Main Idea-Its in The Bag Lesson Plan
Main Idea-Its in The Bag Lesson Plan
Main Idea-Its in The Bag Lesson Plan
Lesson/Unit Plan Title or Theme: The Main Idea: It’s in the Bag!
Essential Question:
What is the purpose of understanding the main idea in a variety of situations in life? How can
understanding the main idea of a situation impact you and others?
Objective(s):
The students will be able to understand the main idea of a story through the activity “It’s in the Bag” and
develop their own themed bag with items of their choosing.
Academic Core:
Reading: Informational Text Standard 6
Identify the main purpose of a text, including what the author wants to answer, explain, or describe.
Procedures:
Introduction:
1. Open the lesson by introducing/reviewing what the definition of main idea is. After finishing,
highlight examples of what the main idea is, using supporting details, or facts, statements, or
examples that help illustrate the main idea.
2. Summarize the main idea in a concluding sentence. Write the sentence on your whiteboard.
3. Explain to the class that they will be split into groups to look through mystery bags of supporting
details and determine the "main idea" of each bag. They will write a conclusion sentence that
summarizes the main idea of each bag, and share their findings with the class.
Lesson:
1. Explain to the large group that they will be looking at the supporting details inside a mystery bag
at each station to determine the main idea for each bag.
2. Remind the class that each group will have five minutes at each station to review the supporting
details, agree on the main idea, and write a conclusion sentence.
3. Using a model bag, demonstrate what your students are expected to do in each station.
4. Take out the items in the bag one by one, and hold them up for the class to see. For example, take
a pen, a pencil, markers, and crayons out of the bag.
5. Verbalize your thought process for each item as you remove it from the bag. For example, you
could say, "A pencil and a pen are things that people use to write. Markers and crayons are things
people use to color and draw. Some artists also draw with pens and pencils.”
6. Conclude by giving your thoughts on what the main idea for this bag could be. For example, say
that you think the main idea of the bag is art supplies.
7. Ask your class for additional suggestions for the main idea of this bag. Encourage volunteers to
use the supporting details as evidence for their suggestions.
8. Write the students' examples on the board.
9. Remind students that they will have to work together to come up with the main idea for each bag.
They will record their main ideas on their worksheets.
10. Excuse the students to the different tables to start the lesson and their group practice.
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1. Pass out a copy of the Main Idea Recording Sheet to each student (at the bottom of the page).
2. As students work, walk around the classroom providing support and scaffolding as needed.
3. Set a timer in five minute intervals. Each time the timer goes off, have students move to a new
station.
Closing:
1. Call the class together, and have the students take turns sharing their recordings for each mystery
bag.
2. Allow your students to discuss any similarities or differences in each station.
3. After the discussion, remind students that the main idea is the most important point in a passage,
and that supporting details are facts that help support the main idea.
4. To extend the lesson, the students will go back to their desks and create their own main idea bag
with supporting details. Before the students are excused, explain to the kids the different
materials they can use to draw their pictures with (markers, crayons, colored pencils, etc.) and
show the students how pressing harder on the page changes the color of each item.
Medium/Resources/Materials/Technology/Prep:
Bags, items to go in the bags such as different animals from the ocean, farm animals, school
supplies, and items to make a bed, paper, colored pencils, markers, or crayons,
Prep will involve creating and putting together the different themed bags, getting the supplies
Special Considerations/Differentiation/Extension:
Special Education:
Instead of having students jump right into drawing and choosing what their main idea for their “bag” is,
assign pairs and have them brainstorm beforehand. They will be able to bounce ideas off each other and
give suggestions on the items that will be in their “bag”.