LAFS.3.RI.1.2Archived Standard

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Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main idea.
General Information
Subject Area: English Language Arts
Grade: 3
Strand: Reading Standards for Informational Text
Idea: Level 2: Basic Application of Skills & Concepts
Cluster: Key Ideas and Details
Date Adopted or Revised: 12/10
Content Complexity Rating: Level 2: Basic Application of Skills & Concepts - More Information
Date of Last Rating: 02/14
Status: State Board Approved - Archived
Assessed: Yes
Test Item Specifications
  • Item Type(s): This benchmark may be assessed using: TM , EBSR , ST , MC item(s)

  • Assessment Limits :
    Items may ask the student to use details from a text to determine a main idea. These may be explicitly or implicitly stated. Items may ask the student to identify key details and to explain how they support the main idea.
  • Text Types :
    The items assessing this standard may be used with one or more grade-appropriate informational texts. Texts may vary in complexity.
  • Response Mechanisms :
    The Enhanced Item Descriptions section on page 3 provides a list of Response Mechanisms that may be used to assess this standard (excluding the Editing Task Choice item type). The Sample Response Mechanisms may include, but are not limited to, the examples below
  • Task Demand and Sample Response Mechanisms :
    Task Demand

    Determine the main idea of a text.

    Sample Response Mechanisms

    Selectable Text 

    •  Requires the student to select words or phrases from the text that explicitly state the main idea.
    • Requires the student to select the main idea and then to identify textual evidence that supports it. 
    EBSR 

     

    • Requires the student to select the main idea and then to select words or phrases from the text to support that choice. 
    Multiple Choice 

     

    • Requires the student to select the main idea.
    Task Demand

    Recount key details and explain how they support the main idea.

     

    Sample Response Mechanisms

    EBSR 

    • Requires the student to select the details to be included in a recounting of the text and then to select an explanation for how the details support the main idea. 
    Selectable Text 
    • Requires the student to select the details from excerpted text that should be included in a recounting of the text and then to select an explanation for how the details support the main idea. 
    Table Match 
    • Requires the student to complete a table by matching key details with explanations for how the details support the main idea.

     

Related Courses

This benchmark is part of these courses.
5010010: English for Speakers of Other Languages-Elementary (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022 (course terminated))
5010020: Basic Skills in Reading-K-2 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2021, 2021 and beyond (current))
5010030: Functional Basic Skills in Communications-Elementary (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
5021050: Social Studies Grade 3 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 - 2023, 2023 and beyond (current))
5010044: Language Arts - Grade Three (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
7710014: Access Language Arts - Grade 3 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2018, 2018 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))
7721014: Access Social Studies - Grade 3 (Specifically in versions: 2014 - 2015, 2015 - 2018, 2018 - 2023, 2023 and beyond (current))
5011030: Library Skills/Information Literacy Grade 3 (Specifically in versions: 2016 - 2022, 2022 - 2023, 2023 and beyond (current))
5010103: Introduction to Debate Grade 3 (Specifically in versions: 2020 - 2022, 2022 and beyond (current))

Related Access Points

Alternate version of this benchmark for students with significant cognitive disabilities.

Related Resources

Vetted resources educators can use to teach the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Lesson Plans

Amazing Dolphins:

In this lesson, students will explore vocabulary, answer questions about the text, and identify the details and the central idea of an informational text about dolphins. Students will demonstrate their new knowledge about this amazing animal by completing an expository paragraph.

Type: Lesson Plan

Choose the Best Basketball Coach:

This 3rd grade MEA asks students to work as a team to figure out which candidate is the best possible choice for the 8th grade boys' basketball coach. They will have to analyze data, decide on a procedure, and create a ranking system to choose the best candidate. They are also given multiplication and division problems based on the data.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Type: Lesson Plan

Comparing and Contrasting Washington and Lincoln:

In this lesson, students will identify the relevant details and central idea of two informational texts about George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. They will then compare and contrast the two presidents using a graphic organizer and write an expository essay to explain the presidents' similarities and differences.

Type: Lesson Plan

Our United States Government: What's the Central Idea?:

In this lesson, students will learn to identify the central idea and explain how key details support that idea in an informational text. They will use that information to create trading cards about the three levels of government and write a paragraph summarizing the text and what they've learned.

Type: Lesson Plan

Central Idea -Think About Three Questions:

Students use a variety of texts to find key details that lead them to the central idea. Students will use a graphic organizer that will guide them in learning that the relevant details within a text will lead them to determining the central idea. Students will summarize a text using central idea and relevant details to build summary.

Type: Lesson Plan

I-SPY Something Important:

This lesson is designed to help students identify the central idea and relevant details of a text using the topic of inventions.

Type: Lesson Plan

Our Amazing World – Informational Reading:

Students will write a summary of the text Hottest, Coldest, Highest, Deepest by Steve Jenkins. In doing so, students will focus on identifying the central idea and relevant details in the text. Students will participate in vocabulary development activities to aid in the understanding of the informational text.

