Using Bags to Find the Main Idea and Details-UPDATE

I recently updated a fun activity that was originally put together for my 3rd and 4th graders who were having a difficult time finding the Main Idea back in 2011.  It was definitely in need of an update!

My kiddos were having such a difficult time, so I really wanted to pull them away from the text for a bit, but still address Main Idea.  So I decided to have bags full of items that go together.  As the items are pulled out, the students think about how they are related to one another and ultimately what the main idea would be of all the items together.  In most cases, one item is the key item that really ties everything together, the detail to best support the main idea.  It worked really well and the kids loved it!

I simply went to the dollar store and bought some tote bags and put the items inside.  As I slowly pull the items out of the bag, we discuss how they go together and make predictions about what the main idea of the bag could be.  Each time I pull something out, I remind the students how we don’t know for sure what the bag is for, because we haven’t seen all of the items.  There should be one item (generally the last, but it does not have to be) that ties them all together.  This is the detail that best supports the main idea.  By making this the last item, it helps to show students that, just like reading a paragraph, they must read through the entire paragraph.

What is included in the download:

~  lesson plan to be used with any bag

~  worksheets/graphic organizers for bags 

containing 3, 4, 5, and 6 different items

~  item suggestions for three different bags, (including the order of presentation for items)

~  reminder sheet for the students, "When thinking about Main Idea, don't forget to..."

So if you've already purchased this item, make sure you head over to download the updated version!  If you want to check out my original post, you can do so by going here.

End of School Scramble

My students love scrambled sentences, do yours?  Since there are many special events happening in these last few days, I am not sure how much I am going to be able to see my first and second graders.  

I do have a few activities ready to go in case I am able to see some of them.  One of the activities is the End of School Scrambled Sentences.  This is an activity I created last year, but just adapted a teeny tiny bit.  (If you want to see that post, you can click here.)

This activity has 5 different sentences all about the end of school or summer vacation.  I pre-print the document, laminate, and cut out the word cards.  I then place the cards with the like pictures in cute little buckets.  The students then select a bucket, pull out the words and place them in the correct order to make a complete sentence.  Once they have it in the correct order, they then write the correct sentence on the recording sheet.  This incorporates use of their sight words, comprehension at the sentence level, and the need for proper punctuation when writing. 

Here are some 1st Grade CCLS that can be addressed in this activity:

RF1.1. Demonstrate understanding of the organization and basic features of print.
a. Recognize the distinguishing features of a sentence (e.g., first word, capitalization, ending punctuation).
RF1.3 3. Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words.
a. Know the spelling-sound correspondences for common consonant digraphs.
b. Decode regularly spelled one-syllable words.
c. Know final -e and common vowel team conventions for representing long vowel sounds.
d. Use knowledge that every syllable must have a vowel sound to determine the number of syllables in a printed word.
e. Decode two-syllable words following basic patterns by breaking the words into syllables.
f. Read words with inflectional endings.
g. Recognize and read grade-appropriate irregularly spelled words.
L.1.2. Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
b. Use end punctuation for sentences.

How many of you are still in school?  One full day and two half days left for this girl here!  How about you?

Following Steps and Directions

Is your school preparing for state exams?  In New York State students in grade 3 and above will take their English Language Arts exams next month.  Although I am not working with anyone in the testing grades this year, I wanted to share with you an activity I did last year with my 3rd and 4th graders that stepped away from paper and pencil and/or filling in bubbles on an answer sheet.  

The students I worked with last year had difficulty answering questions related to passages that required them to follow directions.  They had trouble with questions that asked things such as, "In which step..." or "What happens right after/before..."  

So to help practice this, I created this little game-like activity for them to read a short passage that included steps or directions.  They then had to select a card that listed a multiple choice question, worded in a way that they may see it on the state test.  There are four different passages, with 8 question cards to go along with each.  They are fun little passages, with simple topics:

"Making a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich" 

"How to Jump Rope"

"Brushing Your Teeth"

"How to Send a Letter in the Mail" 


(Click on the picture below!)

They really enjoyed this activity!  It provided them with practice reading passages and answering multiple choice questions without sitting and filling in bubbles, while exposing them to the vocabulary they may encounter on the actual test.


What are some fun ways you help your students prepare for tests?

Main Idea and Details-More Ideas

Last April I wrote about an activity I used with some of my 3rd and 4th grade students who were having difficulty identifying main idea and details.  The activity included a bag, filled with different items that somehow went together.  

As I slowly pulled the items out of the bag, we discussed how they went together and made predictions about what the main idea of the bag could be.  Each time I pulled something out, I would reinforce how we didn't know for sure what the bag was for, because we had not yet seen all of the items.  The last item was the one, key item that really tied everything together.  It was the detail to best support the main idea. 


I wanted to demonstrate to the students that even though they thought they knew what the bag was for after seeing one or two items, they needed to see all of the items in the bag before they could make a final conclusion.  I tied it back to text explaining that it was just like reading a paragraph, they must read through the entire paragraph, not stopping after the first or second sentence.


If you click on the picture above, it will bring you to my original post to download the graphic organizer and the lesson plan for the lunch bag.  Below are the items I used for two additional bags, using the same graphic organizer.

This activity could be used in so many different ways!

What other types of bags could we make?

