Main Idea and Theme
What is another way to describe the main idea?
The main idea is what the passage or reading section is mainly about.
The boy lingered in the stands after the concert. He was hoping to watch the band members pack up. What does "lingered" mean?
stayed
Serenity, Bryce, and Taylor decided to collaborate on the project, since they all had different talents to share. What does "collaborate" mean?
work together
What is the theme of a story?
The theme of a story is the lesson or moral that the author wants us to remember and apply in our own lives.
My objective was to get to work on time each day, so I would not get fired. What does "objective" mean?
goal
Cirrus Academy school has a lot of diversity. We have students from many races, religions and cultural backgrounds. What does "diversity" mean?
different kinds of things or people together
Jaden felt anguish when his dog died. He'd had his dog for 13 years. What does "anguish" mean?
extreme pain, sadness and suffering.
We read a short Native American story about a stork getting caught in a net with some crows who were stealing a farmer's corn. What is the theme of this story?
You should be careful when choosing your friends. If you choose friends who are not trustworthy, you might be judged as untrustworthy too, just because you are friends with them.
Our Lady Eagles Basketball team was far superior than any other team in the league. We had not lost a game yet! What does "superior" mean?
the best
Our Cirrus Academy Cheerleaders are a boisterous group. They spend a lot of time jumping and shouting to energize the players and the fans. What does "boisterous" mean?
loud, noisy, energetic
Eric pledged his allegiance to his new team, even though, he missed many members of his old team. What does "allegiance" mean?
loyalty or devotion
We read a story about a selfish empress named Mrs. Dawkins who hired some tailors to make her some special clothes that would be invisible to unruly people. The tailors cheated her and stole his wealth. What is a theme for this story?
We should treat all people with respect and not act like we are better than others.
The gymnast was so agile. I was amazed at the graceful way she moved during the floor routine. What does "agile" mean?
flexible, able to bend and move in many ways
The auditorium looks like it is filled to capacity. I don't think we will find an empty seat. What does "capacity" mean?
The largest amount possible
We had to make a chronological time line during Social Studies when we studied the events leading up to the Revolutionary War. What does "chronological" mean?
going in order of time
What is the difference between the main idea of a story and the theme of a story?
The main idea is mostly what the story is about (a short summary). The theme is the life lesson or moral that the author wants us to remember. It may have nothing to do with the details of the story itself.
The town is so rural that most of the residents are cows! What does "rural" mean?
country
Keep your speech concise to save time. We have many students who need to present their reports. What does "concise" mean?
short
Aliyah was completely inept at cooking. She seemed to burn everything she tried to cook. What does "inept" mean?
have little or no skill