DBQ History Project

Highlighting Main Idea Lesson Plan

Loras Student: Anna Bruxvoort
Topic Area: Eagle Point Park
Note: This lesson may take 1-3 sessions

Elementary Student Topic Area/Question

Student 1 What is the history behind it?

Student 2 Why is the park so popular?

Student 3 Who built it/invented it?

Student 4 How did the park get its name?

Student 5 Is it like a normal park?

Standards (Common ● Ask & answer questions to demonstrate the understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text
Core) as a basis for the answers (RI.3.1)
● Determine the main idea of a text; recount the key details and explain how they support the main
idea (RI.3.2)
● Cite evidence that supports a response to supporting or compelling questions (SS.3.4)

Materials ● Highlighter
● Primary source example to do together
● Primary source to do independently
● Note taking sheet
● Main idea strategy - https://teachingmadepractical.com/teaching-main-idea/
● HIghlighting strategy - https://www.adlit.org/in-the-classroom/strategies/selective-highlighting

Connect: How is this This lesson teaches students how to locate facts and main ideas. It is foundational in that they will use this
lesson important to the skill for the rest of the project. Students should be able to state the main idea of the primary source and
DBQ History Project
Highlighting Main Idea Lesson Plan

overall goal of the then find details to support the topic sentence. They will learn to highlight facts that are important to their
project? topic and eventually, summarize what they have read.

Teaching Point/Skill: Students should highlight the topic sentence and restate the main idea in their own words. They should be
What skill will able to write in their own words the topic. They should be able to identify details that support the main
students use? idea. The next step is for the student to use highlighted information to take notes.

Lesson Sequence 1. Review the teaching checklist with students (establish procedures, accountability, transitions, etc.)

I do, we do, you do model (Use Eagle Point Park teacher guide)
1. Pass out a common primary source to all the students (highlighters & primary source).
2. Ask students: Looking at the title, what do you think this will be about? What keywords are you
noticing? Are there pictures? What kinds of information will be important?
3. Highlight the title of the source. Look for the topic sentence (show students it is usually the first
sentence in a paragraph).
4. Skim-read the source: What kinds of information are you seeing? What do you think this will be
about?
5. Read the first paragraph together (or whatever part you are using). Highlight the main idea and
think aloud about the details.
6. Continue reading the paragraph, highlighting details.
7. Have students read the next paragraph: What would we highlight? What details support the main
idea? Note: We don’t highlight everything!
8. Either continue to work with students, or let them try independently.
9. When students understand, have them highlight their own source, but check with you after each
paragraph.

Closing
1. Bring students back together and review what they learned.
2. Set goals for the next date.
3. Check and correct work - give students specific feedback about what they did right and changes
they need to make.

Differentiation/ ● Reading aloud paragraph - stopping at unfamiliar vocabulary (can write the definition on sheet).
DBQ History Project
Highlighting Main Idea Lesson Plan

Modifications/ Ask, do you know what this means, can you tell me in your own words).
Accommodations ● Sit students closer to the teacher if they need additional support or pair students together.
● Check work often - show me what you did, how do you know?
● Note Taking sheet for advanced students.

Assessment ● Highlighted sheet - looking for phrases, not all highlighted

● Can they use the highlighted information to take notes?

Reflection/Notes From Lesson:

Today’s lesson started off by addressing the behavior from last session. My students were informed that I can and will take a
lucky buck from them if they do not follow my rules, and that their positive behavior will be rewarded. (not all the time).
Student #3 was here today!!! She is such a sweetie pie, and was SOOO respectful and engaged!!!! I had the students explain to
Student #3 what they have done so far and what they have learned about our topic.
Before we began highlighting, students were asked to recall what a main idea is. We read the Eagle Point Park teachers guide
as a whole group. After each paragraph, I asked a student with a raised hand what he or she thought the main idea was. They were
asked to highlight what was said. There were some paragraphs that didn’t have main ideas, so I explained to them that there will be
information in more sources that doesn’t always appear to be super important, and that is okay, some information we just have to gloss
over.
Students took turns reading paragraphs, and had LOTS of questions about the legend of the park (how it got its name), which
took more time than I anticipated. Unfortunately, we didn’t get a note taking worksheet, but we will for sure in the next class!
I made sure Student #5 was next to me, and away from people he talks to a lot. At the end of the session, I asked the students
what they learned. They learned a lot from the source such as info about Caldwell and Shiras, how the park got its name, and they
learned how to highlight main ideas. I closed with setting expectations for our next session!

Questions to ask: NA at this time