English Language Arts
Grade 6
15 min
Identify supporting details in informational texts
Identify supporting details in informational texts
What you'll learn
- Identify at least three supporting details within a given informational text that directly relate to the main idea, as demonstrated by highlighting or underlining them with 80% accuracy.
- Explain how each identified supporting detail strengthens the main idea of the informational text in a written paragraph of at least five sentences, using specific examples from the text.
- Analyze a short informational text and differentiate between factual supporting details and opinions, correctly categorizing at least four out of five statements.
- Apply the skill of identifying supporting details to summarize a complex informational text into a concise paragraph of no more than 75 words, accurately representing the main idea and key supporting evidence.
Tutorial Preview
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Introduction & Learning Objectives
Learning Objectives
Define informational text and supporting details.
Identify possessive pronouns (e.g., my, your, his, her, its, our, their) in informational texts.
Determine the antecedent of a possessive pronoun to understand ownership or relationship within a text.
Explain how possessive pronouns can signal or clarify supporting details related to a main idea.
Analyze how possessive pronouns help connect specific pieces of evidence to their source or subject.
Distinguish between the main idea and supporting details, particularly when possessive pronouns are present.
Have you ever read something and wondered, 'Whose idea is this?' or 'Who owns this information?' 🤔 Possessive pronouns are like secret agents helping you find those answers!
In this les...
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Key Concepts & Vocabulary
TermDefinitionExample
Informational TextA type of non-fiction writing that provides facts, data, and explanations about a specific topic, often to educate or inform the reader.A science article explaining how volcanoes erupt, or a history book describing ancient civilizations.
Main IdeaThe central point or most important message an author wants to convey about a topic in a paragraph or text.In a paragraph about dog training, the main idea might be 'Positive reinforcement is an effective method for training puppies.'
Supporting DetailsFacts, examples, reasons, descriptions, or evidence that explain, prove, or elaborate on the main idea of a text.If the main idea is about positive reinforcement for puppies, a supporting detail might be 'Treats and praise reward good behavior,...
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Key Rules & Conventions
Possessive Pronoun Identification Rule
Possessive pronouns replace nouns to show ownership or belonging. They do not use apostrophes (unlike possessive nouns).
Look for words like 'my,' 'your,' 'his,' 'her,' 'its,' 'our,' and 'their' directly before a noun, or 'mine,' 'yours,' 'hers,' 'ours,' and 'theirs' standing alone. These words signal that something belongs to someone or something.
Antecedent Connection Rule
Every possessive pronoun refers back to a specific noun (its antecedent) mentioned earlier in the text. Understanding this link clarifies 'whose' detail is being presented.
When you find a possessive pronoun, ask yourself, 'Who or wh...
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Challenging
Read the paragraph: 'The scientific community was initially skeptical of Dr. Chen's theory on dark matter. Her paper, however, was meticulously researched. Its data tables were clear, and its conclusions were logically sound. Ultimately, her work convinced many former critics.' Why is the possessive pronoun 'her' in the last sentence CRUCIAL for understanding the paragraph's conclusion?
A.It shows that the critics now own the work.
B.It proves that the data tables were the most important part.
C.It reinforces that the specific work belonging to Dr. Chen was the cause of the change in opinion.
D.It suggests that Dr. Chen is the only scientist studying dark matter.
Challenging
Read the text: 'The city's infrastructure is aging. The bridges and roads are in constant need of repair. Its top priority must be securing funding for these projects.' A student is confused by the last sentence. What is the most likely source of their confusion, based on the 'Ignoring Antecedents' pitfall?
A.The antecedent for 'Its' is unclear; it could refer to the city, the infrastructure, or something else.
B.The word 'Its' should be 'It's' because it means 'it is the top priority'.
C.The supporting detail is not related to the main idea of aging infrastructure.
D.The author should have used the word 'their' instead of 'its'.
Challenging
An author wants to argue that bees are essential to agriculture. Compare these two supporting details. Which one is made stronger by its use of a possessive pronoun, and why? Detail 1: 'Bees pollinate many crops.' Detail 2: 'Their pollination is responsible for an estimated one-third of the food we eat.'
A.Detail 1 is stronger because it is more direct and simple.
B.Detail 2 is stronger because 'Their' directly links the specific, impactful statistic (one-third of food) back to the bees.
C.Neither is stronger, as they both provide the same basic information.
D.Detail 2 is weaker because 'Their' is a vague word and doesn't specify which bees.
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What grade level is "Identify supporting details in informational texts"?
Identify supporting details in informational texts is a Grade 6 English Language Arts lesson on ExcelOS.
What will I learn in Identify supporting details in informational texts?
You'll be able to: Identify at least three supporting details within a given informational text that directly relate to the main idea, as demonstrated by highlighting or underlining them with 80% accuracy; Explain how each identified supporting….
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This lesson includes 25 practice questions across multiple difficulty levels, each with instant feedback and explanations.