Theme

What is theme?

• how the reader feels about the story

• where the story takes place

• the message or lesson the author wants you to learn from a story

Tags

CCSS.RL.3.9

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.4.9

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.9

True or False.

There can ONLY be one theme for any text.

• True

• False

Tags

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.4.9

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.9

CCSS.RL.6.2

Kevin's Book Report

Kevin wasn't worried about his book report. He had three whole weeks to get it done. There was no reason to get started right away, especially when he had just gotten a new video game!

The next day, Kevin thought about going to the library to pick out a book for his report, but decided to play with his friends instead. He could go to the library on the weekend instead. The weekend came and rather than going to the library, Kevin spent the whole weekend at his cousin's farm. He didn't go to the library the next week either; there was always something fun to do instead.

Two weeks passed and Kevin still hadn't picked out a book. By the time he finally got to the library, there was not enough time to read the book and write the report. Kevin tried to write the report without reading the whole book, but it did not go very well. Kevin failed the assignment.

What is the theme of this passage?

• Schoolwork is more important than playing

• You shouldn't put things off until last minute

• Kevin should have done his report first.

Tags

CCSS.RL.3.9

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.4.9

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.9

Lucy's Crayons

Lucy never put anything away. When she made her breakfast in the morning, she left the cereal and the milk out on the counter and she left her dirty bowl on the table. When she got home from school, she tossed her coat and her backpack on the floor where her mother often tripped on them when she came in from work.

One day, Lucy and her friend Amelia decided to color pictures outside under the big oak tree. Lucy had just gotten a brand new box of 108 crayons and she wanted to try them out. They sat under the tree, happily coloring until it was fime for Amelia to go home. "Want me to help clean up?" Amelia asked before she left.

"Nah, I'll do it later," Lucy replied as she headed inside to watch TV. Lucy watched three shows and forgot about the crayons. The next day, when Lucy went outside to play, she found that the sun had melted her new crayons into a big, goopy mess.

• Put things away when you are done using them

• You shouldn't leave crayons out in the sun.

• Lucy is lazy and inconsiderate.

Tags

CCSS.RF.5.4C

CCSS.RI.4.1

CCSS.RI.5.1

CCSS.RL.4.1

CCSS.RL.5.2

Camping Catastrophe

Mrs. Jones decided to take his family camping. It was a beautiful weekend and the family was excited about the trip. So, he packed up the car and away they went. At first they had trouble finding an empty campsite. Most of the other campers had made reservations ahead of time. When they finally found one, Dad asked the kids, Tim and Katie, to pitch the tent. It wasn't long before Tim reported that he could not find the tent stakes. Sure enough, they were nowhere to be found.

Meanwhile, mom was trying to light the portable stove, but Dad had forgotten the matches. Not only that, they did not have a can opener to open the can of spaghetti sauce they had brought for dinner or a pot big enough to cook the noodles. Then Katie discovered they had forgotten the sleeping bags!

It soon became clear that camping was not going to happen. Grumpily, Dad packed everything back into the car and they drove back to the city. They picked up pizza on the way home and everyone slept in their own beds that night.

• Mr. Jones is not very good at camping.

• Don't go camping without sleeping bags.

• Be prepared and plan ahead.

Tags

CCSS.RI.4.9

CCSS.RI.5.9

CCSS.RI.6.2

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.5.2

The Math Test

Cody had not studied for the big math test. When he got his test, he realized that he had no idea how to solve the problems. Luckily, Cody sat right behind Emily. Emily was the best math student in the class and he could see her paper. Cody copied all of Emily's answers.

The next day when Mrs. Jenkins passed back the graded tests, she told the class that only two students had gotten A's. Since these two students had done so well, she would have them explain some of the more challenging problems to the class.

Emily was first. Mrs. Jenkins wrote a problem on the board. Emily solved it easily and explained each step to the class. Then it was Cody's turn. Again, Mrs. Jenkins wrote a problem on the board. Of course, Cody did not know how to solve the problem. A long moment passed as Cody stood in front of the board trying to figure out what to do. Some of his classmates started to whisper and snicker.

"Can you solve the problem?" Mrs. Jenkins finally asked.

Humiliated, Cody just shook his head. Now everyone knew he had cheated and he was in big trouble.

• Cody got in trouble for cheating on his math test.

• Cheating does not pay off in the end.

• Cody should have studied for his math test.

Tags

CCSS.RL.3.9

CCSS.RL.4.2

CCSS.RL.4.9

CCSS.RL.5.2

CCSS.RL.5.9