Brady knew he was not the best athlete on the baseball team. Everyday he would go outside and practice throwing and hitting with his Dad. The other kids on the team just seemed to know what they were doing all the time. Brady had to really think about what he should be doing on the field. Where should he throw the ball? When does he steal? But Brady kept practicing and improving. By the end of the season he won most improved

award. What was she going to do? What is the theme?

When you are trying to identify a story's theme, you look mostly at...

When you are trying to identify a story's theme, it is good to use details related to:

How do you find themes in a story?

Benny and Danny were twins. Each week, they each

got five dollars in allowance. Benny always spent all of his allowance on candy and small toys. Every so often, Danny bought some candy, but he saved most of his money in a piggy bank that he kept on his nightstand by his bed. Sometimes, Danny did extra chores around the house to earn more money. He always put his earnings into his bank.

The months passed and soon school was out for summer. One day, Danny asked his parents to take him to the bike store. He had saved enough money for a new bike! Danny picked out a red bike with blue handlebars. His parents were so impressed with how much he had saved that they bought him a helmet and a bike lock.

Danny spent the summer riding his new bike around

the neighborhood with his friends. Since he did not

have a bike, Benny spent most of his summer alone

at home.

Which sentences best describe a theme?

What do themes look like in novels?

What do themes look like in novels?

When you ask questions that clear up your understanding of ideas in a discussion, you are:

Lucy never put anything away. When she made her

breakfast in the morning, she left the cereal and the milk out on the counter, and she left her dirty bowl on the table.

When she got home from school, she tossed her coat and her backpack on the floor where her mother often tripped on them when she came in from work.

One day, Lucy and her friend Amelia decided to color pictures outside under the big oak tree. Lucy had just gotten a brand new box of 108 crayons and she wanted to try them out. They sat under the tree, happily coloring until it was time for Amelia to go home. "Want me to help clean up?" Amelia asked before she left.

"Nah, I'll do it later," Lucy replied as she headed inside to watch TV. Lucy watched three shows and forgot about the crayons. The next day, when Lucy went outside to play, she found that the sun had melted her new crayons

into a big, goopy mess.

One day Michael's new friend, Brice, invited him over for dinner. Brice's family had a lot of money and Michael was amazed at how big their house was. His family's whole apartment would probably fit in Brice's living room!

Michael's amazement turned to envy when he saw Brice's bedroom. Brice had his own computer, a big screen TV, and about every video game that was ever made! Michael had to share his tiny room with his brother and all they had was a shelf full of books.

When it was time for dinner, the boys went down to the dining room and sat at a long, fancy table. No one else came to sit with them. A woman served them their dinner and cleaned up after they were done.

"Is that your mom?" Michael asked.

"No, that's Ana, our maid." Brice replied. "My parents always work late. I almost never see them before I go to bed."

Brice thought about how his own family always ate dinner together. He thought about how his dad helped him with his homework and how his mom always came in to say goodnight to him at bedtime. Suddenly, he didn't feel so envious of Brice anymore.