
going on in their village? Provide details from
the text. (RI.3.1)
Main Idea
Tipis are important to the people in Maahe’s village.
They can be put
up and taken
down quickly.
15
Use these questions to further students’ understanding
of “Life in My Village.”
reteaching
Key Detail 1
Copying is not permitted.
Key Detail 2
“The tipis are
our homes.”
Key Detail 3
The people move
often, and they
can pack up the
entire village in
one hour.
L2: Finding Main Ideas and Details
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The Cheyenne Indians find out what is going on in
their village because they listen to the crier who
circles the village on a horse every morning and
makes announcements.
2 What do the women do after the morning meal?
Explain the sequence of events. (RI.3.8)
Maahe says that the women leave camp to gather
sticks and roots. Then they tie them into bundles.
Finally, they carry the bundles back to the village.
15
Lesson 2
Part 5: Common Core Practice
Part 5: common core Practice
Living in the Clouds
by Jeanette Cannon
1
Imagine living in a place so high that clouds are everywhere. Not high in the sky, but all
around! This is what life is like in the Andes. The Andes are very high mountains in South
America. The Inca people have lived in the Andes Mountains in Peru for over 500 years.
As you might guess, it is not easy making a living on high, rocky mountain land.
Mountain Farming
2
The mountainsides make for difficult farming in the Andes. Farmers cut giant steps into
the mountain so they have a flat area to plant. They grow potatoes, corn, wheat, and grains.
There are hundreds of different kinds of potatoes grown in the Andes. In other parts of the
Andes, cotton, bananas, and sugarcane are grown.
Made in Peru
4
Beautiful handmade objects
come from Peru. Spinners and weavers
especially like to work with the soft wool
of llamas and alpacas. Spinners spin the
wool into threads or yarn. People use the
yarn to knit beautiful sweaters, scarves,
and other cozy objects. Weavers form
cloth from the threads to make blankets,
handbags, and hats. Objects made in
Peru are known for their bright colors.
16
Lesson 2
Ancient Cities
Read the social studies passage. Then answer the questions that follow.
3
The Incas raise sheep, llamas,
guinea pigs, and alpacas. Llamas were
important to the Inca people 500 years ago
and still are today. They are used to carry
heavy loads through the mountains. They
are surefooted, which means they do not
easily trip or fall. People drink llama’s
milk just as many other people drink
cow’s milk.
Part 5: common core Practice
Lesson 2
5
Visitors come to Peru to see things they could not see anywhere else. One of the most
famous places to visit is Machu Picchu. The Incas carved this city on a mountaintop. To get
there, people can walk the same trail the Incas walked 500 years ago. It is important to keep
the city and trail clean. Hikers and campers have to take their trash with them. Many people
come every year. It is worth the trouble and sore legs to see the ruins of this beautiful Inca city.
Peru’s Garden of Eden
6
Peru is home to Manu, one of the world’s few rain forests. Many of the trees of the rain
forest were being cut down. Some people are trying to stop that from happening. Rain forests are
home to animals and plants that do not live anywhere else. Many travelers visit the rain forest.
People who live there hope that will show how important it is to leave the rain forest alone.
7
Though life can be hard, the Inca people have found a way to make the most of what
the land offers. And more and more visitors are learning a little about what life is like near
the clouds.
Answer Form
Answer the questions. Mark your answers to
questions 1–3 on the Answer Form to the right.
North
America
Pacific
Ocean
Central
America
Atlantic
Ocean
1
1 A B C D
2 A B C D
3 A B C D
Number
correct
3
Read this sentence from the passage.
“Though life can be hard, the Inca people have found a way to make the
most of what the land offers.”
Peru
Andes
Mountains
South
America
This sentence suggests that the Incas’ way of life depends on what they can get
from the land. Which sentence from the passage supports this idea?
A “They grow potatoes, corn, wheat, and grains.“
B
“Beautiful handmade objects come from Peru.“
C “One of the most famous places to visit is Machu Picchu. “
D “Peru is home to Manu, one of the world’s few rain forests.“
L2: Finding Main Ideas and Details
L2: Finding Main Ideas and Details
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Copying is not permitted.
17
at a glance
answer analysis
Students independently read a longer social studies
passage and answer questions in a format that provides
test practice.
1 Choice A is correct. It states what some people in
Peru grow on the land. Choice B describes what
some people in Peru make, not what they get from
the land. Choice C describes a city but does not say
what some people in Peru get from the land.
Choice D talks about the land but does not describe
what some people get from it. (DOK 2)
step by step
•Tell students to use what they have learned about
reading closely and finding the main idea and details
to read the passage on pages 16 and 17.
•Remind students to underline the main idea and
circle the supporting details.
•Tell students to answer the questions on pages 17
and 18. For questions 1–3, they should fill in the
correct circle on the Answer Form.
•When students have finished, use the Answer Analysis
to discuss correct responses and the reasons for them.
Have students fill in the number correct on the
Answer Form.
16
Theme Connection
•How do all of the passages in this lesson relate
to the theme of communities?
•What facts did you find the most interesting?
L2: Finding Main Ideas and Details
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Lesson 2
Part 5: Common Core Practice
2 Choice B is correct. This detail describes how
llamas have remained important to the Incas for
hundreds of years. Choice A is a detail that lists the
different animals Incas raise. It does not emphasize
llamas. Choice C is a description of llamas that
shows why llamas are useful in Peru’s mountainous
terrain, but it is too specific to best explain the
main idea. Likewise, choice D describes a benefit
that the llamas provide to people, but it is a minor
detail in this paragraph. (DOK 2)
Part 5: common core Practice
2
Lesson 2
Which sentence about llamas best explains the main idea of paragraph 3?
