Reviewing Central Idea & Theme

Central Idea

By Z H

Multiple Choice

The central idea is...

• the focused idea of the text.

• a detail from the text.

• the first sentence of a paragraph.

• a quote you provide from the text.

Open Ended

What is the definition of Central Idea

Multiple Choice

How is central idea different from theme?

• Theme incudes specific names and details from the text.

• Central idea includes specific names and details from the text.

• The central idea tells the lesson or moral of the text.

• The theme is the main topic or focus of the text.

Multiple Choice

True or False: The central idea is directly tied to the author's main point or argument.

• False

• True

Multiple Choice

Determine the central idea of the passage

To Stand or Not to Stand?

In 2016, Vallecito Elementary School in San Rafael, California, became the first U.S. school to replace all of its ordinary desks with raised desks that students stand at. Speaking to a reporter from TIME for Kids magazine, one student at the school gave the standing desks high praise. "You feel happier, you're less tired, and you're more active," she said. According to several studies, children working at standing desks burn more calories and are more focused on tasks. However, some teachers and parents are opposed to the change. They are concerned that standing for long periods of time could cause fatigue, strain on the legs and feet, or posture problems. In addition, standing desks are more expensive than seated desks. Only time will tell whether standing desks will prove to be the next big trend or a failed experiment.

• Some people say that standing desks promote good study habits, but others are wary about the new desk.

• Studies have shown that standing desks help students focus on their schoolwork while being more active.

​How to Find the Theme

Life Lesson Learned

Character + Plot = Theme

(1) Notice how a COMPLEX CHARACTER changes.

(2) Think about how those changes affect the PLOT & what the character learns.

(3) This will help you analyze how the author explores and develops the story's THEME.

TEXT STRUCTURES

• Chronological Order: placing events in the order in which they occurred; used to show a connection among ideas/events that happened over a period of time

• Cause-and-Effect Order: used to illustrate how & why one idea or event influenced another because, as a result

• Comparison-and-Contrast: used to show how ideas are similar or different

• 
  

As you read, look for SIGNAL WORDS that indicate connections between ideas & events.

• Chronological Order: first, next, then, before, finally, since

• Cause-and-Effect Order: because of, as a result, consequently, due to, if...then

• Comparison-and-Contrast: by contrast, on the other hand, similarly, in comparison

Multiple Choice

Being able to identify the central idea of a text shows...

• that you can cite evidence from the text.

• that you know how to write.

• that you understand the text.

• that you like what you are reading.

Multiple Choice

Which statement below BEST defines a theme used in literature?

• The ideas about life the author wants to express.

• The overall feeling of the work.

• Where and when a story takes place.

• An idea that keeps coming up throughout the story.

• Supporting details in an argument.

Multiple Select

Why are we working on central idea in middle school?

• The central idea is harder to identify in complex texts.

• Identifying the central idea is a new standard in high school.

• The central idea is very easy and it is ridiculous that we are still learning about it.

• Analyzing the central idea involves more than identifying it.

Multiple Select

In complex texts, the central idea...

• is stated and can be quoted directly from the text.

• is implied, not stated, meaning you must rely on clues in the text to find it.

• is not directly said by the author, meaning you must draw conclusions.

• is said in the title, and therefore, copying the title is a great way to find the central idea.

Make notes on the following information

​

1. ​The theme is the central idea of the story.

2. It is better if it is a full statement with a subject and a verb.

3. It sums up what the story shows us about the human condition. It is not a moral. It is simply a statement.

What is a theme?

What is a theme?

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is NOT a type of specific detail that could support the central idea?

• points made

• events

• conversations

• citations

Multiple Choice

Determine the central idea of the following text

Making Towers Bird-Friendly

The lights on tall communication towers warn pilots to avoid the towers when flying at night. Unfortunately, the steady red lights often used on towers have the opposite effect on birds: the bright beams attract and confuse them. Instead of avoiding the lights, the birds fly directly toward them, crashing into the towers or becoming entangled in power lines. Millions of birds have died this way. However, there is a solution. Unlike steady lights, flashing or blinking lights don't attract birds. In response to demands from conservation groups, the Federal Aviation Administration in 2016 began requiring communication towers in the U.S. to use blinking lights instead of steady ones.

