What is the main difference between THEME and CENTRAL IDEA.

Theme is a universal lesson and central idea is what an article is about.

Theme is what an article is about and central idea is the universal lesson it teaches.

What does the main idea of a story tell the reader?

a specific detail from the story

The universal truth, moral, or idea the author wants to express

What is the best question to ask yourself when you are trying to find the central idea of an article?

What point is the author trying to make?

If you are feeling sad, you can make yourself feel better by doing a few simple things. You can take a walk (or get another form of exercise), you can talk to a friend, or you can write down your feelings. Writing down the good things in your life will help too. Doing something good for someone else will also help you feel better. If you still feel a little sad, act happy. It works like magic to make you feel better! What is the central idea?

There are many ways to make yourself feel better.

You should do good things for others.

Native Americans dried strips of meat, pounded it into a paste, and then mixed it with fat. Sometimes they added berries and sugar. Then they pressed it into small cakes. They called these cakes pemmican . Pemmican didn't spoil, and it provided lots of energy for people traveling or going hunting. Today explorers still carry and eat this food. What is the central idea?

how pemmican was prepared by Native Americans.

There are many fun things to do at the beach. Swimming is one thing that can be done at the beach. Snorkeling is another thing that can be enjoyed. Playing beach volleyball can be a lot of fun. It is also fun to look for shells. Some people simply like to sunbathe. What is the central idea?

There are many fun things to do at the beach.

It is also fun to look for shells.

Some people simply like to sunbathe.

Going to the beach to swim can be fun.

Soccer players learn many skills when playing soccer. Soccer players learn how to dribble and pass the ball. They also learn how to control the ball so they can eventually score. Most importantly, soccer players learn how to work together with their teammates. What is the central idea?

Soccer players learn many skills when playing soccer.

They also learn how to control the ball so they can eventually score.

Soccer players learn how to dribble.

They learn how to work together as teammates.

What is the central idea here A penny for your thoughts? If it's a 1943 copper penny, it could be worth as much as fifty thousand dollars. In 1943, most pennies were made out of steel since copper was needed for World War II, so the 1943 copper penny is ultra-rare. Another rarity is the 1955 double die penny. These pennies were mistakenly double stamped, so they have overlapping dates and letters. If it's uncirculated, it'd easily fetch $25,000 at an auction. Now that's a pretty penny.

Some pennies are rare and worth a lot of money.

The 1943 penny is worth 50 thousand dollars.

the 1943 penny is more rare than the 1955 penny.

Carson's older sister, Madison, is a very good student. She isn't satisfied to just get by in school. She is involved in extra activities at school, including the school's music program and the math club. She also always tries to answer the teacher's questions in class. What is the main idea of the paragraph?

Madison is a very good student.

Madison was born before Carson.

Seated on his throne, King Midas wore a golden crown. He had golden rings on each finger and held a golden scepter. His vest was embroidered with golden thread and even his shoes had golden ornaments. He had a golden box filled with gold coins. He named his daughter Marigold. What is the main idea of this paragraph?

King Midas had a heart of gold.

Matilda Excerpt By Roald Dahl By the time she was three, Matilda had taught herself to read by studying newspapers and magazines that lay around the house. At the age of four, she could read fast and well and she naturally began hankering after books. The only book in the whole of this enlightened household was something called Easy Cooking belonging to her mother, and when she had read this from cover to cover and had learnt all the recipes by heart, she decided she wanted something more interesting. "Daddy," she said, "do you think you could buy me a book?" "A book,” he said. "Whatd' you want a flaming book for?" "To read, Daddy." "What's wrong with the telly, for heaven's sake? We've got a lovely telly with a twelve-inch screen and now you come asking for a book! You're getting spoiled, my girl!" What is the main idea?

Matilda is eager to learn and read more.

Matilda is interested in cookbooks.

Matilda’s dad won’t buy her a new book.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Excerpt By Roald Dahl Charlie Bucket stared around the gigantic room in which he now found himself. The place was like a witch’s kitchen! All about him black metal pots were boiling and bubbling on huge stoves, and kettles were hissing and pans were sizzling,and strange iron machines were clanking and spluttering, and there were pipes running all over the ceiling and walls, and the whole place was filled with smoke and steam and delicious rich smells. Mr. Wonka himself had suddenly become even more excited than usual, and anyone could see that this was the room he loved best of all. He was hopping about among the saucepans and the machines like a child among his Christmas presents, not knowing which thing to look at first. He lifted the lid from a huge pot and took a sniff; then he rushed over and dipped a finger into a barrel of sticky yellow stuff and had a taste; then he skipped across to one of the machine sand turned half a dozen knobs this way and that; then he peered anxiously through the glass door of a gigantic oven,rubbing his hands and cackling with delight at what he saw inside. Then he ran over to another machine, a small shiny affair that kept going phut-phut-phut-phut-phut, and every time it went phut, a large green marble dropped out of it into a basket on the floor. What is the main idea?

