Theme Lesson

ELA.4.8A I can infer basic themes supported by text evidence.

Guided Question: What are some common themes found in Traditional Tales?

The theme is the main message, lesson, or moral of the text.

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What is Theme?

​How something came to be

A Lesson Taught or Learned

Common Themes of Traditional Tales

• Don't put off for tomorrow what you can do today.

• Treat others the way you want to be treated

• Teamwork is a good thing

• Why Texas has Bluebonnets

• How the moon ended up in the sky

• Why Mosquitoes buzz in people's ears

​Your theme must be supported by text evidence

Whatever theme you pick for a story, or whatever lesson you think the characters have learned, must be supported by evidence from the text.

If you can not find any evidence to support your answer, then it is probably incorrect. All themes, morals, reasons why something came to exist, etc. will have textual evidence to support it.

Multiple Choice

In a piece of narrative text, what is the "theme"?

• What the story is about

• The topic of the text

• A message the author is trying to get across to the reader

• Where and when the story happens

Multiple Choice

What is the difference between theme and main idea?

• Main idea is what the text is mainly about and theme is the lesson or moral in the story

• Theme is what the text is mainly about and Main idea is the lesson or moral in the story

• Theme is specific to characters in the story and main idea is not

Multiple Choice

One morning, a boy led his sheep to a field. His job was to watch for wolves that might want to eat his sheep. But watching the sheep was boring. Then, he thought of a way to have a little fun. As loud as he could, the boy cried, "Wolf! Wolf!" In no time, farmers from a nearby farm rushed to help him. But the boy just laughed. He told them that there was no wolf. The farmers all shook their heads and left. By lunchtime, the boy was bored again. So, he cried "Wolf!" a second time. Again, the farmers came running. Again, the boy just laughed. The farmers shook their fists at him and stomped away. But a little while later, the boy really did see a wolf. It was looking at his sheep. The boy cried "Wolf!" a third time. But this time, nobody came to help. The farmers didn't believe the boy anymore

• If you lie, no one will believe when you tell the truth

• If you're bored it's okay to tell a small lie

• It's okay to lie as longs as you tell the truth in the end

• Don't believe fools

Multiple Choice

In the fairy tale "Hansel and Gretel," a brother and sister find a house made of candy in the forest, are invited inside by an old woman, and are almost cooked and eaten by the woman, who turns out to be a witch. In "Little Red Riding Hood," a little girl is on her way through the forest to see her grandmother and tells a wolf where the grandmother lives. The wolf races ahead of the little girl and eats her grandmother. What recurring theme is present in both stories?

• Wolves and witches are mean.

• The forest is a dangerous place.

• Do not trust strangers.

• Always be prepared

Multiple Choice

One day, a little red hen decided to make bread. It was hard work, so she asked the other animals for help. "Who will help me get the wheat from the field?" she asked. Each animal said, "Not I." So, the hen did it herself.

Then she asked, "Who will help me turn the wheat into flour?" Each animal said, "Not I." So, she did it herself.

Then she asked, "Who will help me mix the dough?" Each animal said, "Not I." So, she did it herself.

Later on, the sweet smell of baking bread filled the air. The animals all crowded around the oven. "Who will help me eat the bread?" asked the hen. Each animal said, "I will! I will!"

But the hen said, "No. I will do that myself, too." And she did.

• If you don't work, you will not get a reward

• Good things come to those who wait

• It is important to share with everyone

• Be yourself

Multiple Choice

The Ant and the Dove

One day an ant was out walking and became very thirsty. She saw a stream and decided to take a sip from it. But when she bent over, she slipped and fell into the water. Luckily, a dove flying overhead spotted the ant. The bird took a leaf in its beak and dropped the leaf into the water for the ant. The ant climbed onto the leaf and floated safely to the edge of the stream. "Thank you, dear dove," said the ant. "You saved my life." Just then, the two animals saw a hunter nearby. The hunter was holding a net high in the air. Seeing that the hunter was about to capture the dove, the ant acted quickly. She bit the hunter hard on his leg. "Ow!" he cried, and he dropped the net on the ground. The dove flew away, and the ant walked away smiling.

• If you treat people kindly, it will come back to you

• Never trust a stanger

• Hunters are bad

• friendship can come from anywhere

Multiple Choice

What is the theme of this story?

• Respect your elders.

• Don't steal.

• Don't be lazy.

• Help others because what goes around comes around.

