Theme vs Main Idea

The theme of the story is the __________________________.

• main character

• message about life that the author expresses

• sequence of events

• short summary of what the story is about

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.4.9

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

What is the main idea?

• the main character in a story

• the message about life that an author expresses

• the sequence of events in a story

• a description of what the story is mostly about

Tags

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RI.5.2

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

Read the following sentence.

Friendship helps people get through hard times.

The sentence above is an example of a _________________.

• plot

• character

• main idea

• theme

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.4.9

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

Read the following sentence.

A woman risks her life to spy for the Union during the Civil War.

The sentence above is an example of a __________________.

• plot

• character

• main idea

• theme

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.4.9

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

Which is an example of a main idea?

• Don't be afraid to try new things.

• Friendship

• Two boys become friends during summer camp.

• Be happy with what you have.

Tags

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RI.5.2

CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.6.2

Theme or Main Idea?

Always treat others how you would want to be treated.

• Theme

• Main Idea

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.4.9

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

The frog sat on the side of the pond.  He was very still.  His green color made him hard to see.  A bug flew near him.  His tongue zipped out, and he gobbled it up.  Then the frog was still again.  He waited for the next bug.
What is the main idea?

• Frogs are green .
• Frogs eat bugs.
• Frogs do not move.
• Frogs live in ponds.

Tags

CCSS.RI.4.2

CCSS.RI.5.2

CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

There once was an old farmer who needed money. One day his goose laid a golden egg! For one week the goose laid one golden egg a day. The farmer now had more gold then he would ever need, but he wanted his goose to lay more eggs! He was sure that they must be inside of the goose, so he decided to cut them out. Unfortunately, there were no more eggs in the goose and now the goose was dead. The farmer would never get another golden egg again.

WHAT IS THE THEME OF THIS STORY?

• Take care of your pets.

• Gold is worthless.

• If you are greedy, than you will have nothing in the end.

• Never be a farmer.

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.4.9

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

One day a dove witnessed an ant falling in a river. The dove quickly dropped a leaf into the river for the ant to use as a boat. As the ant was drying off, he noticed a hunter hiding in the woods. The ant crept up and stung the hunter's hand, making him yell out in pain and frighten the dove away.

WHAT IS THE THEME OF THIS STORY?

• Be quiet when you are hunting.

• Never help someone in need.

• Do not help those that are different than you.

• If you help others, they will help you in return.

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.4.9

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

One summer, a grasshopper watched the ants work all day and all night storing seeds for the winter. "How boring," he said. "I will never work all day, I only want to play!" When winter came, the grasshopper looked and looked for food, but there was none around. He asked the ants for some food, but they told him that they worked hard for their food and they would not share any.

WHAT IS THE THEME OF THIS STORY?

• You should never share.

• You must work as well as play.

• You should always share.

• It gets cold in the winter.

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.4.9

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.9

CCSS.RL.6.2