• Birds are attracted to the steady red lights on communication towers.

• To save birds, communication tower have begun using blocking lights.

Multiple Choice

True or false: You do not have to read all of the supporting details to determine the central idea.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

True or False: One supporting detail could change what your central idea says.

• True

• False

Multiple Choice

To make understandable, plain, or clear.

• Fact

• Elaborate

• Explain

• Fantasy Stories

Multiple Select

How ready do you feel to start determining and analyzing the central idea?

• Very Ready

• Somewhat ready

• I need more information

• What are we talking about?

Multiple Choice

Information or details from a text that support a reader’s assertion (e.g., quotations, paraphrases, descriptions).

• Explicit

• Elaborate

• Explain

• Evidence (Reading)

1. What is the story about? In other words, what is the plot?

2. What is the meaning behind the story?​ This usually revolves around the protagonist's conflict and his or her actions or reactions.

3. ​What is the lesson?

Make notes on the following:

To Find a Theme Ask 3 Questions

​

​

How to Identify Themes

Take a few moments to write down the main literary elements: plot, characterization, setting, tone, language style, etc. What were the conflicts in the work? What was the most important moment in the work? Does the author resolve the conflict? How did the work end?

Make Notes

Note the plot of the work:

​

How to Identify Themes

How does he or she change? Does the protagonist affect other characters? How does this character relate to others?

Make Notes

​

Who is the protagonist (the main character)?

​

How to Identify Themes

If you were to tell a friend what the work of literature was about, how would you describe that? What would you say is the topic?

Make Notes

​

Identify the subject of the work:

​

How to Identify Themes

Finally, determine the author's purpose and view toward the characters and their choices. Is the author writing to persuade, inform or entertain? What might be the author's attitude toward the resolution of the main conflict? What message might the author be sending us? This message is the theme. You may find clues in the language used, in quotes from main characters, or in the final resolution of the conflicts.

Make Notes

​

Assess the author's purpose and point of view:

Multiple Choice

The author’s method of structuring a text; the way a text is structured from beginning to end. In literary works, the structure could include flashback and foreshadowing, for example.

• Theme

• Tone

• Text Structure

• Third Person

Match

What is the three-step process for determining a theme?

• Step 1

• Step 2

• Step 3

Ask, what is the story about?

Ask, what is the meaning behind the story?

Ask, what is the lesson?

• Ask, what is the story about?

• Ask, what is the meaning behind the story?

• Ask, what is the lesson?

Multiple Choice

Determine the central idea of the following passage:

The First "Newspaper" War

The Crimean War was fought in the 1850s between Russia on one side and Britain, France, and Turkey on the other. Although it was a major conflict, it is perhaps best remembered as the first war in which journalists were present on the battlefield. News dispatches from William Howard Russell, a reporter for the Times of London, exposed military blunders and revealed the filthy conditions that existed in military hospitals and camps. Photographers such as James Robertson and Roger Fenton made hundreds of photographs of soldiers on the battlefield. These news reports and photographs provided an uncensored look at life on the frontlines. The Crimean War marked the first time in history that people back home were exposed to the horrors of war.

• The Crimean War was fought between the Russians, British, French, and Turkish

• The Crimean War was the first war to be documented by civilians.

​

• The subject is a topic that acts as the foundation for a work of literature, such as marriage in 19th-century France.

• The theme of literature is the author's lesson. In other words, the life lesson you learned.​

Subject Versus Theme

​

​

• A major theme is an idea that a writer repeats in his work, making it the most significant idea in a literary work.

• A minor theme, on the other hand, refers to an idea that appears in a work briefly and that may or may not give way to another minor theme.​

​

Major and Minor Themes

​

Match

Match the following

• Subject

• Theme

• Major Theme

• Minor Theme

A topic that acts as the foundation for a work of literature

The author's lesson. In other words, the life lesson you learned.

An idea that a writer repeats in his work, making it the most significant idea in a literary work.

An idea that appears in a work briefly and that may or may not give way to another minor theme.

• A topic that acts as the foundation for a work of literature

• The author's lesson. In other words, the life lesson you learned.

