Paragraph Development · B4 English Language

Lesson notes

Learning Objectives

Indicator: B4.4.6.1.2 - Identify the main idea and minor ideas/supporting details in a paragraph

By the end of the lesson, learners can:

Define “main idea” and “supporting details” in their own words.
Identify the sentence that carries the main idea in a given paragraph.
Distinguish between the main idea and the supporting details in a paragraph.
Answer the questions “What is the paragraph talking about?” and “Which sentence says something about the main idea?” for a given paragraph.
Work in groups to read a paragraph and correctly point out its main idea and at least two supporting details.

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Curriculum details

Strand: Writing (Strand 4)
Sub-strand: Paragraph Development (4.6)
Content standard: B4.4.6.1 - Develop, organise and express ideas cohesively in writing for a variety of purposes, audience, and contexts The document gives this standard three different wordings: "...for a variety of purposes, audience, and contexts" (printed p.48), "...purposes, audiences, and contexts" (p.49) and "...in writing and representing for a variety of purposes, audience, and contexts" (p.49). The p.48 wording is transcribed.
Indicator: B4.4.6.1.2 - Identify the main idea and minor ideas/supporting details in a paragraph
Suggested placement: Term 3, Week 3 (Week 27 of the year)
Our suggestion, laid out in curriculum order across three terms of twelve weeks. NaCCA does not fix the week, so follow your school's scheme of learning.
Source document note: The official curriculum document has a fault in this entry, so the curriculum text above is transcribed exactly as printed:

content standard text - p.48
Curriculum reference: English Language Curriculum (Basic 4-6), 2019, p. 49
Transcribed from the official NaCCA publication. Check this page against the source.

Exemplars (from the NaCCA curriculum)

- Provide sample paragraphs that have main ideas and supporting details.
- Discuss one of these and guide learners to identify the main and supporting ideas.
- Have learners work in groups of four to read and identify the main idea and supporting ideas. Guide them with the questions: i. What is the paragraph talking about/What is the main idea in the paragraph?
ii. Which sentence has the main idea?
Which sentences say something about the main idea?