What's the main idea?

My reading group has been working on identifying the main idea and three supporting details for the past week or two. Tuesday was my formal observation and my students rocked it!

While sitting at the airport waiting for my flight home after Thanksgiving, I stumbled upon a website suggesting the use of The Important Book to teach main idea to young students. So, I went to our librarian and asked if we had it. Her immediate response was how great the book was for teaching main idea and supporting details. This made me wonder how I had never come across it in 8 years of teaching. Either way, it worked out great for my observation.

We first read the poem on rain and then completed a chart outlining the main idea and 3 supporting details. My students did an amazing job sharing text to self connections in relation the the details they selected. I was impressed with their dialogue.

I then shared the snow poem with them and asked the students to individually complete a graphic organizer. This was done with ease. I had told the kids we could share them at the end if time permitted, but we were only able to get through a handful. As we were beginning to transition to a new activity and my principal is beginning to gather his things, a student called out "Do we get to finish tomorrow?" Before I could even respond my principal says out loud, "that's a good sign" and then he smiled my way and walked out the door.

Not that I have ever doubted my teaching, but it sure is nice to be complimented during an observation!