Theme Review

Camilo spent all of his free time reading books and felt that he was very intelligent. One day a nice student from his class, Mason, asked him if he wanted to go sledding and Camilo responded, “I’ve read about sledding in books, and it sounds miserable. No, thank you.” On another day, a different friendly student, Joseph, asked Camilo if he wanted to go out for hotdogs after school. Camilo responded, “I’ve read that hotdogs are filled with rat parts and pig bellies. No, thank you.” Nobody asked Camilo to hang out again, but he did read about friends in his books.

• Friends are always the best option.

• Learning from books is no substitute for real life experiences.

• Just dance!

• Camilo acts snobby at the expense of a social life.

Allison is a diligent student. There is a challenging math competition approaching Allison's school in Gray town. Allison hears of this news, and she instantly begins studying so she can win the competition.

What theme can we take away from this summary of a story?

• Friendship is important.

• Treat others how you would like to be treated.

• You must work hard to reach your goals.

Jayln, Eric, and Allison notice a jar of cookies on the table. Eric and Jayln decide to grab a handful and start eating them. But Allison, being the oldest, stays back. Eric and Jayln tease Allison, but then they start feeling sick from eating too many cookies. What is the moral of this story?

• Overeating leads to illness.

• The first to try something gets rewarded.

• Some treats aren't worth risking your safety.

During a particularly hot summer, when the students could find very little to drink, a thirsty Camilo found a water bottle with a little water in it. But the bottle was tall and had a narrow opening, and no matter how he tried, Camilo could not reach the water. Poor Camilo felt as if he would faint from dehydration. Then an idea struck him. Picking up some small pebbles, he dropped them into the bottle one by one. With each pebble the water rose a little higher until at last it was near enough so he could drink.
What is the theme of this scenario?

• be persistent

• be honest

• always share with others

• respect your family

Camilo invited his classmates to his birthday party. He didn't know the new student, Mason, but he thought it would be mean to leave him out. When Mason came to Camilo's house, Mason's mom brought in a huge cake and pizza for all. She told Camilo thank you for inviting her son!

• Slow and steady wins the race

• Actions speak louder than words

• Kind deeds can reward you in many ways

• Mason had a nice mom

Joseph was walking down the supermarket aisle when he noticed an old woman, Allison, following him. Allison had a peculiar expression on her face, her smile distorted by her missing teeth. Joseph hurried his pace, feeling a bit uneasy about what she might do. However, it turned out that Joseph had dropped some money, and Allison was merely trying to return it to him.

• Old people like Allison are always mean

• Don't judge a book by its cover

• Joseph should be more aware of his surroundings

• It takes courage for Joseph to stand up to bullies

Mason was waiting for Joseph to arrive in the bustling cafeteria. He scanned the room to see if he could spot Joseph from a distance. Joseph was standing in a corner all by himself. He had a confused look on his face, as there were no other seats available. Thankfully, Mason had saved him a seat, and all was well.

Which best represents the theme or moral?

• Lunch is best when it's bustling

• Being nice doesn't pay off

• Friends should look out for each other

• Never help others

Eric, a boy who had just bought a large ice cream cone, was hurrying home to enjoy his treat. 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 Eric thought he saw his friend Mason with an ice cream cone much bigger than his own. If he had stopped to think he would have known better. But instead of thinking, he dropped his ice cream cone and sprang at Mason's reflection 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 ice cream cone he had lost, he realized what a foolish boy he had been.
What is the theme?

• Be honest.

• Don't be greedy.

• Always share your things with others.

• Be respectful to others.

Camilo had to visit the optometrist and get spectacles. The next day at school, he removed them for physical education class and forgot them in the playground. When he got home that day, his mother asked about his spectacles and Camilo confessed that he misplaced them at school. She asked him to clean the garden and take out the garbage to earn money for a new pair.

• Honesty doesn't always yield positive results

• One should be responsible and careful with their belongings

• Camilo should have been more careful

• Parents can sometimes be too strict

Eric worked all summer at a local grocery store. In the fall, he worked part-time at a library. He also saved his birthday money. When he turned sixteen, Eric bought a car with his earnings. His friends Mason, Jayln, Camilo, and Allison were jealous at first, but they remembered how hard he had worked. 

• Friends shouldn't get jealous

• Eric is great at saving money

• Work is hard, but you do get rewards

• Slow and steady wins the race