Main Idea and Supporting Details Activities for 3rd to 4th Grade
 
Tired of the same old main idea worksheets and boring reading comprehension passages? This no-prep resource will give your students plenty of main idea and key details practice in a new and engaging way!
 
Includes 3 different types of activities that specifically target finding the main idea and supporting details within the text.
 
WHAT YOU WILL GET:
20 main idea worksheets plus 5 bonus activities
Answer keys
 
The 20 worksheets are divided into 3 different sets:
 
Worksheet Set A:
Each page in this set features a short informational non-fiction passage. Students will read the text and then answer two text-based questions (one true/false and one short response). Each passage is accompanied by a main idea and details graphic organizer. Students cut out four statements that were in the passage and glue them onto the graphic organizer to show which is the main idea and which are the supporting details.
 
In some of the passages, the main idea is implied rather than explicitly stated. There are plenty of details in the text to help readers determine the main point. The answers to the other questions are found directly in the text. I like to have my students highlight where they found the answers (as pictured on the cover). This shows me that they referred back to the text to find the information.
 
Topics included in these reading passages: penguin habitats, dental health, the sun, Helen Keller, and pioneer life.
 
Each of these worksheets includes a bonus research question that you can use to extend your students' learning. These are short questions related to the topics in the passages that can be answered through an internet search.
 
 
Worksheet Set B:
The second set of worksheets feature three different main idea statements. Students cut out the supporting details at the bottom and glue them under the correct main idea. The three main ideas deal with similar topics, so students will have to read each detail carefully to determine which main idea it supports.
 
Topics included in these main idea and details sorts: pets, bees, camping, stars
 
 
Worksheet Set C:
These worksheets help students discern between supporting details and non-pertinent information. They will read a short passage and underline or highlight the sentence that does not support the main idea. Each page contains three passages.
 
Topics included in these short paragraph activities: dolphins, spiders, Benjamin Franklin, Sacajawea, hippopotamus, car racing, history of video games, branches of government, Disney World
 
These worksheets a great way to help young readers understand the concept of main idea in nonfiction texts and teach them important comprehension strategies. The worksheets can be used for homework, in your reading centers, or even for assessment. To help with your lesson plans, they are aligned to the following standards:
 
Common core standards
RI.3.1
RI.3.2
RI.4.1
RI.4.2
 
Florida state standards
LAFS.3.RI.1.1
LAFS.3.RI.1.2
LAFS.4.RI.1.1
LAFS.4.RI.1.2
 
 
Do you have below-level students who need intervention on this skill? Try Main Idea and Supporting Details Worksheets for 2nd Grade