Theme and Main Idea Review

Which of the following is an example of a main idea of a book?

• Sparky, a dog who fights fires

• I read a story about Duke, a police dog

• Slap Jake is my favorite comic book hero

• Superpup is a brave beagle that fights crime in New York City

The main idea of a book is "Plants need sunlight to grow." Which of these is a detail that supports this main idea?

• My favorite kind of plant is the Venus Fly Trap

• Plants that get more sunlight grow taller than plants that sit in the dark.

• There are many different species of plants on Earth.

• Jessica sat in the sun and looked at her garden.

The broad thing that a book is about is called the

• key detail

• main idea

• plot

• subject or topic

Descriptions of people, places, and things that support the main idea are called....

• main idea

• subject

• theme

• details

The __________________ is the deeper meaning, message, or purpose of the story

What is the main idea of this passage? "The beach is the best place to be in the summer. You can spend your days on the powdered sand enjoying the warm breeze. The coastline seems to go on forever, and you can walk along the edge with your toes in the water. Children play in the surf and jump over the shallow waves. The beach is a fun place for all ages."

• The beach is the best place to be in the Summer.

• You can have fun in the Summer.

• Always go to the beach in the summer for fun.

• Remember that Summer can be fun.

The main idea is the same thing as the theme.

• True

• False

Answer explanation

The main idea is specific to a story. The theme is universal to all pieces of media.

What should you see in a main idea?

• Who the story is about

• What the story is about

• Who the story is about and what the story is about.

• A lesson or moral that you can learn form the story.

What is the main idea of Cinderella?

• Always be kind.

• Always follow your dreams.

• Be yourself.

• A step-daughter is turned into a princess by her Fairy God-Mother and meets her prince.

What is the main idea of Shrek?

• Shrek saves Princess Fiona from a dragon and falls in love.

• Always be yourself because if Shrek can get a girl so can you.

• Duloc is a great place to live.

• Shrek and Donkey show the world that unlike friendships are the best ones.