Grade: Grade 2 Subject: English Language Arts Unit: Comprehension Strategies Lesson: 3 of 6 SAT: Information+Ideas ACT: Reading

Text Practice: Finding Details

Learn

Good readers look for important details in what they read. Details are small pieces of information that help us understand the big idea of a story or text.

What Are Details?

Details answer questions like:

  • Who? - Who is the story about?
  • What? - What happened?
  • When? - When did it happen?
  • Where? - Where did it take place?
  • Why? - Why did it happen?
  • How? - How did it happen?

How to Find Details

  1. Read the text carefully
  2. Ask yourself the question words (who, what, when, where, why, how)
  3. Look back at the text to find the answers
  4. Underline or highlight important information
Reading Tip: Not all details are equally important. Focus on details that help you understand the main idea!

Examples

Example Text:

"Last Saturday, Emma went to the park with her dog Max. They played fetch by the big oak tree until lunchtime. Emma threw the ball, and Max ran fast to catch it. They had so much fun together!"

Finding the Details:

  • Who? Emma and her dog Max
  • What? They played fetch
  • When? Last Saturday, until lunchtime
  • Where? At the park, by the big oak tree
  • How? Emma threw the ball and Max caught it

Example Text:

"Butterflies start as tiny eggs on leaves. A caterpillar hatches from the egg and eats leaves to grow big. Then it makes a chrysalis and changes inside. Finally, a beautiful butterfly comes out!"

Important Details:

  • Butterflies begin as eggs
  • Caterpillars hatch from eggs
  • Caterpillars eat leaves to grow
  • They form a chrysalis
  • A butterfly emerges at the end

Practice

Read each passage and answer the questions about the details.

Practice 1

"Ben woke up early on Tuesday morning. He put on his blue shirt and ate cereal for breakfast. Then he walked to school with his friend Jake."

Question: What day did Ben wake up early?

Answer: _______________________

Practice 2

"The library is a quiet place where you can read books. It has tall shelves full of stories. Mrs. Chen, the librarian, helps children find books they will enjoy."

Question: Who helps children find books?

Answer: _______________________

Practice 3

"Frogs live near ponds and streams. They have strong back legs for jumping. Frogs eat insects like flies and mosquitoes. Their long, sticky tongues help them catch food quickly."

Question: What do frogs use to catch food?

Answer: _______________________

Practice 4

"Maria baked cookies with her grandmother on Sunday afternoon. They used chocolate chips and butter. The kitchen smelled wonderful when the cookies were done!"

Question: When did Maria bake cookies?

Answer: _______________________

Practice 5

"The fire truck raced down Main Street with its sirens on. Firefighter Johnson jumped out and connected the hose to the fire hydrant. Water sprayed onto the flames, and soon the fire was out."

Question: Where did the fire truck race down?

Answer: _______________________

Practice 6

"Penguins are birds that cannot fly. They live in cold places and have thick feathers to stay warm. Penguins are excellent swimmers and catch fish in the ocean."

Question: Why do penguins have thick feathers?

Answer: _______________________

Practice 7

"Sam's soccer team practiced every Wednesday at Miller Field. Coach Davis taught them to pass the ball and work as a team. After practice, they drank water and ate orange slices."

Question: What did the team do after practice?

Answer: _______________________

Practice 8

"The moon shines brightly in the night sky. It looks different each night because it goes through phases. Sometimes we see a full moon, and sometimes just a tiny sliver called a crescent."

Question: What is a tiny sliver of the moon called?

Answer: _______________________

Practice 9

"Lily planted tomato seeds in her garden in the spring. She watered them every day and made sure they got plenty of sunshine. By summer, she had big, red tomatoes to share with her family."

Question: What season did Lily plant the seeds?

Answer: _______________________

Practice 10

"Dr. Patel works at the animal hospital on Oak Avenue. She takes care of sick pets like dogs, cats, and rabbits. Dr. Patel loves helping animals feel better."

Question: Where does Dr. Patel work?

Answer: _______________________

Check Your Understanding

Read this story and answer all the questions.

"On a sunny Friday in June, the second-grade class went on a field trip to Green Valley Farm. They rode a yellow school bus for thirty minutes to get there. At the farm, Farmer Brown showed them cows, chickens, and pigs. The students got to feed baby goats and pick fresh strawberries. Everyone agreed it was the best field trip ever!"
  1. Who went on the field trip? _______________________
  2. Where did they go? _______________________
  3. How did they get there? _______________________
  4. What animals did they see? _______________________
  5. What did the students get to do? _______________________

Next Steps

  • Practice finding details in books you read at home
  • Try asking "who, what, when, where, why, how" questions while reading
  • Share details from a story with a family member
  • Move on to the next lesson when ready