Identify supporting details in informational texts
key notes:
Definition and Purpose:
- Explain what supporting details are: Specific pieces of information that reinforce the main idea of a text.
- Discuss why identifying them is important: Helps readers understand and validate the main points of the text.
Types of Supporting Details:
- Examples: Instances or cases that illustrate the main idea.
- Facts: Verifiable pieces of information that provide evidence.
- Statistics: Numerical data that quantifies aspects of the main idea.
- Anecdotes: Personal stories or experiences that add depth to the main idea.
Strategies for Identifying Supporting Details:
- Skimming and Scanning: Techniques for quickly locating relevant information.
- Highlighting and Note-taking: Methods to mark and record key details while reading.
- Analyzing Structure: Understanding how paragraphs and sections support the main idea.
Importance of Context:
- Emphasize how understanding supporting details helps in comprehending complex texts.
- Discuss how supporting details vary depending on the type and purpose of the text (e.g., scientific articles vs. historical narratives).
Learn with an example
Select the best evidence to support the statement that bulgur has been a food for a long time.
Bulgur is simply wheat that has been steamed whole, dried and then cracked. Since it is essentially pre-cooked it is easy to use; it needs no cooking, just soaking time. Bulgur is made from hard red wheat, and from soft white wheat for a slightly lighter taste and texture.. . .The process for making bulgur goes back to at least 4,000 years ago, when it was created in areas around the Middle East. After steaming, the grain was spread in the sun to dry, making it a food that travelled very well and was easy to prepare anywhere water was found.
The text in bold best supports the statement that bulgur has been a food for a long time.
Bulgur is simply wheat that has been steamed whole, dried and then cracked. Since it is essentially pre-cooked it is easy to use; it needs no cooking, just soaking time. Bulgur is made from hard red wheat, and from soft white wheat for a slightly lighter taste and texture. . . .The process for making bulgur goes back to at least 4,000 years ago, when it was created in areas around the Middle East. After steaming, the grain was spread in the sun to dry, making it a food that travelled very well and was easy to prepare anywhere water was found.
According to the passage, people have been making bulgur for ‘at least 4,000 years’.
Select the best evidence to support the statement that in the late 1800s, a law made it easier for American magazine companies to do business.
At the turn of the twentieth century, short stories were a preferred form of entertainment in the United States. This was a boom time for magazine publishing, owing in part to developments in offset printing technology as well as to the Postal Act of 1879, which had granted magazines discounted mailing rates. Publications such as Ladies’ Home Journal, The Saturday Evening Post, and The Delineator, all of which published short stories, sold more than a half million copies per issue. The authors of these stories were well known at the time and often well paid.
The text in bold best supports the statement that in the late 1800s, a law made it easier for American magazine companies to do business.
At the turn of the twentieth century, short stories were a preferred form of entertainment in the United States. This was a boom time for magazine publishing, owing in part to developments in offset printing technology as well as to the Postal Act of 1879, which had granted magazines discounted mailing rates. Publications such as Ladies’ Home Journal, The Saturday Evening Post, and The Delineator, all of which published short stories, sold more than a half million copies per issue. The authors of these stories were well known at the time and often well paid.
According to the passage, a law called the Postal Act of 1879 gave magazines ‘discounted mailing rates’, making it cheaper for publishing companies to mail their magazines to customers. This contributed to a ‘boom time’ for the magazine publishing business.
let’s practice!
Select the best evidence to support the statement that it’s not always easy to tell when a flood will occur.
Floods are one of the most common hazards in the United States. Flood effects can be local, impacting a neighbourhood or community, or very large, affecting entire river basins and multiple states.
However, all floods are not alike. Some floods develop slowly, sometimes over a period of days. But flash floods can develop quickly, sometimes in just a few minutes and without any visible signs of rain. Flash floods often have a dangerous wall of roaring water that carries rocks, mud, and other debris and can sweep away most things in its path.