Christmas Reading Activities Winter Passages Main Idea and Supporting Details

Are you looking for Christmas activities that will continue to keep your students learning through the holiday chaos? Help your students practice finding the main idea and supporting details with these short Christmas-themed passages with graphic organizers. This fun and engaging holiday resource makes it easy for students to pinpoint the main idea. Supporting details are strategically placed so that students can easily practice identifying those small details that support the main idea. These high-interest Christmas-themed reading passages with graphic organizers will incorporate rigor while making learning fun and engaging during the holiday season!

⭐Note: This is the third resource in a series of practice packs for teaching main idea. If you have purchased any of my previous main idea resources, you'll find this packet to be a little different. In this Christmas version of finding the main idea...

• passages are written about topics students may "wonder" about
• the main idea is sometimes found in the first sentence, but many of these passages require students to dig deeper into the text to find the main idea and supporting details
• the main idea may be found in the first sentence, the second sentence, or the last sentence of each passage

These PRINT & DIGITAL main idea practice activities include high-interest nonfiction reading passages that will spark the interest of students and encourage active participation and learning. The main idea in these passages can be found in the first, second, or third sentence of each paragraph.

In this download, you will get:

• 12 Christmas-Themed Printable Nonfiction Reading Passages with Graphic Organizers
• Google Slides Digital Version
• TpT Easel Activity Digital Version
• Answer Keys

Engaging and Interesting Topics That Make Learning Fun!

Have you ever wondered...

• Why was Rudolph's nose red?
• Who was St. Nick?
• Why do we say Merry Christmas?
• Why do we decorate a tree for Christmas?
• Why do we leave cookies and milk for Santa?
• Why do we wrap presents?
• Why do we hang ornaments on Christmas trees?
• Why do we decorate with Christmas lights?
• Why do we send Christmas cards?
• Why do we sing Christmas carols?
• How do other countries celebrate Christmas?
• Why do people kiss under mistletoe?

A scaffolded approach!

When teaching main idea and supporting details, it’s important to start small and basic. With this resource, you can provide your students with short, easy-to-read paragraphs with an obvious main idea and easy-to-find supporting details to choose from. This strategy helps students get in the habit of focusing on what the text is mostly about. It also allows students to pinpoint key ideas that support and help describe the main idea.

If you're looking for an easier version with the main idea found in the first sentence, you may want to check out Main Idea & Supporting Details Worksheets and Graphic Organizers Print & Digital. It is the perfect resource for beginners just starting to learn how to find the main idea and supporting details of a non-fiction reading passage.

You can use these main idea practice activities as:

• individual printable worksheets
• a printable practice packet
• digital Google Slides assignments
• a TpT Digital Activity

⭐ The digital version of this resource was created in Google Slides. Each reading passage comes with its own Google link so that you can digitally assign these activities individually to your students.

These activities are perfect for:

• whole group instruction
• morning work
• small groups
• independent desk work
• assessments
• early finishers
• homework
• sub plans, and so much more!

Suggestions for Use:

Depending on how much your students know about finding the main idea will depend on how you use these non-fiction reading passages. Third-grade students may need modeling of the activity before completing one on their own. Fourth-grade students should easily be able to find the main idea and supporting details after a brief introduction. Fifth-grade students could use these passages to review third and fourth-grade skills on finding the main idea and supporting details.

Teachers like you said…

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ My students loved using this resource the week leading up to Christmas break. I separated the resource into fewer sections to spread the work out over the course of the week. It was a great review resource that engaged them in learning! – Shelby H.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ My students absolutely loved the passages on each page! We used this lesson around the Christmas holiday break so it was a fun way for them to learn a bit more about the holiday traditions and also stay on topic with what we are learning in ELA! – Ariel A.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ These were a lifesaver for me to use right before Christmas! I was out for a few weeks and these were a perfect resource to use for my sub in my classroom. – Sarah P.

Extension Activity:

RI.4.2 asks students to not only determine the main idea and supporting details but to also summarize the text. Once students have completed the activity, you could have them use their web including the main idea and three supporting details to write a summary of the text.

⭐Bundle and save for a discount!⭐

Purchase the Main Idea and Supporting Details Year-Long Bundle to get this pack plus 4 more resources that build on the other. Each packet in the bundle gradually gets harder and scaffolded instruction of main idea takes place.

Supports Common Core Standards (CCSS):

RI.3.2

RI.4.2

RI.5.2

Not sure if this resource is for you and your students? Try them for FREE! Download these FREE Main Idea and Supporting Details Passages and give them a try this week!

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Copyright © Kim Miller (A Love of Teaching)

Permission to copy for single classroom use only.

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