Are you looking for fun ELA activities middle school students will love to complete while practicing main idea and key details in nonfiction texts? This low-prep unit focuses on the central idea and supporting details of a nonfiction text. It includes a reading comprehension lesson designed for middle school ELA students to help them determine the central idea in a nonfiction text.
This scaffolded lesson includes interactive close reading activities with a nonfiction reading passage and text-dependent questions. Both PRINT and DIGITAL materials are provided for the lesson, covering main ideas, supporting details, objective summaries, and nonfiction text features, among others.
Students will enjoy reading a nonfiction article that focuses on a relevant and high-interest topic: Healthier School Lunches-Wasting Food!?! Additionally, this challenging activity includes ideas for modifying and differentiating to meet the needs of all learners in your classroom. Student reading support tools include a two-column note organizer, modeling and opportunities for partner practice, and clear, step-by-step student instructions.
✅ Students will be required to show understanding of the following skills:
- Determine the central idea of a nonfiction article
- Identify key details from the article that support the central idea
- Determine the main idea of subsections in the article
- Identify textual evidence to support their responses
- Create an objective summary of the article (Extension Activity)
✍ What’s Included:
1. Wasted Food!?! Central Idea and Supporting Details Lesson:
• Central Idea Mini Lesson
• Academic Vocabulary Activity
• Close Reading Activity with a Non-Fiction article
• Central Idea and Supporting Details Graphic Organizer
2. Wasted Food!?! Reading Comprehension Assessment
3. Objective Summary Extension Activity
4. PowerPoint Presentation
5. Answer Keys and Teacher Models
6. BONUS: Animal Testing Cold Read Assessment (PRINT and DIGITAL)
7. Central Idea, Objective Summary, and Nonfiction Text Features Anchor Charts
❤️ Why You’ll Love This Resource:
✅ Comes in PRINT and DIGITAL Versions
✅ Teacher Guide with Clear Directions & Tips
✅ Scaffolded Strategies and Activities for ALL Learners
✅ Answer Keys and Students Work Samples
✅ LOW PREP Activities
✋ How Can You Use This Nonfiction Lesson?
– Whole Group Teaching
– Small Group Remediations
– Intervention Activities
– Learning Stations
– Test Prep
– Sub Plans
– Reading Comprehension Practice
What Other Teachers Are Saying About This Resource:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐: Karen G. says, Used in a small group reteaching setting. Well put together resource!”
⭐⭐⭐⭐: Amanda H. says, “This is a great resource for small group instruction with students with disabilities.”
