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Mr. A's Writing Tools
writingtools.org
Writing Assignment
The Busy World of Honey Bees
Standard: Determine two or more main ideas of a text and explain how they are supported by key details; summarize the text.
What to Do
Assignment OverviewDid you know that honey bees do much more than make honey? They play a huge Honey Bees: Tiny Workers, Big Impact
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Every time you bite into an apple or enjoy a handful of blueberries, you can thank a honey bee. Bees visit flowers to drink nectar, and as they move from bloom to bloom, they carry tiny grains of pollen on their fuzzy bodies. This process, called pollination, is how many plants make seeds and grow fruit. Without bees, about one-third of the food we eat would disappear from grocery stores.
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But pollination is only part of what makes honey bees remarkable. Inside every hive, thousands of bees work together in a carefully organized colony. The queen bee lays eggs - sometimes 2,000 in a single day. Worker bees have different jobs depending on their age. Young workers feed larvae and build wax comb, while older workers fly out to collect nectar and pollen.
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Guard bees protect the hive entrance from intruders. Scout bees search for new flower patches and perform a special "waggle dance" to tell other bees where to find food. The dance shows both the direction and the distance to the flowers. Every bee has a role, and the colony survives because each member does its part. Vocabulary Bank
Writing Steps
1
What Is This Passage About?
After reading the passage, answer these questions:
1. Topic: What is this passage mostly about? (1-3 words) 2. Key details: List 3-5 important facts from the passage. You can use bullet points: - Detail 1: ... - Detail 2: ... - Detail 3: ... Read the passage carefully. Think about what it is mostly about.
The passage is about: honey bees The topic is the subject of the passage - what the whole thing is about. You can usually say the topic in just a few words. As you read, also start noticing the key details - the most important facts the author tells you.
Scoring Guidance — Step 1
Look for:
Main Idea Detail / Evidence 1 Detail / Evidence 2 Detail / Evidence 3
2
Find the First Main Idea
Write the first main idea you find in the passage.
1. Main Idea #1: Write one sentence that tells a big point the author makes. 2. Supporting details: List 2-3 details from the passage that support this main idea. Remember: A main idea is a complete sentence, not just a topic! A passage can have MORE THAN ONE main idea. Let's find the first one!
A main idea is a big point the author makes about the topic. It is NOT just the topic - it tells you something ABOUT the topic. Example: - Topic: Dogs - Main idea: Dogs help people in many ways, from guiding the blind to finding lost hikers. Look at the passage and your key details. What is ONE big point the author is making about honey bees?
Scoring Guidance — Step 2
Look for:
A main idea is a complete sentence that makes a point
Look for details that go together - they probably support the same main idea
Ask yourself: What is one important thing the author wants me to learn?
Sentence Starters
In the text, the author shows that ___.
The author writes, "___," which shows ___.
This is important because ___.
Overall, the text shows that ___.
3
Find the Second Main Idea
Write the second main idea you find in the passage. It should be DIFFERENT from your first one.
1. Main Idea #2: Write one sentence that tells another big point the author makes. 2. Supporting details: List 2-3 details from the passage that support this second main idea. Check: Is this main idea different from your first one? Both should be about the same topic, but they should make different points. Great job finding the first main idea! Now let's find a SECOND one.
Remember, a passage can have two or more main ideas. The second main idea is a DIFFERENT big point the author makes. Look at the details you haven't used yet. What OTHER big point is the author making about honey bees? What are the two big points the author makes about honey bees?
Scoring Guidance — Step 3
Look for:
Look at parts of the passage you haven't focused on yet
This should be a DIFFERENT point from your first main idea
Both main ideas are about the same topic, but they say different things about it
Sentence Starters
In the text, the author shows that ___.
The author writes, "___," which shows ___.
This is important because ___.
Overall, the text shows that ___.
4
How Details Support Main Ideas
Explain how the details in the passage support your two main ideas.
For Main Idea #1, explain: - How do the details help you understand this idea? What do they show? For Main Idea #2, explain: - How do the details help you understand this idea? What do they show? Try to explain the CONNECTION between the details and each main idea. Now let's think about HOW the key details support your two main ideas.
Authors use details to help readers understand the main ideas. Details can support a main idea by: - Giving examples that show the main idea is true - Providing facts or numbers that prove the point - Telling a story or event that shows the idea in action
Scoring Guidance — Step 4
Look for:
Use phrases like 'This detail supports the main idea because...
Think about WHY the author included each detail
Details can give examples, facts, or stories that prove the point
Sentence Starters
In the text, the author shows that ___.
The author writes, "___," which shows ___.
This is important because ___.
Overall, the text shows that ___.
5
Summarize the Text
Write a summary of the passage in 3-5 sentences.
Your summary should: 1. Mention BOTH main ideas 2. Include a few important supporting details 3. Use YOUR OWN WORDS (don't copy from the passage) 4. Leave out your opinions - just tell what the passage says Words to AVOID in your summary: - I think, I believe, I feel - This was interesting, cool, boring - You should, everyone needs to Now put it all together by writing a summary of the passage!
A summary: - Tells the main points in YOUR OWN WORDS - Is SHORTER than the original - Includes BOTH main ideas and some key details - Does NOT include your opinions Think of it like telling a friend what the passage was about - just the important stuff!
Scoring Guidance — Step 5
Look for:
Start by telling what the passage is mostly about
Include both of your main ideas
Add a few important details
Keep your opinions out - just report the facts
Sentence Starters
In the text, the author shows that ___.
The author writes, "___," which shows ___.
This is important because ___.
Overall, the text shows that ___.
Self-Check Rubric
Before You Turn InI completed the planning step
I completed Step 2: Find the First Main Idea
I completed Step 3: Find the Second Main Idea
I completed Step 4: How Details Support Main Ideas
I completed Step 5: Summarize the Text
I re-read my writing and fixed any spelling or grammar mistakes
I am proud of this work
ReflectionWhat was the hardest part of this assignment? What would you do differently next time? Want the AI-coached version of this assignment?
Get step-by-step AI feedback on student writing — free for teachers at writingtools.org. Same assignment, with grade-level rubric scoring, revision coaching, and printable reports.
writingtools.org/printables/mainideas5_honey_bees_v1
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