Power Standard #3 - Theme/Central Idea - WHYL 1.0

Which of the following statements about theme is TRUE?

• Authors NEVER use the same theme twice
• Theme only recurs in short stories
• The same theme only recurs in poems
• The same themes recur in different stories/different authors

Even today, the U.S. Supreme Court does not reflect the U.S. population. It was 1967 before the first black justice was appointed. It was 1981 before the first woman was appointed to the Court. It was 1986 before the Court had its first justice of Italian descent. No person of Hispanic or Asian descent has yet been appointed as a member of the Court.
What is the CENTRAL IDEA of this statement? 

• The US Supreme Court lacks deversity that mirrors the US population
• It was 1967 before the first black justice was appointed.
• No person of Hispanic or Asian descent has yet been appointed as a member of the Court.

To identify a theme in a story, a reader can BEST ask what question. 

• What has the character learned?
• What is the setting?
• Who is the narrator?
• ALL of the above

A theme should be supported by ...

• your own words
• evidence from the text
• rationale/reasoning
• ALL of the above

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.W.5.9A

Tsunamis, large ocean waves caused by underwater earthquakes, can be deadly and destructive. For example, in December 2004, an underwater earthquake triggered a massive tsunami throughout the Indian Ocean. The tsunami killed more than 200,000 people and caused billions of dollars of damage to the coasts of numerous Southeast Asian countries.

Which sentence BEST summarizes the paragraph?

• tsunamis

• Tsunamis, large ocean waves caused by underwater earthquakes, can be deadly and destructive.

• The tsunami killed more than 200,000 people and caused billions of dollars of damage to the coasts of numerous Southeast Asian countries.

Themes are universal because ...

• all humans share common experiences
• authors add them to make the writing meaningful
• the entire universe enjoys them
• the stories go on forever

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.2

In a spell of dry weather, when the Birds could find very little to drink, a thirsty Crow found a pitcher with a little water in it. But the pitcher was high and had a narrow neck, and no matter how he tried, the Crow could not reach the water. The poor thing felt as if he would die of thirst. Then an idea came to him. Picking up some small pebbles, he dropped them into the pitcher one by one. With each pebble the water rose a little higher until at last it was near enough so he could drink.
What is the theme?

• be persistent
• be honest
• always share with others
• respect your family

The word is
INSPIRING 
Is it.....

• mood
• theme

The word is 
SURVIVAL 
Is it....

• mood
• theme

The word is...

GLOOMY 
Is it....

• mood
• theme