🧩 It Fits Like a Puzzle – Main Idea and Details Activity

Show your students how the main idea and matching detail fit together to share information with this printable puzzle activity. Once printed and cut apart, students must match a central idea with its supporting detail to complete each small puzzle. This activity is a fantastic visual way to show students how they fit together. This also creates a tremendous opportunity to discuss the differences and similarities between the main idea and detail pieces.

Tips for Differentiation + Scaffolding 

A team of dedicated, experienced educators created this resource to support your main idea lessons.

In addition to individual student work time, use this pictograph puzzle set to enhance learning through guided English groups, whole class lessons or as an individual learning task.

If you have a mixture of above and below-level learners, check out these suggestions for keeping students on track with the concepts:

🆘 Support Struggling Students

Help students who need help understanding the concepts by providing them with a smaller amount of puzzle pieces to choose between.

➕ Challenge Fast Finishers

For those that finish this activity quickly and easily – have them pick a main idea and supporting detail and write a piece of text using that information.

Easily Prepare This Resource for Your Students

Use the dropdown icon on the Download button to choose between the PDF or Google Slides version of this resource.

Print on cardboard for added durability and longevity. Place all pieces in a folder or large envelope for easy access.

Sustainability Tip: Print a few recording sheets on cardboard and slip them into write-and-wipe sleeves. Students can record their answers with a whiteboard marker, then erase and reuse them.

This resource was created by Lindsey Phillips, a teacher in Michigan and a Teach Starter collaborator.