Classwork: Identifying Theme

What is the theme of this paragraph?  Lena practiced her piano every day, even when her friends were playing outside. At the big recital, her hands shook at first, but she played beautifully and received a big round of applause.

• A. Friendship is more important than music.

• B. Practice and dedication lead to success.

• C. It's okay to be nervous.

• D. Playing outside is fun.

What is the theme of this paragraph? Tom saw his classmate drop a $20 bill. Even though he wanted to keep it, he picked it up and returned it to her.

• A. It's hard to find money.

• B. Always save your money.

• C. Doing the right thing shows honesty.

• D. Friends help each other.

The village came together to rebuild the park after the storm. Everyone painted, planted flowers, and shared food. What is the theme of this paragraph?

• Nature is powerful.

• Teamwork and community can overcome challenges.

• Food brings people together.

• Storms are dangerous.

What is the theme of this paragraph?  No matter how many times Maya fell while learning to skateboard, she got back up and kept trying until she mastered a new trick.

• Skateboarding is fun.

• Never give up, even when it's hard.

• Tricks are hard to learn.

• Falling is part of the game.

What is the theme of this paragraph?  James laughed when others teased Mark for his clothes. Later, when James was teased for his glasses, he felt hurt and realized how wrong he had been.

• Glasses can make you a target.

• Laughing is not always nice.

• Empathy helps us understand others.

• People shouldn't wear old clothes.

What is the theme of this paragraph?  Sofia and her brother both wanted the last cookie. Instead of fighting, they split it in half and enjoyed it together.

• Cookies are delicious.

• Fighting isn't good.

• Siblings should never argue.

• Sharing is a kind and fair choice.

What is the theme of this paragraph?  Eli was scared to speak in front of the class, but he took a deep breath, remembered his practice, and read his report clearly and proudly.

• Reading out loud is easy.

• Everyone should be afraid of public speaking.

• Facing your fears helps you grow.

• Practice doesn't always help.

What is the theme of this paragraph?  Sara and her team lost the soccer game, but they congratulated the other team and thanked the coach for a fun season.

• Winning is everything.

• Good sportsmanship matters.

• Coaches should be thanked.

• Soccer is hard.

What is the theme of this paragraph? When the power went out during the storm, Mia lit candles, told jokes, and helped her younger brother stay calm.

• It's fun to tell jokes.

• Storms are scary.

• Helping others in tough times is important.

• Candles are useful during storms.

What is the theme of this paragraph?  Ben wanted a new toy, but he didn’t have enough money. He saved his allowance for weeks and finally bought it with his own money.

• Always have candles ready.

• Humor helps in hard times.

• Power outages are scary.

• Jokes are fun.