Main Idea Detectives
Library · shared by Dabbled Public School
About this app
A guided reading game where third graders work six detective cases, picking the main idea of a short passage and the two sentences that support it, with an owl guide named Pip.
Who is Main Idea Detectives for?
Designed for grade 3 students in English and reading, suited to those who have been introduced to main idea and supporting details and are now practicing and reviewing the skill with guided support.
What does Main Idea Detectives teach, and how?
Students complete a short tutorial on topic, main idea and supporting details, watch a worked example, then solve six cases: reading a passage, choosing its main idea from options, and selecting exactly two supporting detail sentences from four cards, with hints and an optional transfer passage.
How is success measured in Main Idea Detectives?
Each case awards a notebook clue and a detective stamp for finishing, not for perfect accuracy; a final report shows completed cases, first-try independent results for main idea and details separately, and practice done with help, with no timers or lost rewards.
How long does Main Idea Detectives take, and what does it need?
A full session takes about 10 to 15 minutes with no timer; it works by clicking or keyboard, offers optional read-aloud controls, and saves progress on the device with a confirmed reset option.