Favorite Thanksgiving Books With FREEBIES

I am linking up with two linky parties, sharing my Favorite Thanksgiving Book over with Tamara on TBA and also with Learning With Mrs. Parker.

I actually have two favorite Thanksgiving books with FREE printables to go along with them.  

Both of the books I love have a turkey who is scared to death of being eaten for Thanksgiving.  They both have great humor and the kids love them.


The first one is Turkey Trouble by Wendi Silvano

After reading this book, I will have my kinders and first graders identify their favorite part. They will draw a picture and then write about it.  There are two documents, one with the words "I like when" and one without words.  Both have the Handwriting Without Tears Lines.

The second one is A Turkey for Thanksgiving by Eve Bunting

I wrote the main story events on little sentence strips.  After reading this book, I would have my second graders read through the sentence strips and place them in the correct sequence to practice retelling the story.  Once done, they would read the "story" back to me.

Enjoy!!

End of Year Scramble

Since my students love scrambled sentences, I created some for them to do while we celebrate the last days of the school year.  They will need to unscramble the words to make a complete sentence and then insert the correct punctuation at the end.

(Click on either picture to go and download the activity.)

Anna over at Crazy for First Grade has a similar activity which is part of her math and literacy center pack called, "The Sweetest Centers".  Her materials are much loved by my students so if you haven't checked her out, make sure you do soon !

Enjoy!

I Have, Who Has Inferencing

 Here is another "I have, Who has" game to help your students practice making basic inferences.  Just like the rhyming game I posted here, this game creates a circle or loop, so the last question is answered by the first answer set on the table.  The students are encouraged to work together to determine the correct answers.  Directions are included! 

Click on the picture to download.

Thank you!

Main Idea and Details

Some of my 3rd and 4th graders are having a difficult time with identifying Main Idea.  Some just are not getting past the idea that not every paragraph or passage will have one sentence that will state the main idea.  Others are just looking at the title of the piece and considering that the main idea, thus missing a lot of detail.  So I really wanted to do an activity that pulls them away from text but still addresses the concept of main idea.

I decided to create bags full of items that go together.  The students have to think about how the items relate to one another and ultimately what the main idea would be of all of the items together, as I slowly pull them out one at a time. One item is the key item that really ties everything together, the detail to best support the main idea. It worked really well!  The kids loved it! 

For the first bag I used a medium-sized tote that I used to use as a purse and we started by discussing what the bag could be used for and what could be inside (right away they guessed items that would belong in a purse).  Inside I had a snack-sized bag of mini-cookies, a napkin, an orange, a drink, a spoon, and then a container of soup. 

When the first few items were pulled out, we talked about how they were food items and would probably be eaten as a snack.  When the final item, the soup, was revealed, then they knew that all of the items together meant, "Eating lunch."

The soup was the key item, the detail to best support the main idea.  I have also put some additional bags together (baking items, swimming items, etc...) all with one key item to tie it all together.

I uploaded the plans and printables for the first bag below.

I would love to hear some of your suggestions for teaching Main Idea!

Elements of a Complete Sentence

Some of my 3^rd graders are having a difficult time determining what makes a sentence complete.  Here is a game I created to help them practice this.  After reading the phrase, they will be asked to think about whether or not they can answer “Who is in the sentence?" and “What is it doing?"  If they can answer both, then it is a complete sentence!

Click on either picture to link to my TPT store.

~ Mrs. Mc

Predicting Throughout the Text

Predicting:

We know that in order to predict, readers must activate their background knowledge and use it to think about what they will be reading.  I frequently use predicting throughout the reading of a text to help my students monitor their comprehension-a skill that is difficult for them.  I do this regularly with some of my 2^nd and 3^rd grade groups.

Here is what I do:

¹  When I preread the text we are reading together in small group, I find 2 good “stopping points” in the text.  This is usually 2-3 pages into the text and then 2-3 pages later (but not at the very end of the text).  These “stopping points” may be when an event is about to happen/change, the feelings of a character are changing, the thinking of a character is changing, etc… 

¹  I then mark the page of the first stopping point with a small sticky note to help signal the students to stop reading when they get to that page.  If the book is thin enough, I may paperclip the rest of the book together, so that the students can not read ahead of the “stopping point” or see additional pictures.

¹  Once the students read to the first “stopping point” they are then presented with the prompt; “Think about the title, the pictures you have seen, and what you have read so far.  Write down 2 (or 3 depending on the text and/or group) important things you think will happen in the rest of the story.”  This prompt is adapted from the Developmental Reading Assessment-2^nd Edition (DRA2). 

Click on the picture to access the link!

¹  Once all of the students are done with their writing, we then retell what was read so far and then share the predictions made and most importantly why they made those predictions.

¹  They then follow the same routine until they get to the second stopping point.  In addition, We discuss whether the first predictions were confirmed or not.

The first stopping point, provides the students with some time to learn about the characters, setting, and overall text structure.  They use this information along with what they have learned about the story events, mesh it with their background knowledge, and predict what will happen next.  Most of the time they are also inferring what a character may be thinking or feeling to help form their predictions. 

In addition to drawing on their background knowledge, predicting, and inferring, the students are also given the opportunity to practice sequencing the important details they read about while they retell the story events at each “stopping point”.  It helps the students think deeper about what they are reading because they need to monitor their comprehension throughout their reading.

Hope you find this useful!!

~ Mrs. McKown