Slides 70-72

So here's the problem with supporting evidence. The data trends show...drumroll please:

When kids have questions about supporting ideas: THEY. PICK. THE. MAIN. IDEA.

??

The way the stems are written, one of them is going to exactly give the main idea or paraphrase it. Do kids know that this is a possibility? I mean, if there was a bear trap in the bushes and your friend didn't tell you about it, wouldn't you be mad at them if they didn't tell you about it before you put your big foot in it?

Solution: Tell the kids that one of the WRONG answers for supporting idea questions will be the actual main idea.

Furthermore: Kids are choosing the answer choice that restates the idea posed in the stem of the question (the main idea). This poses two problems. Both have solutions.

Teach kids how the questions are written. That the stem of the question will have the main idea.
Teach kids the difference between main idea and supporting ideas. When they get a question like this, they are supposed to choose the answer from the text that tells how they know what was in the stem is true. They are supposed to pick the answer that explains why that main idea is true.
Some kids don't know that when the question stems are written in italics that all of them are in the passage. Pretty important to know as opposed to - yep. I see that sentence in there. Highlight. A. Check. I'm done.

In the sample below, can you tell which one is the restated main idea as opposed to an idea that leads to and supports it?