Grade 2 · Reading · Informational

2nd Grade Main Topic in Paragraphs worksheets

6 printable versionsBuilding ConfidenceAbout 6 minutes eachFree · no account

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Main Topic in Paragraphs

Grade 2 Reading Worksheet - Building Confidence

NameDate

Read the text. Circle the best answer.

Read this first
Riding the Wind
Hot air balloons are big balloons that carry people across the sky. Each one has three main parts. The giant cloth bag on top is called the envelope. A basket hangs below it for the riders. A burner sits between them, just above the basket.
A hot air balloon rises because of hot air. The burner shoots a flame up into the envelope. The flame heats the air inside. Hot air is lighter than the cooler air around it. So the balloon floats up, like a bubble rising in water.
A pilot cannot steer a balloon the way you steer a bike. Instead, the pilot moves it up or down. Winds at different heights blow in different directions. The pilot finds a wind going the right way and rides it. To land, the pilot lets the air inside cool down.
1.
What is the main topic of the whole text?
- hot air balloons
- how airplanes fly
- the parts of a balloon
2.
What is paragraph 2 mostly about?
- how a pilot lands a balloon
- what the basket is used for
- why a hot air balloon rises
3.
What is paragraph 3 mostly about?
- the names of a balloon's parts
- how the burner heats the air
- how a pilot guides the balloon
4.
Which detail belongs in paragraph 3?
- The pilot may go higher to find a wind blowing east.
- The flame from the burner is loud and very hot.
- The envelope is often made of strong cloth.

2nd Grade Main Topic in Paragraphs worksheet 1 – printable PDF — Download PDF: 1 2 3 4 5 6

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.

Next skill: Domain Vocabulary Earlier: Story Structure

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.

More 2nd grade informational

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