Fun and Easy Ways to Teach Main Idea in Upper Elementary
Are you a third, fourth, or fifth grade teacher getting ready to review main idea with your students? You’re in the right place! Teaching main idea doesn’t have to be boring or overwhelming — for you or your students. With a few simple strategies, you can make learning about main idea fun, interactive, and meaningful.
Today, I’m sharing a super easy three-step approach to teaching main idea that saves you time and keeps students engaged. Let’s dive in!
Step 1: Start with a Mini-Lesson on Main Idea
Before students can master finding the main idea, they need a clear understanding of what it is. That's why the first step is to provide explicit instruction.
What to Include in Your Mini-Lesson
When you're teaching a mini-lesson about main idea, you want to make sure you're:
Modeling: Show students exactly how you find the main idea when you read a passage.
Describing: Break down what the main idea means in simple, student-friendly language.
Giving Examples: Share a few short texts and walk through identifying the main idea together.
Making Connections: Help students connect the main idea to the details that support it.
This doesn’t need to be a long, formal lesson. Think short, sweet, and clear. Even 10–15 minutes of explicit instruction can go a long way when teaching main idea.
Quick Tips for a Great Mini-Lesson
Use an anchor chart to record key points.
Think aloud as you model finding the main idea.
Start with short paragraphs before moving on to longer texts.
Ask students to turn and talk about what they think the main idea is after modeling.
Pro tip: Use a high-interest topic like pizza, sports, or pets to model main idea! The more students care about the topic, the easier it will be to keep them engaged.
Step 2: Play a Main Idea Game
After your mini-lesson, it’s time to make things fun! A little bit of movement or friendly competition can totally transform your main idea review.
Try a Main Idea Scoot Activity
One of my favorite ways to practice main idea is by playing Scoot with students. If you’ve never played Scoot before, it’s simple:
Students "scoot" from desk to desk (or station to station).
At each station, they read a short paragraph or passage.
Then, they write down the main idea of that passage.
This is a low-stress, high-engagement way to get students reading lots of quick examples. Plus, the movement between stations keeps them energized!
Other Fun Main Idea Games
If you want to mix it up even more, try:
Main Idea Task Cards: Use cards with short passages and have students match them to a main idea statement.
Main Idea Bingo: Students cover spaces on their bingo board based on main ideas from passages you read aloud.
Main Idea Relay Race: Teams race to read a passage and correctly identify the main idea.
The key here is to keep practice light and fun. The more opportunities students have to practice finding the main idea in different contexts, the stronger their skills will become.
Step 3: Give Students Choice and Agency
Once students have a basic understanding and some practice under their belts, it’s time to hand over some of the control. Giving students choice can make your main idea activities even more meaningful — and much more exciting.
Let Students Choose Their Passages
One way to build in student agency is by offering a selection of passages. Here's an idea that works especially well:
Offer different passages on a high-interest topic — for example, natural disasters like earthquakes, hurricanes, and wildfires.
Let students choose which passage they want to read.
Have them identify the main idea and supporting details independently or in small groups.
This approach adds just enough challenge to deepen their understanding without overwhelming them. Students love getting to pick their own texts, and you'll love seeing their engagement skyrocket.
Scaffolded Options for Choice Activities
You can make this work for all learners by offering:
Easier and harder passages for different reading levels.
Graphic organizers to help them organize main ideas and details.
Partner reading for students who need a little extra support.
Giving students choice not only boosts motivation, but it also helps them develop independence — a key goal in upper elementary grades.
Why Teaching Main Idea Matters
Understanding the main idea is a foundational reading skill. It’s not just something students need for tests — it’s essential for understanding any nonfiction or fiction text they’ll encounter in school and in life.
When you spend time teaching main idea with intention, you help your students:
Develop better comprehension skills
Recognize important information when reading
Summarize texts more effectively
Build critical thinking abilities
And when you make the learning process fun and interactive, students are far more likely to retain what they’ve learned.
Bonus: Get It All Done for You!
If reading this has you excited but also feeling a little overwhelmed (because hello, teachers have a million things to do), don’t worry — I’ve got you!
Main Idea Mastery Bundle: Print and Digital Activities for 4th and 5th Grade
9 unique passages focusing on natural disasters, providing high-interest reading material for students.
9 main idea worksheets with both multiple-choice and short-answer questions to assess comprehension.
9 Google Forms options for seamless digital preparation, featuring passages and questions.
And more!
Quick Recap: 3 Simple Steps for Teaching Main Idea
Let’s sum it up:
Start with a mini-lesson: Model, describe, and give examples of finding the main idea.
Play a fun game: Try Scoot or another active, engaging practice game.
Give students choice: Let students pick passages and apply their skills independently.
Teaching main idea doesn’t have to be boring or overwhelming. With a little creativity (and a lot of student agency!), you can make this important reading skill one that your students actually enjoy practicing.