• An idea that a writer repeats in his work, making it the most significant idea in a literary work.

• An idea that appears in a work briefly and that may or may not give way to another minor theme.

Multiple Choice

Determine the Central Idea of the following Passage

Supporting Biliteracy

There are many good reasons to learn a second language. A second language can improve your understanding of your native language, open the door to new job opportunities, and help you learn about other cultures. Yet American students are less likely than European students to study foreign languages in school. To address this gap, several states have begun doing more to encourage biliteracy—the ability to read and write in two languages. California, New York, and Illinois are among the states that have passed laws establishing a state "Seal of Biliteracy." A Seal of Biliteracy shows that a student has achieved proficiency in a second language. Supporters of the seals say that they honor the importance of second-language learning. The seals also provide colleges and future employers with evidence of students' abilities.

• Although second-language learning is important, students in the United States are less likely than those in Europe to learn a second language.

• Fewer American students than European students learn a second language, so some states are promoting the study of foreign languages.

Multiple Choice

Determine the Central Idea of the following passage

Blooms in Death Valley

In March 2016, Death Valley National Park in California experienced a rare occurrence: thousands of yellow wildflowers covered the region in a "super bloom." Why was this unusual? Death Valley is the hottest and driest place in North America. The area's average yearly precipitation is just two inches, making it a challenging place for flowers to grow. However, in October 2015, the valley had received more than three inches of rain in some areas. As a result of the unusually wet season, wildflower seeds that had been lying dormant underground suddenly began to grow, producing an abundance of golden blooms.

• Because of the hot, dry conditions in Death Valley, it is difficult for flowers to grow there.

• Because of an unsual amount of rain, thousands of wildflowers grew in Death Valley in 2016.

Multiple Choice

Determine the central idea of the following passage

When Heidi Transformed Televised Football

On November 17, 1968, football fans across the United States sat glued to their televisions. A close game between two top teams—the New York Jets and the Oakland Raiders—was being broadcast. When the Jets pulled ahead with only fifty seconds remaining, viewers went wild. But then, just as the Raiders were bringing the ball across midfield, the game disappeared from the screen! In its place, a previously scheduled children's movie, Heidi, started playing. Callers flooded the TV network's phone lines, but it was too late. The Raiders scored two touchdowns in the very final moments—touchdowns that were unseen by all but West Coast viewers. As a result of the interrupted event, dubbed "the Heidi game," television networks began delaying their regularly scheduled programs until football games had ended.

• After Heidi interrupted a crucial moment during a televised football game, networks began to delay regularly schedule shows until football games were over.

• After Heidi interrupted a crucial moment during a televised football game, the TV network received numerous calls from angry viewers who were unable to watch the final moments of the game.

Multiple Choice

Determine the text structure used in the following passage

When Heidi Transformed Televised Football

On November 17, 1968, football fans across the United States sat glued to their televisions. A close game between two top teams—the New York Jets and the Oakland Raiders—was being broadcast. When the Jets pulled ahead with only fifty seconds remaining, viewers went wild. But then, just as the Raiders were bringing the ball across midfield, the game disappeared from the screen! In its place, a previously scheduled children's movie, Heidi, started playing. Callers flooded the TV network's phone lines, but it was too late. The Raiders scored two touchdowns in the very final moments—touchdowns that were unseen by all but West Coast viewers. As a result of the interrupted event, dubbed "the Heidi game," television networks began delaying their regularly scheduled programs until football games had ended.

• Sequence

• Compare and Contrast

• Cause and Effect

• Descriptive

Match

Match the following

• Note the plot of the work

• Identify the subject of the work

• Who is the protagonist (the main character)?

• Assess the author's purpose and point of view

List the main literary elements: characters, time, setting, language style, and conflicts.

How would you describe the work to a friend? The topic?

Who changes? How does the protagonist affects other characters? How does the character interact?

Determine the author's purpose and the author's view toward the characters and choices.

• List the main literary elements: characters, time, setting, language style, and conflicts.

• How would you describe the work to a friend? The topic?

• Who changes? How does the protagonist affects other characters? How does the character interact?

• Determine the author's purpose and the author's view toward the characters and choices.