Multiple Choice

The message, lesson, or moral of the story.

• Theme

• Main Idea

Multiple Choice

A HEAVY WAGON was being dragged along a country lane by a team of Oxen. The wheels groaned and creaked terribly; whereupon the Oxen, turning round, thus addressed the wheels: “Hello there! Why do you make so much noise? We bear all the labor, and we, not you, ought to cry out.”

What is the theme in the passage above?

• The squeaky wheel gets the oil.

• Work now and play later...

• Those who do the least work complain the most.

• Do not attempt too much at once.

Multiple Choice

In a field one summer's day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its heart's content. An Ant passed by, bearing along with great toil an ear of corn he was taking to the nest. "Why not come and chat with me," said the Grasshopper, "instead of toiling and moiling in that way?" "I am helping to lay up food for the winter," said the Ant, "and recommend you to do the same." "Why bother about winter?" said the Grasshopper; we have got plenty of food at present." But the Ant went on its way and continued its toil. When the winter came the Grasshopper had no food and found itself dying of hunger, while it saw the ants distributing every day corn and grain from the stores they had collected in the summer. Then the Grasshopper knew.

What is the theme in the passage above?

• The squeaky wheel gets the oil.

• Work now and play later...

• Those who do the least work complain the most.

• Do not attempt too much at once.

Multiple Choice

A Lion lay asleep in the forest, his great head resting on his paws. A timid little Mouse came upon him unexpectedly, and in her fright and haste to get away, ran across the Lion’s nose. Roused from his nap, the Lion laid his huge paw angrily on the tiny creature to kill her. “Spare me!” begged the poor Mouse. “Please let me go and some day I will surely repay you.” The Lion was much amused to think that a Mouse could ever help him. But he was generous and finally let the Mouse go. Some days later, while stalking his prey in the forest, the Lion was caught in the toils of a hunter’s net. Unable to free himself, he filled the forest with his angry roaring. The Mouse knew the voice and quickly found the Lion struggling in the net. Running to one of the great ropes that bound him, she gnawed it until it parted, and soon the Lion was free. “You laughed when I said I would repay you,” said the Mouse. “Now you see that even a Mouse can help a Lion.”

What is the theme?

• A kindness is never wasted.

• If you are big, you are king!

• Small people are better than big people.

• Don't get caught!

Multiple Choice

One day a countryman going to the nest of his goose found there an egg all yellow and glittering. When he took it up it was as heavy as lead and he was going to throw it away, because he thought a trick had been played on him. But he took it home on second thoughts, and soon found that it was an egg of pure gold.

Every morning the same thing occurred, and he grew rich by selling his eggs. As he grew rich he grew greedy; and thinking to get at once all the gold the goose could give, he killed it and opened it only to find nothing.

What is the theme?

• Greed can lead to destruction.

• Geese cannot lay golden eggs.

• Farmers lay eggs.

• All that glitters isn't gold.

Multiple Choice

A Fox once saw a Crow fly off with a piece of cheese in its beak and settle on a branch of a tree. "That's for me, as I am a Fox," said Master Reynard, and he walked up to the foot of the tree. "Good-day, Mistress Crow," he cried. "How well you are looking to-day: how glossy your feathers; how bright your eye. I feel sure your voice must surpass that of other birds, just as your figure does; let me hear but one song from you that I may greet you as the Queen of Birds."

The Crow lifted up her head and began to caw her best, but the moment she opened her mouth the piece of cheese fell to the ground, only to be snapped up by Master Fox.

"That will do," said he. "That was all I wanted. In exchange for your cheese I will give you a piece of advice for the future."

What was the advice (theme) that the fox gave?

• Do not trust what someone says, but what they do.

• Always eat before you sing.

• Foxes should not eat cheese.

• Crows and Foxes should share their cheese.

Multiple Choice

An old monkey on the point of death summoned his sons around him to give them some parting advice. He ordered them to bring in a bundle of sticks, and said to his eldest son: "Break it." The son strained and strained, but with all his efforts was unable to break the sticks. The other sons also tried, but none of them was successful. "Untie the bundle," said the father, "and each of you take a stick." When they had done so, he called out to them: "Now, break," and each stick was easily broken. "You see my meaning," said their father.

What is the theme in the passage above?

• Choose the lesser of two evils.

• There is strength in unity.

• If men had all they wished, they would be ruined.

• Every tale is not to be believed.