A sk detailed questions to go with the main ideas.

  • For each of the main ideas that you have identified in a reading, ask yourself questions starting with the 5 W's and 1 H question words.


Questions surrounding the main ideas.

W ho

  • Identify the characters in the reading and make a list of them.

  • Draw connecting lines between the characters and describe to yourself the relationship between the characters.



A line up of the Wizard of Oz characters.

W hat

  • Identify the events or actions and make a list of them.

  • Draw connecting lines between the events or actions to show the relationship between them.

  • Draw connecting lines between the characters and the events as you describe to yourself the relationship between them.

The purpose.

Where

  • Identify all the places in the reading and make a list of them.

  • Draw connecting lines between places, events and characters as you describe to yourself the relationship among them.


A picture of Oz, superimposed over a map of the United States with Kansas highlighted.

W hen

  • Identify all the time factors in the reading and make a list of them.

  • Draw connecting lines between time factors, places, events and characters as you describe to yourself the relationship among them.



A time factor.

W hy

  • Identify causes for events of actions and make a list of them.

  • Draw connecting lines from the causes to effects on the characters, events, places, or times as you describe to yourself the relationship among them.



A diagram of character motivations.

H ow

  • Identify the way events took place and make a list of them.

  • Draw connecting lines between the way events took place and other factors as you describe to yourself the relationship among them.


A line up of the Wizard of Oz characters.

A nswer the questions using an outline or graphic organizers.

  • Review all the details you listed.

  • Make an outline of the overall or main ideas and then select details from your lists that are important and write these under the main ideas. You don't have to include every detail that you identified. You may want to use different colored pens (or fonts if you are word processing) and write the main idea in one color (black), the who details in another color (blue), the what details in another (green), etc. This helps you see the relationship between all the information. When you complete your outline, you should have a complete picture of the overall ideas and how the details relate to these.

  • It might also be helpful to draw lines integrating all the details.

Questions surrounding the main ideas.