The #1 Way to Teach Main Topic vs Main Idea In A Paragraph

Finding the main idea in a paragraph can be so hard for students to understand and find. Let’s break down the best way to teach main idea instruction! Learn some tips and suggestions here to help you teach the main idea in a paragraph!

Start with Main Topic, not Main Idea in a Paragraph

Typically, main idea is taught in 2nd grade, and many teachers touch on it in first grade too. No matter which grade you teach, begin my distinguishing between main topic and main idea.

Think about it as a flow chart, and the main topic is at the very top of the chart. The main topic is one or two words to give a broad description about what the text is about.

For example, look at the paragraph below. When you show this example to your class, ask them to give you one word to describe what this is about. Without missing a beat, I guarantee they’re going to say pizza!

After identifying the main topic as pizza, you can transition to explaining the main idea.

Next, Teach Main Idea in a Paragraph

Once students understand the main topic, now you can move on to the main idea in a paragraph. The main idea is what a text is mostly about.

Looking back at the pizza paragraph, discuss how the entire paragraph is talking about favorite pizza toppings. The main idea in a paragraph shares more details and gives a little more of the overarching theme of the text.

Now you can introduce more paragraphs, but keep them all about the main topic of pizza! One paragraph is about the new pizza place in town, and another paragraph is about how a class is trying to earn a pizza party.