Main idea resources

Students are assessed on their ability to retrieve details that support the main idea of an article about an endangered species.

The assessment focus is on students' abilities to identify the details in a text that support a given, main idea.

Students read three texts and select the statement that identifies the main idea of each text.

Students are assessed on their ability to find details and identify the main idea of a narrative about a Cook Island tradition.

Students identify what type of people the characters in the story are and choose evidence from the text to justify their decisions; they also identify the main idea of the text. Suggestions for evaluating character and the author's style of characterisation are under the "Working with Students" tab.

Students look at a cartoon and make interpretations in looking at visual features.

Students look at a cartoon and extrapolate meaning through looking at visual features.

Students interpret seven business logos that are each presented with a single short written response question about a design feature.

In Part 1 students identify visual techniques used within a static image and describe how they support the meaning of the poem. In Part 2, students create a text to communicate ideas visually. Annotated student work samples of Part 2 are provided.

Students identify the visual techniques used within a static image and describe how they support the meaning of the written text.

Students are assessed on their ability to identify the main idea of a text that recounts one person's experience of a Tryathlon.

Students are assessed on their ability to identify the main idea of a narrative concerning one child's experience of White Sunday in Sāmoa.

Students are assessed on their ability to find details about important information in a recount about a walking school bus, then identify the main idea of this text. SJ-1-1-2006. Text provided.

Students are assessed on their ability to find details that support them to identify the main idea in a text about an endangered species of New Zealand. Reading age 8.5-9.5. SJ-1-4-2005. Text provided.

This comprehension task assesses student ability to identify important information to establish the main idea of a transactional text about blushing. SJ-4-1-2006. Text provided.

This comprehension task assesses student ability to identify important information to establish the main idea of a narrative text about acknowledging older people. SJ-3-3-2006. Text provided.

This comprehension task assesses student ability to identify important information and establish the main idea of a text. SJ-2-2-2006. Text provided.

Students are assessed on the ability to identify important information in order to establish the main idea of a narrative text about being judgemental. Reading age 10-12. SJ-4-3-1994. Text provided.

This comprehension task assesses student ability to identify important information and establish the main idea of a narrative text. The text describes a person's experience of war and their learnings from it. SJ-2-1-2006. Text provided.

Students are assessed on their ability to find details that relate to the main idea of a text about a flood. SJ-2-2-2004. Text provided.

Students are assessed on their ability to identify important information and the main idea of an article about a geologist. Junior Journal 21. Text provided.

Students are assessed on their ability to identify important information and the main idea of an article about a conservation project for an endangered species. Junior Journal 13. Text provided

This resource has an assessment focus on comprehension. Students study the poem 'Learning to Read' and respond to four short written response style questions. SJ-3-3-1989. Text provided.

Students are assessed on their ability to identify important information and the main idea of an article about plants. Junior Journal 27, reading age 7.5-8. Text provided.

Assessment focus: finding important information and the main idea of an informational text. The text used is about an introduced species of fish which has become a pest. SJ-2-4-2005. Text provided.