Type: Lesson Plan

Adding Up to the Main Idea:

In this lesson, students will use non-fiction books on the subject of spiders to find key details in the text that lead them to the main idea. Students will use a graphic organizer that shows the concept as a math problem in which the key details from the text are added up to find the main idea. At the end of the lesson, students will create a poster utilizing key details and main idea from a book about an arachnid.

Type: Lesson Plan

Turn Up the Heat:

Students will learn about heat through a video, a kinesthetic activity and summarizing informational text. This lesson can be completed in two 40 minute time period or over two days. Students will be able to demonstrate and explain the way heat moves from one object to another.

Type: Lesson Plan

Light the Way:

Students will learn about some of the behaviors of light, specifically refraction, through a video, a kinesthetic activity and summarizing informational text. Students will be able explain what causes a shadow by understanding the way light travels as well as explain refraction of light. This lesson can be completed in two 40 minute time periods or over two days.

Type: Lesson Plan

Circuit Circus:

Students will be able to identify characteristics of electrical energy. This lesson can be completed in one 80 minute time period or over two days. Students will learn about electrical energy, circuits, conductors and insulators through video, a hands on exploration and summarizing informational text.

Type: Lesson Plan

Extra! Extra! Read About Mammals:

In this lesson, students will learn about mammals using the book Mammals by Melissa Stewart. Through this book, the students will practice identifying and using text features to understand the text, as well as determine key details and main idea. The students will then create a newspaper article about a mammal of their choice using the main ideas, key details, and text features from Mammals.

Type: Lesson Plan

Using Text Features to Learn About Reptiles:

In this lesson, students will identify and use text features to learn about reptiles while reading the book REPTILES by Melissa Stewart. As the students practice identifying and using text features, they will also identify relevant details in the text. Using the text features and relevant details, students will identify the central idea. The students will then create a Reptile Poster using central ideas, relevant details, and text features. This lesson will use the text Reptiles by Melissa Stewart. However, this lesson can be done with any reptile-based book.

Type: Lesson Plan

Going Batty! Using Informational Text about Bats to find the Central Idea and Details:

Students will find the central idea and relevant details in informational texts about bats. To support students finding the central idea and details, students will use a fact gathering sheet. Students will write a central idea and details paragraph that includes appropriate content-area vocabulary and grade-level conventions.

Type: Lesson Plan

What's the Big Idea?:

Using a main idea and details graphic organizer, students will identify the main idea, key details, and explain how the details support the main idea about different forms of energy.

Type: Lesson Plan

Energetic Main Idea:

In this lesson, students will learn about different forms of energy and how to find the main idea and key details in informational text. Included with the lesson is an anticipation guide to assess prior knowledge, plus a rubric to score the students' summative assessment. Also present is a list of books to choose from so that teachers can use the books that fit their students best.

Type: Lesson Plan

Animain Idea (Animal Main Idea):

In this lesson, the students will use key details to identify the main idea of informational text about vertebrates.

Type: Lesson Plan

Landmark Central Idea:

In this lesson, students will use relevant details to determine the central idea of informational text about landmarks. Students will work in small groups to read an informational text about landmarks, fill out a graphic organizer, and then create a poster in the shape of the landmark they read about. Students will present their landmark posters to the class.

Type: Lesson Plan

Pitch Me A Sound:

Students will be able to identify characteristics of sound energy, such as pitch and volume. This lesson can be completed in one 45 minute time period or over two days. Students will learn about sound through video, a hands on project and summarizing informational text.

Type: Lesson Plan

Original Student Tutorial

Exploring the Main Idea:

Learn how to identify explicit evidence and understand implicit meaning in a text, supporting details in informational text and explain how the details support the main idea.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Student Center Activities

Comprehension: Distinguishing Details:

In this activity, students will identify significant and minor details in text.

Type: Student Center Activity

Comprehension: Sum Summary!:

In this activity, students will summarize text (narrative and expository) using a graphic organizer.

Type: Student Center Activity

STEM Lessons - Model Eliciting Activity

Choose the Best Basketball Coach:

This 3rd grade MEA asks students to work as a team to figure out which candidate is the best possible choice for the 8th grade boys' basketball coach. They will have to analyze data, decide on a procedure, and create a ranking system to choose the best candidate. They are also given multiplication and division problems based on the data.

Model Eliciting Activities, MEAs, are open-ended, interdisciplinary problem-solving activities that are meant to reveal students’ thinking about the concepts embedded in realistic situations. Click here to learn more about MEAs and how they can transform your classroom.

Original Student Tutorials for Language Arts - Grades K-5

Exploring the Main Idea:

Learn how to identify explicit evidence and understand implicit meaning in a text, supporting details in informational text and explain how the details support the main idea.

Student Resources

Vetted resources students can use to learn the concepts and skills in this benchmark.

Original Student Tutorial

Exploring the Main Idea:

Learn how to identify explicit evidence and understand implicit meaning in a text, supporting details in informational text and explain how the details support the main idea.

Type: Original Student Tutorial

Parent Resources

Vetted resources caregivers can use to help students learn the concepts and skills in this benchmark.