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Grade 2 · Reading · Informational

2nd Grade Main Topic in Paragraphs worksheets

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Main Topic in Paragraphs

Grade 2 Reading Worksheet

NameDate

Read the text. Circle the best answer.

  1. Read this first

    Furry Swimmers

    Sea otters are furry animals that live in the ocean. They are found along rocky coasts in the northern Pacific Ocean. Many stay close to forests of kelp, a very tall seaweed. The kelp keeps the water calm near the shore.

    The ocean there is cold, but sea otters stay warm. They have the thickest fur of any animal. A small patch of their fur can hold about a million hairs. Air is trapped between the hairs, so cold water cannot touch their skin. Otters spend hours each day cleaning and fluffing their fur.

    Sea otters even sleep in the water. They float on their backs at the top of the waves. Some wrap strands of kelp around their bodies. The kelp works like an anchor, so they do not drift away. Sometimes a group of otters holds paws while they rest.

    A sea otter mother takes good care of her pup. The pup rides on her belly as she floats on her back. She cleans its fluffy fur many times a day. That thick fur helps the pup float like a cork.

  2. What is the main topic of the whole text?

    • how sea otters stay warm
    • seals that rest on rocky beaches
    • the lives of sea otters
  3. What is paragraph 2 mostly about?

    • how sea otters float while they rest
    • how sea otters stay warm in cold water
    • where sea otters like to live
  4. What is paragraph 4 mostly about?

    • how otters clean their own fur
    • how a mother otter cares for her pup
    • how otters hold paws in a group
  5. Which detail belongs in paragraph 3?

    • Otters blow air into their fur to fluff it.
    • A pup stays with its mother for about six months.
    • A group of resting otters is called a raft.
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2nd Grade Main Topic in Paragraphs worksheet 1 – printable PDF
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About this worksheet

Finding the main topic asks readers to state what a whole text is mostly about instead of choosing one interesting detail. Second graders may pick a detail that is true but only covers one small part of the text. This worksheet uses one informational text with several paragraphs, printed once above the four questions that use it, and asks students to state the main topic, find a supporting detail, reject an unrelated statement, choose the best title, and find another supporting detail.

Encourage your child to ask what idea every sentence in the text has in common before choosing an answer. Watch for a child who names a title-like phrase instead of a topic, or who picks whichever detail happened to appear first in the text.

What your child will learn

  • Find the main topic of a text
  • Choose supporting details
  • Reject unrelated or too-narrow facts
  • Select a title that fits the whole text

Common Core standard: RI.2.2

Worked example

A text with paragraphs on what a hot air balloon's parts are, why it rises, and how a pilot steers it is mainly about hot air balloons, not just the basket.

Common mistake

Choosing one interesting detail as the main topic even though the whole text teaches a broader idea.

Helpful hint

Ask what idea connects every sentence in the text.

Questions parents ask

What is the most common mistake with main topic in paragraphs?

Choosing one interesting detail as the main topic even though the whole text teaches a broader idea.

How can I help my child with main topic in paragraphs?

Ask what idea connects every sentence in the text.

Are these 2nd grade reading worksheets free to print?

Yes. All 6 printable versions on this page are free to download and print, with no account needed.

Similar: Cause and Effect · Use Text Features

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