Theme, Central Idea, & Summary

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

• Who is the main character?
• What is the main event?
• What is one important detail?
• What point is the author trying to make?

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CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

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

• a specific detail from the story
• The conflict of the story
• What the story is about 
• The universal truth, moral, or idea the author wants to express

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CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

What is the main difference between THEME and CENTRAL IDEA. 

• Theme is a universal lesson and main idea is what a story is about.
• Theme is what a story is about and main idea is the universal lesson it teaches.
  

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CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

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CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RI.11-12.9

Mark wanted to be a great skater. But he didn't want to spend the hours practicing. He wished he could just do the tricks easily. Mark's dream was to have everyone stop and stare when he entered the skate park. He  wanted them to say, "Mark is the best skater in the whole world."
What is the objective summary?

• Mark wants everyone to think he's a great skater without doing the hard work.
• Mark practices very hard to become a great skater.
• Mark is the best skater at the park.
• Mark wants to learn how to skate so he can compete.

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CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

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?

• Sometimes people feel sad.
• You should do good things for others.
• We're not always happy.
• There are many ways to make yourself feel better. 

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CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

A theme should always be written as...

• A sentence or statement
• A phrase
• One or two words
• A brief summary of 5-8 sentences. 

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CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RL.11-12.2

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

• the illustrations
• the subject or topic
• the title
• the length of the story 

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CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RI. 9-10.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

The 2014 FIFA World Cup will be held in Brazil. It will be the 20th year of the World Cup. Brazil was chosen in October of 2007 to host the 2014 competition. Earlier in the year, South America had been chosen as the continent for the contest. Brazil was the only country to put in a bid. This is the second time Brazil will host the World Cup. The country hosted it in 1950. It is the first World Cup to be held in South America since 1978, when Argentina hosted. No other South American country has hosted the World Cup more than once.

The summary of this passage is:

• The 20th World Cup will take place in 2014. In 2007, it was decided that the competition would be held in South America. It is the first World Cup in South America since 1978.

• In October 2007, Brazil was chosen to host the 20th World Cup. Brazil has already hosted the World Cup before. 1978 was the last time a South American country hosted the World Cup.

• The 2014 World Cup will be held in Brazil. It is the second time Brazil has been chosen to host the World Cup. Brazil is the only South American country to host the World Cup twice.

• Early in 2007, South America was chosen as the continent for the 20th World Cup. Brazil was the only country that put in a bid. Brazil hosted the World Cup before in 1950.

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CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

GameFAQs is a Web site that hosts walkthroughs for video games. It also has answers to many frequently asked questions to popular video games. The website was created in November 1995 by Jeff Veasey. The site has a lot of video game information. It is a place where gamers can get almost any information about games. It covers systems from the Atari to the Xbox 360. The Web site also covers computer games. The information on the Web site is given by volunteer gamers. Then, it is reviewed by the site's two editors, Jeff Veasey and Allen Tyner. The Web site also has a large message board community. Every game listed on the site has a board for discussion or game help.

The summary of this passage is:

• GameFAQs has a lot of information about video games. It helps people with questions they have about games. It also gives them information on how to play the games well. Users can post messages on the message boards.

• GameFAQs is a good Web site that allows gamers to discuss all kinds of video and computer games. It was started in November 1995. Allen Tyner is one of the two editors who checks the information volunteers put on the Web site.

• GameFAQs is a Web site that helps video gamers with their games. It was created in 1995 and covers old and new video and computer games. The site is run by two editors, who check volunteer information before putting it on the site.

• GameFAQs has information on old and new video games. It has information for Xbox 360 games like Halo. It also has several message boards where gamers can discuss their favorite computer games. It was created by Jeff Veasey.

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CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.7.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

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CCSS.RI. 9-10.2

Turn over a bag of potato chips. Is the label interesting? A simple food recipe may use several ingredients. These come from the soil and from chemistry labs around the world. Surprises also show up in the labels on clothing and other products. Look at the label on a package of lipstick. The tube seems small and shiny, but inside lipstick there is soap, oil, fish scales, and wax!

Which is the best way to summarize this passage?

• A bag of potato chips seems like a simple recipe. There are many ingredients from the soil and from chemistry labs.

• Clothes and other products have many ingredients as well. Lipstick alone has soap, oil, wax, and fish scales.

• Labels show what goes into food, clothing, and other products. A simple product may have many ingredients.

• Lipstick seems small and shiny. Look at the label sometime. It has at least four different ingredients.

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CCSS.RL.8.2

CCSS.RL.9-10.2

CCSS.RI.7.2

CCSS.RI.8.2

CCSS.RI. 9-10.2