Main+Idea+Activities

__Two Word Description __
Have the kids describe something using only two words. This is quite challenging for most kids who want to share all the juicy details. The concept behind the activity is that the kids will choose two words to summarize a particular event, representing the main idea of it. The two word description works well for a variety of topics

**__Give a Hand__ ** Have students trace their hands and use it to write a short paragraph about their hands. The main idea/topic sentence can go in the palm. Some, or all, of the fingers can contain the supporting details. Make sure students write sentences that support their main idea. Display the hands around the classroom so students can look at each others’ work.

**__GIST __** Have your students read a passage. They are first to find Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How of the story. After this they can use that to help them determine the main idea. Then, they are allowed 20 words to summarize the main idea.