Theme
Define theme.
What is the lesson or message of the story?
The main/central idea of a story tells us __________
a. who the main character is
b. what the story is mainly about
c. the details of the story
What is:
(b) what the story is mainly about?
The rhyme scheme of the following...
What's going through your mind when you're running up the side, only 1 man to beat?/ When he runs fast you'll run faster, can he take the heat?/ What's going through your mind when the X is open for the 40- yard touchdown pass?/ He catches the ball and you hope this moment will always last...
What is AABB?
(Yes! "Pass" and "last" are acceptable as a rhyme.)
The day before Christmas I awoke to the soft murmuring of quiet voices gathered in the midnight blackness of morning. Big Ma was not beside me, and without a moment's doubt I knew why she was gone. Jumping from the bed, my feet barely hitting the deerskin rug, I rushed into Mama's room.
What is FIRST-PERSON Point of View?
The night sky was as black as ebony in the dark.
What is a SIMILE?
Julia wanted to become a doctor for as long as she could remember. In college when her friends were at the mall or going to parties, Julia spent all of her time studying. At graduation, Julia graduated with high honors and was offered a job shortly after. The theme: (A) Studying is important. (B) It is important to go to college. (C) Hard work pays off.
What is:
(C) Hard work pays off?
The main idea of this passage:
It was backwards day at school. The students had to do things backward(s). Some of them wore their t-shirt backward(s). They took a test before they studied the lesson! Dessert was served first instead of last at lunch. They tried to walk home backward, but they kept bumping into each other and fell down.
What is students had a backwards day at school?
The rhyme scheme of the following...
When you're hungry / You should eat a beet / My oh my, / Or have a treat of wheat / So don't eat meat
What is ABCBB?
A category of artistic composition, as in music or literature, characterized by similarities in form, style, or subject matter. (A TYPE or CATEGORY of something.)
What is GENRE?
I am wind, I am wall, I am wave, I rise, I fall
What is a METAPHOR?
Mrs. Smith was doing a unit on healthy living with her students. All week she taught her students about eating the correct foods like fruits and vegetables. Over the weekend, some of Mrs. Smith's students were at the mall and saw her eating pizza, a milkshake, and candy. Mrs. Smith's student Molly was going to order a salad, but now decided to order junk food too. The theme: (A) Actions speak louder than words; (B) Never eat pizza at the mall; (C) Vegetables are good for you.
What is (A) actions speak louder than words?
The main idea of this passage:
The rules for lining up are very clear. Wait until the teacher calls your group, then stand up and push in your chair. Walk to the door and stand in a straight, quiet line. Anyone not following the rules will be told by the teacher to please sit down. This can cause the class to be late for their transition.
What is:
The rules for lining up are very clear?
An English sonnet consists of ____ lines.
What is 14?
The minimum number of body paragraphs needed in an essay.
What is three?
Whoosh, Zip, Pow, Clippity Clop, and Tick-Tock are examples of _________________.
What is ONOMATOPOEIA?
Growing up, Sally was always in the shadow of her older sister Mary. Mary always got better grades, was better at sports, and seemed to even be prettier. Sally spent a lot of time in the family's garden feeling sorry for herself. Then one day Mary needed help on a science project about plants. Due to all of her time in the garden, Sally knew a lot about plants and was able to help Mary with the project. Sally was shocked that she was better at something than her sister. The theme: (A) Accept yourself for who you are; (B) Sports are not important; (C) You can learn a lot from plants.
What is (A) accept yourself for who you are?
The main idea sentence in this paragraph:
My mother is a veterinarian. She loves animals. When she was younger she had lots of pets. She even teaches classes about how people can help protect animals.
What is my mother is a veterinarian?
The final 2 lines of a sonnet.
What is a COUPLET?
Movies and novels in which a story is made up, but is set in the past and sometimes borrows true characteristics of the time period in which it is set.
What is:
(A) HISTORICAL NONFICTION,
(B) FANTASY,
(C) HISTORICAL FICTION, or
(D) SCIENCE FICTION?
Some days my thoughts are just cocoons--all cold, and dull and blind.
What is a METAPHOR?
One winter, a monkey found a snake stiff and frozen. The monkey felt sorry for the snake and so he picked the snake up and held it to his chest to try to warm it. The snake was quickly revived by the warmth, and because of its instincts, bit the monkey with all its might. The theme:
What is even though you have good intentions, others may not?
The main idea of this passage. Sonny watches too much television. A toddler shouldn't spend hours sitting in front of a television screen because it can damage his eyes. Worse yet, some of his wild behavior has been inspired by those awful cartoons he watches. His parents should spend more time reading or playing games with him and pull the plug on the TV! A baby needs more attention than just keeping them occupied and quiet.
What is watching a lot of television is bad for Sonny?
ABABCDCDEFEFGG
What is the rhyme scheme of a Shakespearean/English sonnet?
Jeff woke up, quickly jumped out of bed, washed his face, brushed his teeth, got dressed, ran downstairs, flew out the door, jumped on his bike, and pedaled to school as fast as he could.
How is this passage organized. . .
(A) CAUSE and EFFECT,
(B) COMPARE and CONTRAST,
(C) SEQUENTIAL ORDER, or
(D) CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER ?
What is SEQUENTIAL ORDER?
(
Fear knocked on the door. Faith answered. There was no one there.
What is PERSONIFICATION?