Theme vs Central Idea

Multiple Choice

What is the topic of the short paragraph?

• A. The Baseball Glove

• B. The Baseball Game

Multiple Select

What is the central idea of the text?

• A. Tim stole a glove.

• B. Tim wanted a new glove so he stole one.

• C. Tim could not play baseball because he stole a baseball glove.

• D. Tim's parents were angry.

Multiple Select

What is the theme of the text? Choose all that apply.

• A. It is more important to do the right thing than get what you want.

• B. There are always consequences when you do wrong.

• C. Stealing is bad.

• D. Never steal.

What is the BIG difference between theme and central idea?

Theme is universal (we can all relate to it)

It is usually used in fiction.

Central idea is specific to the text (it does not apply to most people)

It is usually used in nonfiction.

Multiple Choice

Theme and central idea are not usually:

• Supported by text evidence

• Directly stated in the text

Multiple Choice

There will be clues in the text that help me infer the theme or central idea.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

Theme is usually for:

• Fiction (stories, plays, poems, etc.)

• Nonfiction (Articles, biographies, etc.)

Multiple Choice

Central Idea usually applies to:

• Fiction (stories, plays, poems, etc.)

• Nonfiction (articles, biographies, etc.)

Multiple Choice

One summer, a grasshopper watched the ants work all day and all night storing seeds for the winter. "How boring," he said. "I will never work all day, I only want to play!" When winter came, the grasshopper looked and looked for food, but there was none around. He asked the ants for some food, but they told him that they worked hard for their food and they would not share any.

What's the THEME?

• Sharing is caring.

• You need to work to get what you want.

• The grasshopper was being lazy.

• The ants didn't want to share their food.

Multiple Choice

An octopus isn't fast enough to swim after a fish. The octopus must wait for a fish to swim by.  When the fish comes within reach, the octopus whips out his long arm to grasp it.  Then the octopus has a tasty meal.  

What is the main idea?

• How much fish an octopus eats

• How an octopus gets its food

• Why the octopus likes to eat

• why an octopus has 8 legs

Multiple Choice

Jon held the ball in his hands.  He bounced it slowly on the ground.  Once. Twice. He crouched low and then jumped.  The ball flew into the air.  Up, up, up, it went.  Then down, down, into the basket.  “Yes!” he yelled.  “Nothing but net!”

What's the main idea?

• How to throw a basketball.

• Jon could jump.

• Jon liked basketball.

• Jon makes a basket.

Multiple Choice

Exit Ticket: What is the central idea?

• A. The details in a text.

• B. The moral of the story.

• C. What the text is mostly about.

• D. A lesson learned.

Multiple Select

Exit Ticket: 2. What is theme?

• A. The details in a text.

• B. The moral of the story.

• C. What the text is mostly about.

• D. A lesson learned.