to learn about the room through Mr.Wonka’s excitement and discoveries

Charlie’s discovery of the gigantic room

seeing the machine that makes green candy

Sister Hood of the Traveling Pants Excerpt By Ann Brashares Once there were four girls who shared a pair of pants.The girls were all different sizes and shapes, and yet the pants fit each of them. You may think this is a suburban myth. But I know it's true, because I am one of them —one of the sisters of the Traveling Pants.We discovered their magic last summer, purely by accident. The four of us were splitting up for the first time in our lives. Carmen had gotten them from a secondhand place without even bothering to try them on. She was going to throw them away, but by chance,Tibby spotted them. First Tibby tried them; then me,Lena; then Bridget; then Carmen.By the time Carmen pulled them on, we knew something extraordinary was happening. If the same pants fit — and I mean really fit — the four of us, they aren't ordinary. They don't belong completely to the world of things you can see and touch. My sister, Effie,claims I don't believe in magic, and maybe I didn't then. But after the first summer of the Traveling Pants, I do. What is the main idea?

Four friends were connected through a special pair of pants.

A pair of pants called the Traveling pants.

Carmen finding a pair of pants from a second-hand shop.

Pretty Little Liars Excerpt By Sara Shepard Imagine it's a couple of years ago, the summer between seventh and eighth grade. You're tan from lying out next to your rock-lined pool, you've got on your new Juicy sweats (remember when everybody wore those?), and your mind's on your crush, the boy who goes to that other prep school whose name we won't mention and who folds jeans at Abercrombie in the mall. You're eating your Cocoa Krispies just how you like 'em --- doused in skim milk --- and you see this girl's face on the side of the milk carton. Missing. She's cute --- probably cuter than you --- and has a feisty look in her eyes. You think, Hmm, maybe she likes soggy Cocoa Krispies too. And you bet she'd think Abercrombie boy was a hottie as well. You wonder how someone so . . . well, so much like you went missing. You thought only girls who entered beauty pageants ended up on the sides of milk cartons. Well,think again. What is the main idea?

A middle school girl wondering how an ordinary looking girl, like her, could go missing.

The narrator enjoying her summer break by the pool.

The importance of a middle school crush.

The girl’s picture on the side of a milk carton to announce she is missing.

Central Idea/Main Idea/Theme

Quiz

•

English

•

8th - 10th Grade

•

Practice Problem

•

Medium

•

CCSS

RL.8.2, RL.5.3, RL.9-10.2

+12

Standards-aligned

Amy Willis

Used 366+ times

FREE Resource

21 questions

Show all answers

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

What is the best definition of THEME?

A universal truth, moral, or idea that the author wants to express.

The location and time of the story

The events that occur in the story

The author's reason for writing a story

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RI.11-12.9

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

Which of the following is an example of THEME?

Carry your laptops with two hands at all times.

Cereal is the healthiest food you can eat.

You can severely break your leg while crossing the street.

Life is short; make the most of it.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

A novel can have more than one theme.

TRUE

FALSE

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.5.7

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.6.9

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

When determining a theme, the reader should first consider...

the illustrations

the subject or topic

the title

the length of the story

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

30 sec • 1 pt

A theme should always be written as...

A sentence or statement

A phrase

One or two words

A brief summary of 5-8 sentences.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

5 mins • 1 pt

During a baseball game, Tanner tried to tag a player leaving first base. When the umpire called the player out, Tanner immediately informed the umpire that he in fact did not tag the runner. Two weeks later, the very same umpire was at another one of Tanner’s baseball games. Tanner was playing short stop and tagged a runner as they approached third base. When the umpire called the player safe, Tanner didn’t say a word, but the umpire noticed the surprised look on Tanner’s face. “Did you tag the runner?” she asked Tanner. When Tanner told her that he did tag the runner, the umpire changed her decision and called the player out. The coaches and parents were furious, but the umpire stood by her decision.
What is the theme?

You should cheat to win.

Always work hard.

It pays to be honest.

Teamwork is best.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

5 mins • 1 pt

A Dog, to whom the butcher had thrown a bone, was hurrying home with his prize as fast as he could go. As he crossed a narrow bridge, he looked down and saw his reflection in the quiet water as if in a mirror. But the greedy Dog thought he saw a real Dog carrying a bone much bigger than his own. If he had stopped to think he would have known better. But instead of thinking, he dropped his bone and sprang at the Dog in the river, only to find himself swimming for dear life to reach the shore. At last he managed to scramble out, and as he stood sadly thinking about the good bone he had lost, he realized what a foolish Dog he had been.
What is the theme?

Be honest.

Don't be greedy.

Always share your things with others.

Be respectful to others.

Tags

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RI.11-12.9

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

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