Theme & Main Idea Review

Which of these things is not related to the "theme" in a story?

• how a character is feeling

• a "life lesson" the main character learns

• a universal message that people from any culture or any place can understand

• the moral of the story

What is the main difference between THEME and MAIN 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.

Read the passage.

Kittens need special care. You have to feed kittens twice a day. They have a lot of energy. You need to play with them often. Kittens will chew on almost anything they find. You have to watch them closely.

Choose the main idea.

• Kittens will chew on almost anything.

• Kittens require special care.

• Kittens liked to be rubbed.

• Kittens are man's best friend.

Stephanie invited her friends to her birthday party. She didn't know the new girl, but she thought it would be mean to leave her out. When the girl came to Stephanie's house, her mom brought in a huge cake and pizza for all. She told Stephanie thank you for inviting her daughter!

Choose the accurate theme.

• Slow and steady wins the race

• Actions speak louder than words

• Kindness brings with it great rewards

• The new girl had a nice mom

Andrew worked all summer mowing yards. In the fall he raked leaves. He saved his birthday money. When he was sixteen Andrew bought a car with his earnings. His friends were jealous at first, but they remembered how hard he had worked.

Choose the accurate theme

• Friends shouldn't get jealous because they should be happy for their peers

• Andrew is great at saving money, but his friends are not

• Diligence and work ethic benefit those who practice them consistently

• Slow and steady wins the race, even tough it may be tough

True or false: A theme is a statement about something, not just a single word.

• True
• False

Jenny visited her grandmother in the hospital. She saw how kind and helpful the nurses were to her grandmother. Now she wants to be a nurse when she grows up. She wants to help sick people get well.

Choose the main idea

• Jenny got sick.

• Jenny wants to be a nurse.

• Her grandmother was in the hospital.

• Jenny was glad the nurses were being kind to her grandmother.

True or False: It is wise to include text-specific words in theme statements, things like character names or locations

• True

• False

Theme or Main Idea for "A Rose That Grew from Concrete:"

In the poem "A Rose That Grew from Concrete," Tupac introduces a rose that seems to grow in an environment that challenges convention.

• Theme

• Main idea

Theme or Main Idea for "Of Plymouth Plantation:"

Perseverence and dedication, while sometimes difficult, empowers one to overcome adversity.

• Theme

• Main idea