Direct Instruction Lesson Plan Template

Grade Level/Subject:
Central Focus: Main idea and key details
th
4 /Comprehension
Essential Standard/Common Core Objective: CCSS.ELA
LITERACY.RI.4.2
Date submitted:
Date
Determinethemainideaofatextandexplainhowitissupportedbykey
taught:
details;summarizethetext.
Daily Lesson Objective: Students will be able to identify the main idea of a text by using key
details to support their finding.
21st Century Skills:
Academic Language Demand (Language Function and
Vocabulary):
Determine, reason, identify
Prior Knowledge: Students must know what main idea and details mean, they must understand
what non-fiction texts are and have a basic understanding of non-fiction features.
Activity
1. Focus and Review

2. Statement of
Objective
for Student

3. Teacher Input

4. Guided Practice

Description of Activities and Setting

Ask students to tell you what they know about non-fiction
texts. Allow for a few students to answer. Then ask a few
students to share what they know about finding the main idea
and how it has to be supported by details.
Tell students that they are going to be learning about using
key details from the text to determine the main idea. Tell them
that they are going to first watch you show them an example.
Then they are going to do a group activity to practice finding
the main idea using details, and then they are going to
practice independently.
Have students gather at the middle carpet. They do not need
to bring anything with them. First, show students the table
anchor chart. Explain to them that the top of the table is the
main idea and the main idea cannot be supported unless it
has legs, which are the key details. Hang the chart up on the
board so that you and the students can use it as a visual while
you read the passage, The Lost Queen of Egypt. The
passage should be up on the Smartboard so that students can
read along. As you read, underline important details. When
you are finished, fill in the table anchor chart to represent
that texts main idea and supporting details. Explain to
students how you found the main idea by using those details
and emphasize the importance of identifying supporting
details when determining the main idea. When you are
finished explaining, ask a few students to repeat back to you
what youve just shown them to check for understanding.
Now have students go back to their desks. Give each desk
group a bag of items. Each bag has cutout pictures of various

Time

5. Independent
Practice

6. Assessment
Methods of
all
objectives/skills:

7. Closure

objects. Tell students that each bag represents a main idea.

The pictures in each bag are all key details. Tell students that
they must work in their group to determine the main idea by
using the details in the bag. Each person in the group should
have a copy of the table anchor chart to fill out as they
determine the main idea. They should be writing down all of
the details they see and then filling out the main idea at the
top of the table once it has been determined. Walk around
from group to group as students are working to make sure
they are staying on task. Answer any student questions and
scaffold/prompt when needed. Once all groups have finished,
have one person from each group share what their main idea
was and what details they used to find the main idea. Once
everyone has shared, gather all the cutouts and bags and ask
students if they have any further questions about using
details to find the main idea. Tell them it is important to use
the table anchor chart as a visual to support their thinking.
Also tell them that underlining details as they read is helpful
and important.
Give each student a copy of the Planets passage and
worksheet. Have students work quietly and independently on
this task. While students are working, walk around the room
to make sure they are staying on task. Tell students that once
they are finished, they can hand their papers to you and
return to their seats and pull out a book to read.
Formative: Assess students informally by paying attention to what they
are saying within their groups during Guided Practice. Also pay attention
to students answers to the questions being asked during Teacher Input
and Guided Practice.
Summative: The worksheet that students complete during their
Independent Practice will count as the summative assessment.
After all students have finished, have a brief class discussion
about what students learned during the lesson. Be sure to
emphasize the importance of using key details to support
finding the main idea.

8. Assessment
Results of
all
objectives/skills:
Targeted Students
Modifications/Accommodations:

Student/Small Group
Modifications/Accommodations:

Materials/Technology:
Table anchor chart, bags with cutouts for group activity, copies of the table anchor chart, copies of the Planets passage and worksheet,
Smartboard for showing The Lost Queen of Egypt passage

References:
http://www.k12reader.com/worksheet/find-the-main-idea-planets/view/
http://magazines.scholastic.com/news/2015/11/The-Lost-Queen-of-Egypt

Reflection on lesson: