THEME
What is theme?
The message or moral of a story. The lesson that the author wants you to learn.
What is characters perspective?
what a character thinks or feels
What is character development?
How a character changes throughout the story.
What are some clue words that can help the reader determine the theme of a story?
"learned", "realized", "discovered", "decided", "changed", "from then on", "never again"
How can you determine a character's perspective?
Look for opinions and feelings
How can you determine character development?
By finding the main event that causes a change. Problem/Solution, Cause/Effect.
One day, Mia found a shiny necklace on the playground. She picked it up and slipped it into her pocket. It was beautiful, and Mia really wanted to keep it. But when she saw her friend Lily crying by the swings, she knew what she had to do.
Mia walked over and asked, "Did you lose something?" Lily nodded and said, "My necklace! It was a gift from my grandma."
Mia took a deep breath, pulled the necklace from her pocket, and gave it to Lily. "I found it on the ground," she said. Lily smiled and gave Mia a big hug.
Mia felt happy inside. Being honest wasn't always easy, but it was the right thing to do.
Which sentence helps the reader know what the theme of this passage is?
Being honest wasn't always easy, but it was the right thing to do.
Maya could hardly sit still as she rode home with her new puppy on her lap. His fur was soft and warm, and he smelled like shampoo.
She was excited, but also a little nervous. What if she didn’t know how to take care of him? What if he didn’t like her?
When they got home, the puppy wagged his tail and licked her face. Maya giggled and hugged him tight. She decided to name him Max.
Maya knew it would take time to learn everything, but she was ready. Max was already her best friend.
Which sentences show Maya's perspective on getting a dog?
She was excited, but also a little nervous.
Maya giggled and hugged him tight.
Maya knew it would take time to learn everything, but she was ready.
Jayden stood at the front of the classroom, feeling like all eyes were on him. He missed his old school and his old friends. Everything here felt so big and unfamiliar.
At lunch, Jayden sat alone, picking at his sandwich. He wondered if he would ever feel at home here. Just then, a boy named Carlos came over and said, "Hey, want to play soccer with us?"
Jayden’s face lit up. Maybe being the new kid wouldn’t be so bad after all. He grabbed his lunch and ran outside, feeling a little more at home with every step.
Which sentences from the passage show Jayden's development from the beginning of the passage to the end?
He missed his old school and his old friends. Everything here felt so big and unfamiliar.
He wondered if he would ever feel at home here.
At lunch, Sam stood alone with his tray, looking around for a place to sit. All the tables were full, and no one seemed to notice him. Emma saw Sam and remembered how lonely she had felt on her first day.
She waved and said, "Hey Sam! You can sit with us!"
Sam's face lit up with a big smile. He hurried over and sat down. They talked and laughed all through lunch.
Emma felt warm inside. She realized that even a small act of kindness could make someone's whole day better.
Which sentence from the passage helps the reader know what the theme is?
She realized that even a small act of kindness could make someone's whole day better.
Maya smiled and patted the soft fur of the tiny kitten in her lap. She felt so lucky to have a new friend to play with every day. However, her old dog, Buster, sat in the corner and let out a long sigh. He missed having the whole living room floor to himself for his afternoon naps.
How does Maya’s perspective of the kitten differ from Buster’s perspective?
Maya's perspective is happy because she sees a new friend to play with. Buster's perspective is sad or annoyed because he sees a tiny animal taking up his nap space.
At the start of the week, Tim was too shy to even say hello to the baker. He would hide behind his mom’s coat and point at the cookies he wanted. But after visiting the bakery every day, Tim finally felt brave. On Friday, he walked right up to the counter, looked the baker in the eye, and said, "One chocolate chip cookie, please!"
How did Tim change from the beginning of the week to Friday?
Tim changed from being shy and scared to being brave and confident enough to speak for himself.
Ben’s hands were shaking. Today was the day he had to give a speech in front of the whole class. He felt like running out of the room. What if he forgot his words? What if everyone laughed?
He took a deep breath and remembered what his mom told him: "Being brave doesn’t mean you’re not scared. It means you do it even if you are."
Ben walked to the front of the class. His voice was a little shaky at first, but soon he was speaking clearly. When he finished, everyone clapped!
Ben smiled. He was still a little scared, but he was proud that he had the courage to try.
Which sentence helps the reader know what the theme of this passage is?
He was still a little scared, but he was proud that he had the courage to try.
OR
"Being brave doesn’t mean you’re not scared. It means you do it even if you are."
Mr. Henderson looked out the window and groaned when he saw the thick, white snow covering his driveway. He knew it would take him an hour of hard work to shovel it all away. Outside, his daughter Chloe let out a cheer. She ran to find her sled, thinking about how fast she would zoom down the big hill.
How is Mr. Henderson’s view of the snow different from Chloe’s view?
Mr. Henderson's perspective is that the snow is hard work because he has to shovel it. Chloe's perspective is that the snow is fun because she gets to go sledding.
Lily used to throw her crayons and papers all over the floor when she was finished drawing. She didn't care if her markers dried up or her papers got stepped on. However, after her favorite drawing got ripped in the mess, Lily started acting differently. Now, she carefully puts every crayon back in its box and slides her drawings into a special folder.
What event caused Lily to change her mind about being messy?
Lily changed because her favorite drawing got ruined. This made her realize she needed to be organized and careful with her things.