Lessons and Morals

What is theme?

• the individuals a story is about

• who is telling a story

• the events that make up a story

• the lesson or moral of a story

Eduardo smiled as he walked inside the shoe store with his mom. He brought his birthday money that his abuela, his grandmother, gave him. He liked being her only grandchild. Once inside, he purchased the perfect pair of new baseball shoes. They were neon blue shoes with white stripes. His old, red shoes did not match his new team colors. Eduardo saw the first baseman Javi looking at his shoes, too. Before Eduardo could say hello, Javi's mother told him it was time to go. The next day at school, Eduardo asked Javi what shoes he picked. "My mom said we will have to wait to buy special baseball shoes," Javi said sadly. "So, I will just have to keep wearing these old sneakers." Before the next practice, Eduardo put a pair of baseball shoes in a shoe box. He hoped that they were the right size. He wrote Javi's name on the box and left it at first base. Standing nearby, Eduardo watched Javi walk over, open the box, and smile. Javi tried the shoes on, and they fit perfectly. His neon blue shoes glistened in the sunlight as he sprinted onto the field. He finally felt like a ballplayer, a real pelotero. What is the lesson of this passage?

• People should never forget to thank those who help give them help.

• People should save some of what they have in case they need it later.

• People should give the best of what they have to those who are less fortunate.

• People should not buy new things until their old things are completely useless.

Trip was a naughty boy. He liked causing trouble for people. One morning, as Trip was selling Boy Scout popcorn, he told a man walking in the street that someone stole a box of popcorn. The man tried to help Trip and ran everywhere trying to find the thief. Trip laughed when the man came back looking tired. Trip told the same thing to another stranger who also tried to help him catch the popcorn thief. Trip caused trouble for people all afternoon. As Trip was getting ready to pack up his boxes, someone quietly stole his popcorn. When Trip saw that his popcorn boxes were actually stolen, he cried for help. The same people who had tried to help Trip earlier passed by his table. Nobody believed that Trip was telling the truth. They did not want to help him and walked away. Trip learned that it was his fault people did not believe him. What is the lesson of this selection?

• Liars cannot be trusted, even when they tell the truth.

• It is difficult for some people to sell Boy Scout popcorn.

• People never try to be helpful to strangers and children.

• It is important to learn how to be a good Boy Scout.

adapted from Mercury and the Woodcutter

A woodcutter was cutting a tree on the bank of a river. His axe flew out of his hands and fell into the water. As he stood by the water's edge crying at his loss, Mercury appeared and asked him the reason for his pain.

The woodcutter cried and said, "I am a poor man. I have lost my axe in the river, and now I cannot work."

Mercury dove into the river and came up with a golden axe.

"Is this your axe?" asked Mercury.

"No," answered the woodcutter.

Mercury dove a second time and bringing up a silver axe asked if that was his.

"No, that is not mine either," said the woodcutter.

Once more, Mercury dove into the river and brought up the missing axe. The woodcutter was very happy to see his axe and could not thank Mercury enough. Mercury was pleased with the woodcutter's honesty and rewarded him with both the golden and silver axes. The woodcutter returned home happily with his gifts.

Which of the following is a lesson from the story?

• Being honest leads to good results.

• Accepting gifts from strangers is a good idea.

• People should learn to help each other.

• One should be careful while using a sharp tool.

Long ago, Bird and Duck lived together in a valley. One day, they climbed a hill to search for food. Duck waddled slowly, so he fell behind. Bird uncovered delicious worms at the top of the hill. Suddenly, a heavy rain came and flooded the valley.

As the water rose, Duck began to "walk" on it. The water got deeper and deeper, but Duck stayed on top.

Bird became trapped on top of the hill. The water surrounded him.

He called down to Duck, "Tell me how to walk on the water!"

"Come down, and I will show you," Duck shouted.

"I'm scared. What if I cannot do it?" Bird said.

Duck encouraged his friend again. Bird leaped off of the hill and felt the wind lift him. He flapped his wings and flew higher. He stretched his wings, dipped his head, and soared lower. He finally rested in a tree and made his home there.

Eventually, Bird taught Duck how to fly with him. Bird never learned to "walk" on water, but he was glad that he had tried.

• You will be greatly rewarded for helping others.

• You never know what you can do until you try.

• Being friendly to others brings a life of peace.

• Following the wrong example leads to trouble.

It was a special day in Yosemite Elementary. Devon, a famous basketball player, was visiting the school and speaking to the third-grade students. Devon was also going to pick some kids for a week-long basketball camp. That day, all the third graders behaved the best they could. Even the kids who never liked basketball, like Ty, tried to play. Ty wanted to look cool in front of his friends. Although he knew nothing about the game, he tried it. When Ty fell and nearly broke his arm, his teacher Mrs. Ramirez pulled him aside. "What are you doing, Ty?" Mrs. Ramirez asked kindly as she checked on his arm. "Oh, I was—trying—," Ty replied. He knew chess was his thing not basketball. "Ty, other famous people will visit your class," his teacher said. "Maybe we will have a chess player here one day. Don't try to be what you are not just to look cool." Ty knew that his teacher was right. From that day, Ty just wanted to be himself. Choose ALL the correct answers. Which two events helped Ty learn a lesson?

• Ty fell and nearly hurt himself.

• Ty played basketball at school.

• Ty learned how to play chess.

• Ty looked cool to his friends

• Ty talked with his teacher.

Johnny Appleseed's real name was John Chapman. He was an American pioneer. Johnny traveled throughout the West planting apple seeds. He brought the seeds with him from Pennsylvania. He spent his whole life planting seeds and tending the young trees. According to the story, Johnny went barefoot. He worked very hard and walked everywhere he went. He wore ragged clothes and wore a tin pan for a hat. His apple trees grew strong and had many apples.

• An apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

• To get trees to grow, you have to tend them for many years.

• Johnny wore ragged clothes and wore a tin pan for a hat.

• Hard work makes good things happen.

A story that contains lessons or morals about life; usually have animal characters

• fairy tales

• tall tales

• myths

• fables

Moral

• something the character says

• a short plant similar to a tree but lower to the ground

• some material around an animal's or person's neck

• a life lesson

What is a fable?

• A story with magical elements

• A story that contains lessons or morals about life, usually with animal characters

• A story about historical events

• A story that is passed down through generations