Need help from someone who is good at finding main ideas in paragraphs!

[Neserk]

This is strange request. Here goes: Finding main ideas in paragraphs was something I *always* struggled with and now I'm teaching a lesson on it. I need someone to double check the following three paragraphs. Tell me what he main idea of each one is. I want to make sure I'm correct before I teach it!

Paragraph 1:
The Sun has gravity. Gravity is a force that attracts all objects to one another. The Sun’s gravity pulls on the planets and the moons. Gravity makes the planets and the moons travel around the Sun. They follow paths called orbits. The Sun’s gravity keeps the solar system together.


Paragraph 2:
Lots of air surrounds Earth. Winds blow white clouds across the surface. The clouds are made of water drops. Eventually the drops fall as rain or snow. Water runs across the land and wears it away. Volcanoes spew out lava to make new land. Earth is constantly changing.


Paragraph 3:
Jupiter also has many moons orbiting it. Two of these moons, Ganymede and Callisto, are larger than the planet Mercury. Another moon has erupting volcanoes on its surface. Two other moons are ice covered, with oceans of water beneath.

[musicpyrite]

I can't help you, because I have the same exact problem in my writing (according to my teacher). From what I can tell, it's a pretty good couple of paragraphs.

Did I mention that I suck at writing?

If you know somebody named Mr. Giardi, he'll know exactly what I'm talking about.

[MongoTheGeek]

Paragraph 1:
The Sun has gravity. Gravity is a force that attracts all objects to one another. The Sun’s gravity pulls on the planets and the moons. Gravity makes the planets and the moons travel around the Sun. They follow paths called orbits. The Sun’s gravity keeps the solar system together.

Last Sentence.

Paragraph 2:
Lots of air surrounds Earth. Winds blow white clouds across the surface. The clouds are made of water drops. Eventually the drops fall as rain or snow. Water runs across the land and wears it away. Volcanoes spew out lava to make new land. Earth is constantly changing.

Last Sentence.

Paragraph 3:
Jupiter also has many moons orbiting it. Two of these moons, Ganymede and Callisto, are larger than the planet Mercury. Another moon has erupting volcanoes on its surface. Two other moons are ice covered, with oceans of water beneath.

First Sentence.

Usually a good rule of thumb is the first or last sentence of a well written paragraph. Often both of them. When I was in school I hated doing outlines of paragraphs and reports but it teaches you things like this.

[Doctor Q]

[QUOTE=Neserk]I was taught to start paragraphs with a topic sentence, where the rest of the paragraph explains or expands on the topic sentence. Is "main idea" the same as a topic sentence? Does the main idea have to be in the paragraph or can it be your own summary?

In Paragraph 1, the topic sentence is the last sentence in the paragraph: "The Sun’s gravity keeps the solar system together." If I were writing the paragraph, I would have put that sentence first.

The same with Paragraph 2, with topic sentence: "Earth is constantly changing." As with paragraph 1, the other sentences are explanations of that one, which should have been first instead of last.

For Paragraph 3, there is no topic sentence. I think it should be "Jupiter's moons are interesting." So that's what I'd say is the main idea.

[Neserk]

Last Sentence.



Last Sentence.



First Sentence.

Usually a good rule of thumb is the first or last sentence of a well written paragraph. Often both of them. When I was in school I hated doing outlines of paragraphs and reports but it teaches you things like this.

Thank you! Those were the ones I picked out (yeah) but I needed confirmation!

[Neserk]

Usually a good rule of thumb is the first or last sentence of a well written paragraph. Often both of them. When I was in school I hated doing outlines of paragraphs and reports but it teaches you things like this.

The writing in this book isn't the greatest. I had problems finding 3 paragraphs that I could do the lesson with. The first will be the model, the second group practice, the third individual practice. I may switch the second and the third.

[Neserk]

This is how I outlined the paragraphs, How does it look? The title is the main idea, the rest is supporting details.

Title: Jupiter also has many moons orbiting it.

I. Two of these moons, Ganymede and Callisto, are larger than the planet Mercury.
II. Another moon has erupting volcanoes on its surface.
III. Two other moons are ice covered, with oceans of water beneath.


