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Finding the TitanicFinding the Titanic

A lesson in finding the “main idea” of a paragraph.

By Robert Ballard

April 14, 1912 April 14, 1912 Just minutes Just minutes

before midnight, before midnight, the the TitanicTitanic struck struck an iceberg on its an iceberg on its way from way from England to New England to New York and sank York and sank within 2 hours within 2 hours and 40 minutes and 40 minutes to depths of to depths of 12,500 ft. 12,500 ft.

The manned submersible, Nautile, 2.5 miles below the surface of the water, sends live video color images of the Titanic.

August 1998

Today we will identify Today we will identify main main idea and details.idea and details.

• 1.E.4.b Identify and explain what is directly stated in the text - - Main ideas, supporting details, and other information stated in the text

Maryland Technology Literacy Standards for Students:

• 3.A.1.a

Use technology tools, including software and hardware, from a range of teacher-selected options to learn new content or reinforce skills

Maryland Voluntary State Curriculum

The main ideaThe main idea

The detailsThe details

tells you the most important thing tells you the most important thing about a topic.about a topic.

give you other pieces of information to give you other pieces of information to help you learn more about the topic.help you learn more about the topic.

How to Find the Main IdeaHow to Find the Main Idea

““Finally the lifeboat pulled alongside Finally the lifeboat pulled alongside the rescue ship. Crewmen on board the rescue ship. Crewmen on board lowered a swing down to the boat. lowered a swing down to the boat. Ruth’s hands were too numb to grasp Ruth’s hands were too numb to grasp the ropes. Someone had to tie her the ropes. Someone had to tie her into the swing. The crew pulled her into the swing. The crew pulled her up the side of the ship. Its solid deck up the side of the ship. Its solid deck felt good beneath her feet.”felt good beneath her feet.”

What’s it all about? Can you state the main idea?

In this picture you can see some of the survivors of the Titanic disaster who were rescued by the Carpathia. 1500 people lost their lives when the Titanic sank. It is now a law that all ocean-going vessels that land in U.S. ports must have enough lifeboats for all of the passengers onboard the ship.

““We were searching for the We were searching for the Titanic Titanic – the most – the most famous of all shipwrecks. The famous of all shipwrecks. The TitanicTitanic was was once the largest ship in the world. It had once the largest ship in the world. It had grand rooms. It seemed like a floating palace. grand rooms. It seemed like a floating palace. Some people even said the ship was Some people even said the ship was unsinkable.”unsinkable.” 33% 33%33%

The main idea is:

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1.1. The The TitanicTitanic was a was a floating palace.floating palace.

2.2. There were many There were many reasons why the reasons why the TitanicTitanic shouldn’t sink. shouldn’t sink.

3.3. The The TitanicTitanic is the most is the most famous shipwreck.famous shipwreck.

““The The TitanicTitanic was the largest ship afloat. It was the largest ship afloat. It had nine decks and was as tall as an eleven-had nine decks and was as tall as an eleven-story building.story building.You could walk for miles along its decks and You could walk for miles along its decks and passageways.”passageways.” 33% 33%33%

What is the main idea?

1.1. It had nine decks.It had nine decks.2.2. The The TitanicTitanic was the was the

largest ship afloat.largest ship afloat.3.3. Its decks were Its decks were

miles long.miles long.

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Over the next few days we made some Over the next few days we made some important discoveries. The ship had broken important discoveries. The ship had broken into two sections. We saw large holes in the into two sections. We saw large holes in the deck of the bow section where the funnels deck of the bow section where the funnels had once stood. The Titanic was sitting had once stood. The Titanic was sitting upright on the ocean floor.upright on the ocean floor.

The

team

mad

e im

po...

The

ship

was

in tw

o s.

..

The

Titani

c w

as s

ittin

...

33% 33%33%

This paragraph is mostly about:

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1.1. The team made important The team made important discoveries about the discoveries about the TitanicTitanic

2.2. The ship was in two The ship was in two sections.sections.

3.3. The Titanic was sitting The Titanic was sitting upright on the ocean floor.upright on the ocean floor.

““But at the end of our trip many mysteries still But at the end of our trip many mysteries still remained. What did the ship look like inside? remained. What did the ship look like inside? Where was the hole made by the iceberg? And what Where was the hole made by the iceberg? And what lay scattered on the ocean floor around the wreck?”lay scattered on the ocean floor around the wreck?”

33% 33%33%A detail in this paragraph is:

1.1. Ballard didn’t know all Ballard didn’t know all the answers to his the answers to his questions about the questions about the Titanic.Titanic.

2.2. Where was the hole Where was the hole made by the iceberg?made by the iceberg?

3.3. What were some of the What were some of the reasons the Titanic reasons the Titanic sank? sank?

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JJJJ helped the crew see inside the ship. helped the crew see inside the ship. JJJJ looked at the crow’s nest up close.looked at the crow’s nest up close. JJJJ went went into a room with a chandelier. into a room with a chandelier.

JJ

help

ed th

e cr

ew s

..

JJ

looke

d at t

he cr

ow..

We

place

d tw

o m

etal

...

33% 33%33%Which sentence is a detail in this paragraph?

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1.1. JJJJ helped the crew see helped the crew see inside the ship.inside the ship.

2.2. JJJJ looked at the crow’s looked at the crow’s nest up close.nest up close.

3.3. We placed two metal We placed two metal plaques on the decks of plaques on the decks of the the TitanicTitanic..

““Everyone in the boat who had a scrap of Everyone in the boat who had a scrap of paper lit a match to it. They held these paper lit a match to it. They held these “torches” up high in the air. Maybe someone “torches” up high in the air. Maybe someone would see them.”would see them.”

how ro

ugh th

e oce

a...

how th

ey w

ere

dre...

how th

ey w

ere

hopi..

33% 33%33%The passage is mostly about:

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1.1. how rough the ocean how rough the ocean was.was.

2.2. how they were how they were drenched by the cold drenched by the cold splashing water.splashing water.

3.3. how they were how they were hoping someone hoping someone would see them and would see them and rescue them.rescue them.

CitationsCitations

• TitanicTitanic struck an iceberg and sank.. IRC. 2005. struck an iceberg and sank.. IRC. 2005.unitedstreaming. 15 September 2007unitedstreaming. 15 September 2007<http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/> <http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/>

• Unsafe Waters. Discovery Channel School. 2004.Unsafe Waters. Discovery Channel School. 2004.unitedstreaming. 15 September 2007unitedstreaming. 15 September 2007<http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/> <http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/>

• TLC Elementary School: Reading Strategies. TLC Elementary School: Reading Strategies. Discovery Channel School. 2005.Discovery Channel School. 2005.unitedstreaming. 22 September 2007unitedstreaming. 22 September 2007<http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/> <http://streaming.discoveryeducation.com/>