Theme Assessment

What is theme?

• The message or lesson that the author wants you to take away from the story.

• Where the story takes place.

• The main characters in the story.

• What happens in the beginning, middle, and end of the story in order.

Tags

CCSS.RL.3.9

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.4.9

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.9

Three flies notice an overturned honey pot. Two of the flies decide to land in the honey and start eating it. But the oldest fly stays back. The two flies tease the older fly, but then get stuck in the honey.

What is the theme of this story?

• Some prizes aren't worth it.

• Overeating leads to illness.

• Insects value food over safety.

• Always send a tester.

Tags

CCSS.RL.3.9

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.4.9

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.9

Barry liked playing board games, but he hated losing. He hated losing so much that he would do whatever it took to win, even bending or breaking the rules. He'd steal money from the bank and hide it under the couch cushions. He'd skip spaces while he was moving around the board. He'd shortchange others money that they were owed and argue with them about it. Barry's techniques were effective. He did win most of the games that he played, but the people whom he played with were his friends and family, and it didn't take too long until they caught on to Barry's tricks. They tried to tell Barry to stop cheating. They said that the game wasn't any fun when he cheated, but he didn't listen. He continued with his treacherous style of game play, until nobody would play with him anymore. 
Which statement expresses a main theme of the passage?

• Do not judge a book by its cover
• Winning isn't everything.
• Be thankful for the things that you receive.
• Don't sweat the small stuff.

Tags

CCSS.RL.3.9

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.4.9

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.9

 Blaine opened up the present and began pouting. He screamed in a high-pitched voice, "This is Captain Thunder! I wanted Captain Lightning!" His mother looked at him with dismay and handed him another present, which he greedily opened. "Why did you get me a red hat? You know I like blue more," Blaine whined as he threw the hat across the room. His mother straightened her expression and squinted at him. Earlier she had hoped to take some pictures of this moment, but by now she had put away her camera. She sighed and handed him one more present in hopes that this year wouldn't be a total bust. Blaine huffed and opened it. "A Game Box 4000 wow. Where's the Game Box 5000 that I asked for?" His mother could bear his ingratitude no longer. The next time that Blaine returned from his father's house, he was shocked to find that all of these toys and gifts, along with many other of his things, had been generously donated to needy children. 
From the character's experience, the reader can learn...

• It's more fun to share.
•  Be thankful for the things that you receive.

Tags

CCSS.RL.2.6

CCSS.RL.3.6

CCSS.RL.4.3

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.6.3

A long time ago there was a king who wanted nothing but gold. He wished everything he touched turned into gold. A fairy made his wish come true. Then anything he tried to eat turned into gold, so he starved to death. 

• Do not be greedy
• United we stand, divided we fall
• Don't steal 
• Respect your elders

Tags

CCSS.RL.1.10

CCSS.RL.2.2

CCSS.RL.3.2

CCSS.RL.K.5

There were once some hardworking ants and a grasshopper who hated to work. The ants gathered food all spring while the grasshopper played. When winter came, the ants had enough food, but the grasshopper had nothing to eat. Since the ants had no extra food to give, the grasshopper starved. 

• Don't be lazy
• Slow and steady wins the race
• Don't steal
• Look before you leap

Tags

CCSS.RL.1.10

CCSS.RL.2.2

CCSS.RL.3.2

CCSS.RL.K.5

What is the theme of this passage:
Today was Friday and Mark knew that meant it was Fun Friday at school.  All the students were allowed to participate in Fun Friday if they turned in their homework.  Mark walked into class and open his backpack.  He stared inside and froze.  He had left his homework on the counter.  He tried to think quickly, what could he say?  He could tell Mr. Barnes that his little brother had thrown it away.  He could tell him that he dropped it on the bus or he could say that he already turned it in and that Mr. Barnes must have lost it.  "Where's your homework, Mark?" asked Mr. Barnes.  Mark just hung his head, he couldn't tell a lie.  "I left it at home", he said quietly.  

• Friendship
• Honesty
• Perseverance

Tags

CCSS.RL.3.9

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.4.9

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.9

Justin had no one to sit with at lunch. He was new in town, and tried to make friends everyday. Because Justin spoke with a strange accent, many of the kids did not want to sit with him at lunch. Rachel noticed Justin eating by himself one day and invited him over. Justin and Rachel quickly became friends, and Justin began to enjoy coming to school everyday. What is the main theme (message) of this story?

• Justin was lucky to have a friend like Rachel.
• You should not speak to someone because they are different from you.
• Be kind to others.

Tags

CCSS.RL.3.9

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.4.9

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.9

In most stories, you have to analyze the characters' traits and the events of the plot to infer the theme. Characters are the people, animals or creatures in stories. The plot is the sequence of events in the story.

Read the following passage from a story.
Marta was stumped. She had turned the details of the case over and over in her head, trying to figure out the answer. The suspect had somehow entered the store, stolen the artwork and exited without leaving any trace or fingerprints. Marta paced, her movements matching her storm of thoughts. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the new technological device she had been given to use, which she'd been avoiding like the plague. "I wonder…" she thought.
Hesitantly, Marta typed the details of the case into the device's keyboard. It whirred and spat out a list of similar cases and how they'd been solved. Reading through the information, Marta was amazed. She had been pondering for hours, but 30 seconds with this device, and she could find answer! With new respect, she rushed off.

Which detail from the passage provides the best clue that a theme of the story is "technology can have good effects"?

• "The suspect had somehow entered the store, stolen the artwork and exited without any trace or fingerprints."
  
• "Marta paced, her movements matching her storm of thoughts."
  
• "Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the new technological device she had been given to use, which she'd been avoiding like the plague."
  
• "She had been pondering for hours, but 30 seconds with this device, and she could find her answer!"
  

Tags

CCSS.RL.3.9

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.4.9

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.9

Read the following sentence.
A toad and a lizard learn to get along while on a journey through the wilderness.

The sentence above is an example of a

• plot
  
• character
• main idea
• theme

Tags

CCSS.RL.3.9

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.4.9

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.9