Theme and Main Idea

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

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.

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

Which of the following could be a theme of a story?

• A 35-year-old woman named Essie and her brother.

• A small apartment in Marfa, Texas.

• Telling the truth may cause you pain, but in the end, it's better than lying.

• Essie lied to her brother about her identity for two years, but she finally decided to tell him the truth.

One way you could figure out the theme is to...

• Skim through the story

• Just read the beginning of the story

• Think about what the character has learned

• Read the ending of the story

The best definition of theme is...

• The lesson the author is teaching. 

• The message the author is sending.

• A word that summarizes the story.

• The character's main problem.

Unlike the topic of literature, a theme ...

• can be expressed in one word

• always shows the setting

• is always stated directly in the text

• cannot be just one word

Which of the following is NOT an example of a theme?

• Treat others the way you want to be treated.

• The little boy lied to his mother.

• With hard work, you can accomplish anything.

• You shouldn't judge a book by its cover.