A “The Incas raise sheep, llamas, guinea pigs, and alpacas.”
B
“Llamas were important to the Inca people 500 years ago and still
are today.”
C “They are surefooted, which means they do not easily trip or fall.”
D “People drink llama’s milk just as many other people drink cow’s milk.”
3
How do the details about handmade objects help you understand the main idea
of paragraph 4?
A They describe which bright colors are used to make beautiful scarves
3 Choice B is correct. The details in paragraph 4
describe several different things that Incas make
with llama and alpaca wool. Choice A is untrue.
The details only mention that the objects have
bright colors. They do not describe which colors.
Choice C is untrue. Sheep are not mentioned in
the paragraph. Choice D is also untrue. The
details in paragraph 4 describe how the objects
are handmade, not made in factories. (DOK 2)
and sweaters.
B
They describe how the Inca make different things from llama and
alpaca wool.
C They describe how sheep and llamas are used to make yarn for
homemade objects.
D They describe how blankets, handbags, and hats are made in factories.
4
Write a paragraph telling how the Incas in Peru live. Use three details from the
text in your answer.
See sample response.
4 Sample response: Incas in Peru work hard to
make a living. Farmers grow different crops on
the mountainsides. The Incas also raise several
types of animals, including llamas and alpacas.
Skilled spinners and weavers create clothing
and other objects. (DOK 3)
Self check Go back and see what you can check off on the Self Check on page 1.
18
L2: Finding Main Ideas and Details
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Integrating Standards
1 Why are the Incas described as living in the
clouds? Provide details from the text that support
your answer. (RI.3.1)
If something is worth the trouble, then it is good
enough or important enough for people to put in extra
time and effort to see or do that thing. The author
says that Machu Picchu is difficult to get to, but it is
so beautiful and important that people should still go.
The Inca people live high in the Andes Mountains of
South America. The mountains are so high that they
are covered in clouds, so the Incas are described as
living in the clouds.
4 Write an informative text about the Incas,
explaining how they have adapted to life in the
Andes Mountains. Include key details that support
the main idea. (W.3.2)
Use these questions and tasks as opportunities to
interact with “Living in the Clouds.”
2 Which part of the passage is about crafts the Incas
make by hand? Use text features to support your
answer. (RI.3.5)
Paragraph 4 includes details about handmade objects,
such as sweaters, blankets, and scarves, that are
made in the Andes. This paragraph comes after the
heading “Made in Peru.”
3 What does the author mean when she says that it
is “worth the trouble” to see Machu Picchu? What
does this phrase mean? (L.3.5.a; RI.3.4)
L2: Finding Main Ideas and Details
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Informative texts will vary. Responses should include
key details from the passage about ways the Incas
have adapted to life in the Andes Mountains.
5 Discuss in small groups: What are some other
groups of people who have lived in the same place
for hundreds of years? (SL.3.1)
Discussions will vary. Encourage students to consider
people or countries they already know or have read
about. Examples include Native American, Chinese,
and Greek people and communities.
17
Lesson 2
Additional Activities
Writing Activities
Personal Essay (W.3.2; W.3.8)
•Review with students “What Is a Community?” on pages 12 and 13. Ask them to think about the communities
to which they belong.
•Have students write a personal essay about their community. Remind them to include a main idea, support it
with facts and details, and include their feelings about the main idea and supporting details. To help them get
started, tell students to begin their essay with a sentence starter from “What Is a Community?” such as “I live
with . . .” or “We live in . . . .”
Complex Sentences (L.3.1.i)
•Have students reread the first sentence of the passage on page 13. Explain to students that sentences can be
simple, compound, or complex. Ask students to identify which type of sentence this is. (complex) Complex
sentences have one complete thought, joined to one or more incomplete thoughts. Point out that “once you got
to school” by itself is a sentence fragment.
•Encourage students to find other complex sentences in this lesson’s reading passages. Ask students to explain
how different sentence types make writing more interesting.
•Have students write three complex sentences.
Listening activity (SL.3.2; SL.3.4)
media activity (SL.3.5)
Listen Closely/Retell the Main Idea
Be Creative/Make a Diorama
•Have small groups of students read individual
paragraphs from “Living in the Clouds” aloud.
•Show students examples of dioramas from the
Internet or a craft book. Explain that a diorama is
a miniature model of a place that can include
animals, people, buildings, or natural settings.
•Each student must listen closely and say the main
idea of the paragraph. They should also be able
to name at least one supporting detail they heard.
discussion activity (SL.3.1)
Talk in a Group/Talk About Communities
•Ask students to recall facts and details about life
in Maahe’s Cheyenne village. What is the main
idea of that passage? Then have them recall the
facts and details about the Incas in “Living in the
Clouds.” What is the main idea of this passage?
•Have students form small groups to compare and
contrast the Cheyenne village with the way of life
described in “Living in the Clouds.” Students
should make a list of similarities and differences.
•Appoint one member of each group to take notes.
Allow 10–15 minutes for discussion, then have
each group share its results with the class.
•Tell students they will make dioramas of Maahe’s
village based on details in “Life in My Village.”
Provide students with small boxes and art supplies
to make their dioramas. Remind them to use at
least two details from the passage in the diorama.
•Have students display their dioramas in the
classroom.
research activity (SL.3.4; W.3.7)
Research and Present/Give a Presentation
•Review paragraph 5 of “Living in the Clouds.”
Arrange students in small groups and give them
access to print and electronic resources to
research Machu Picchu.
•Each group should produce a visual display, such
as a map, photos, or drawings, to accompany the
presentation.
•Students should take notes and write a brief report
for their oral presentations.
18
L2: Finding Main Ideas and Details
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