1. Week 5:
Supporting Details
English 83R – September 24, 2013 – Mrs. Buchanan

2. What do you think your grade is
for Essay #1?
 A
 B
 C
 D

3. VOCABULARY LIST 3/4
 Please do one of the following:
 A. Put the definition/part of speech of one
of your vocabulary words on the board.
 B. Put your vocabulary sentence on the
board
 Please do not duplicate words/sentences.

4. Literature Circle
 Please get into your circles and start
discussing your books.
 Remember, the Discussion Director is the
first person in the group to share his/her
role.

5. Supporting Details
English 83R

6. Supporting Details in a Nutshell
 Supporting details are the evidence—such as reasons,
examples, facts, and steps—that backs up main ideas.
These details help you understand main ideas.
 There are two levels of supporting details:
◦ Main items of support are called major details.
Pay special attention to them.
◦ Major details themselves are sometimes supported with
information called minor details.
 Words such as several steps or a number of reasons tell
you that supporting details may follow.
 Words such as first, another, and finally often introduce
supporting details.
 Outlines and maps (diagrams) can show you a main
idea and its supporting details at a glance.

7. First, what is the frog’s main idea?

8. What is the frog’s support?

9. Supporting Details
 Supporting details are reasons, examples,
steps, or other kinds of evidence that explain a
main idea, or point.
 Complete the following sentences:
Main Idea: Many people are strangely passive
when they visit a doctor.
SD#1:
SD#2
SD#3

10. Major and Minor Supporting
Details
 There are two levels of supporting
details—major and minor.
 Major details explain the main idea.
 Minor details help make the major details
clear.

11. List Words
 In looking for supporting details, look for
words that tell you a list of details is
coming. They are called list words.

12. Addition Words
 Look for words that signal major details.
They are called addition words.

13. Let’s Practice - Handout

14. Group Practice
 Let’s get into groups and write paragraphs
that contain the following:
 Topic
 Main idea
 List words
 Two major supporting details that are
introduced with addition words
 One minor detail for each supporting detail
 Example on next slide.

15. Group Practice
 Making tamales can be fun, but you need
to follow a number of steps. First of all
you need to make the meat sauce. In my
tamale sauce I use New Mexico Chili.
Secondly, you need to make the masa
for the tamales. Some people prefer
prepared masa, but I like to buy it
unprepared and add my own ingredients.

16. Outlining
 An outline shows the relationship between a main idea and its
supporting details.
 Outlines start with a main idea, followed by major supporting
details. Sometimes there will be minor supporting details as well.
 Let’s practice again, using the paragraphs we just created.
I. Main idea
A. Major supporting detail
1. Minor supporting detail
2. Minor supporting detail
B. Major supporting detail
1. Minor supporting detail
2. Minor supporting detail

17. Reminders for Thursday
 We will have a quiz Thursday: Topic &
Stated Main Idea.
 Lab Contract #1 is due.