Solution to "Finding the Main Idea: The Storm"
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Step 1: Understand the Passage
The passage describes a storm:
- Rain began early in the morning, falling hard.
- The sky was full of dark purple clouds.
- Thunder started softly and grew louder.
- Lightning flashed every few minutes, making the sky brilliant white.
This is a descriptive account of a storm’s intensity and effects.
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Step 2: Identify the Main Idea
We are asked: *"What is the main idea?"*
Let’s evaluate each option:
A. The farms needed the rain.
✘ Not mentioned in the passage. No reference to farms or their needs.
B. The thunder hurt the people’s ears.
✘ Not stated. While thunder is loud, there's no mention of it hurting ears.
C. Lightning made the sky bright.
✔ This is a detail, not the overall main idea. It's part of the storm but doesn't summarize the whole event.
D. The storm was very strong.
✔ This best captures the entire description: heavy rain, dark clouds, increasing thunder, frequent lightning — all point to a
strong storm.
So, the correct answer is:
D. The storm was very strong.
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Step 3: Write Three Details from the Story
We need to pick three supporting details from the passage. Here are good choices:
1.
The rain began early in the morning as hard drops.
2.
The sky was full of dark purple clouds.
3.
Lightning crashed every few minutes, making the sky a brilliant white.
These support the main idea that the storm was intense and powerful.
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✔ Final Answers:
Main Idea:
D. The storm was very strong.
Three Details:
1. The rain began early in the morning as hard drops.
2. The sky was full of dark purple clouds.
3. Lightning crashed every few minutes, making the sky a brilliant white.
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This exercise teaches students to distinguish between
main ideas (the big picture) and
supporting details (specific facts).
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of central idea worksheet.