Title: The Earth is Constantly Changing.

I. Water runs across the land and wears it away.
A. Lots of air surrounds Earth.
B. Winds blow white clouds across the surface.
C. The clouds are made of water drops.
D. Eventually the drops fall as rain or snow
II. Volcanoes spew out lava to make new land.

Title: The Sun’s gravity keeps the solar system together.

I. Gravity is a force that attracts all objects to one another.
II. The Sun has gravity.
III. The Sun’s gravity pulls on the planets and the moons.
A. Gravity makes the planets and the moons travel around the Sun.
B They follow paths called orbits.

[Neserk]

For Paragraph 3, there is no topic sentence. I think it should be "Jupiter's moons are interesting." So that's what I'd say is the main idea.

thanks! I used one. Although not all paragraphs do have topic sentences. Sometimes one has to simply get the gist of the paragraph and create their own main idea from that!

[coopdog]

are you a school teacher or something? :)

[Neserk]

are you a school teacher or something? :)

Curerntly I substitute teach. I'm working on my teaching credential. I have a lesson to deliver on Tuesday. This particular lesson plan is making me nuts :eek:

[cb911]

when i saw the title of the thread it reminded me of a good trick.... although this is not quite what you're after probably, but good to know. ;)

if you've got alot of text, first select it so it's highlighted, then you can go to the application menu, for example go to the Safari menu, then down to Services, and Summarize. i haven't tried that, but people say it's pretty good.

[coopdog]

Curerntly I substitute teach. I'm working on my teaching credential. I have a lesson to deliver on Tuesday. This particular lesson plan is making me nuts :eek:

Good for you. Man, subs get all the **** from the kids. Any worst student stories or anything?

[kevin49093]

Neserk, did you say that these paragraphs came from a book? I say ditch the book and teach without it!

I teach sixth grade science and really only use the textbooks (which are very new) when a student misses class and needs to review what was covered from the day before. Other than that, we discuss topics together, experiment, and play with cool science goodies (oops...I mean get plenty of hands on learning time).

What are you hoping to teach?

If you need any ideas, just ask. I've taught a bit of everything...

[Neserk]

Neserk, did you say that these paragraphs came from a book? I say ditch the book and teach without it!


I would but my lesson requires me to use a piece of expository text. The lesson is actually on "finding the main idea" I opted to use the solar system becaues it is of natural interest to the students...


I teach sixth grade science and really only use the textbooks (which are very new) when a student misses class and needs to review what was covered from the day before. Other than that, we discuss topics together, experiment, and play with cool science goodies (oops...I mean get plenty of hands on learning time).


I did a SDAIE lesson last week. That was cool because I just went through the text and found the main points. (Part of SDAIE is simplifying the text) In my own classroom I would always do that!


What are you hoping to teach?

If you need any ideas, just ask. I've taught a bit of everything...


k-6. My perfect world is Kindergarten. But I would teach any grade. Each one has its own unique qualities.

[Neserk]

Good for you. Man, subs get all the **** from the kids. Any worst student stories or anything?


When I did Middle School the first year I subbed I had a class that I had to give the whole class detention!

Other than that I had a 2nd grade class that I had to call down the Assistant Principal! :eek:

The rest are kind of a blur ;)

[baby duck monge]

k-6. My perfect world is Kindergarten. But I would teach any grade. Each one has its own unique qualities.

props to you for that. can't stand kids. glad there's someone out there who wants to take care of them for the rest of us!

[Neserk]

props to you for that. can't stand kids. glad there's someone out there who wants to take care of them for the rest of us!


lol...

[MongoTheGeek]

When I did Middle School the first year I subbed I had a class that I had to give the whole class detention!

Its good that someone somewhere has done it. UL's get around to kids, hopefully this is one of those that imprints in the collective psyche. The "They can't fail all of us." is to common. I remember hearing a story about a teacher who was fired for rightly failing 2/3rds of the class.

[Mr. Anderson]

Now I know that these paragraphs are written for kids, but am I the only one who thinks that these topics would end up discussed and get off topic fast?

Neserk - did you end up spending some time discussing the stuff and not the paragraph itself?

D