⭐ Main Idea & Supporting Details Skill-Based Reading

Martin Luther King Jr. Informational Text | Grades 3–5

Perfect for MLK Jr. Day & Black History Month (January & February)

Looking for a rigorous, skill-based nonfiction reading resource that explicitly teaches main idea and supporting details using meaningful, grade-appropriate text?

This Martin Luther King Jr. reading unit strengthens nonfiction comprehension while honoring an essential historical figure. Designed in an i-Ready® and IXL®-inspired format, this resource supports whole-group instruction, small groups, intervention, enrichment, and structured test prep without sacrificing engagement.

Students build transferable reading skills they’ll use all year long.

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📸 Quick Snapshot

Perfect For:

• MLK Jr. Day Lessons

• Black History Month Activities

• January & February Literacy Plans

• Main Idea & Details Review

• Nonfiction Reading Units

• ELA Test Prep

Skills Targeted:

• Main idea (whole text + paragraph level)

• Supporting details

• Text evidence

• Author’s purpose

• Inference

• Context clues

• Cause & effect

• Nonfiction text structure

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🎯 If Your Students…

• Struggle to distinguish the main idea from the details

• Need scaffolded nonfiction practice

• Benefit from gradual release instruction

• Need meaningful January/February literacy activities

• Are preparing for state assessments

This resource provides explicit modeling, guided practice, and independent application aligned to RI standards for Grades 3–5.

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📦 What’s Included

✔️ Student-Friendly Anchor Charts
Clear visuals explaining main idea and supporting details with examples and strategy steps.

✔️ Guided Practice Passage 1: A Father’s Thoughtful Choice
Explores why Martin Luther King Jr.’s father changed his name, emphasizing legacy and values.

✔️ Guided Practice Passage 2: The Power of Peaceful Protest
Explains MLK Jr.’s philosophy of nonviolence and influence from Mahatma Gandhi.

✔️ Extended Target Text:
A Prize for Peace: Martin Luther King Jr. and the Nobel Peace Prize (1964)
Students explore:

• The meaning of the Nobel Peace Prize

• Why MLK Jr. received the award

• His leadership and global impact

• How the award amplified the Civil Rights Movement

✔️ Worksheet 1: Main Idea & Supporting Details

• Identify the overall main idea

• Determine paragraph-level main ideas

• Match details to ideas

✔️ Worksheet 2: Nonfiction Reading Skills

• Author’s purpose

• Tone & perspective

• Inference

• Vocabulary in context

• Text structure

• Evidence-based reasoning

✔️ Bonus Creative Extension: MLK Jr. Magazine Cover Project
Students synthesize learning by designing a magazine cover featuring:

• A headline about the Nobel Peace Prize

• Supporting “articles”

• A quote or key fact

• A short explanatory paragraph

Includes Think–Plan–Write–Share structure for guided writing.

✔️ Answer Keys Included

✔️ CCSS Alignment (RI.3–5.1, RI.3–5.2, RI.3–5.4, RI.3–5.5, RI.3–5.6)

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⭐ Instructional Features

✅ i-Ready®-Inspired Structure (Explicit → Guided → Independent)
✅ Skill-Based, Not Just Seasonal
✅ Scaffolded for Differentiation
✅ High-Interest Historical Nonfiction
✅ Built-In Test Prep (AIR, PARCC, STARR, PSSA & more)
✅ Adaptable for 2nd Grade Enrichment or 6th Grade Review

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🛠️ How to Use

Day 1: Introduce main idea with anchor charts + guided passage
Day 2: Practice identifying supporting details
Day 3: Read extended nonfiction target text
Day 4: Complete skill-based worksheets
Day 5: Complete creative magazine cover extension

Perfect for whole-group instruction, literacy centers, small-group intervention, or sub plans.

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📚 Instructional Impact

Students develop strong nonfiction reading habits by learning to identify central ideas, analyze details, and explain how information is structured. This resource builds confidence with informational text while honoring Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy in an academically rigorous way.

Skill-based. Standards-aligned. Meaningful.

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⭐ Looking for additional skill-based January & February resources?
Explore more:
🏃🏾‍♀️Wilma Rudolph Informational Reading + R.A.C.E. Writing Resource

Follow LBTL for ready-to-use literacy resources that build confident, analytical readers year-round.