Central Idea Of A Text Lesson Plan for 6th Grade Example Students

Topic:Central Idea of a Text

Objectives & Outcomes

• Students will be able to identify the central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through details.
• Students will be able to provide an objective summary of a text.

Materials

• Copies of a variety of texts (e.g. short stories, articles, poems, news stories) for students to analyze
• Handouts with guiding questions for analyzing texts

Warm-up

• Ask students to think about a favorite book or movie.
• Ask them to explain the main idea and how the details helped them understand the main idea.
• Encourage students to use examples from the workshop activities to support their explanations.

Direct Instruction

• Introduce the concept of a central idea and explain that it is the main idea of a text.
• Provide examples of central ideas, including:
• A summary of the main events or ideas
• A theme or lesson that the author is trying to convey
• A statement that summarizes the main points or ideas
• Explain that details are the information and details that help to support the central idea.
• Provide examples of details, including:
• Specific details that help to explain the central idea
• General details that give context to the central idea
• Key words or phrases that summarize the central idea
• Ask students to brainstorm a list of details that they think might be important for understanding the central idea of a text.

Guided Practice

• Give students a text with a central idea and have them work in small groups to discuss the central idea and identify the details that support it.
• Have each group present their findings to the class and discuss as a whole group.

Independent Practice

• Have students choose a text of their own (could be a book, magazine article, poem, etc.) and identify the central idea and details that support it.
• Have students write a short essay explaining the central idea and how it is conveyed through the details.

Closure

• Ask students to share their essays with the class and discuss how the central idea and details were identified and how they support the main point of the text.

Assessment

• Observe students during the independent practice and offer feedback during a small-group or individual conference. Assess the resulting essays for their ability to convey a central idea and support it with details.