Theme Topics
What is a theme?
A lesson or message about life that the author wants readers to understand.
Is "Friendship" a topic or theme?
Topic.
Marcus practiced shooting basketballs every afternoon. At first, he missed most of his shots. Instead of quitting, he continued practicing. By the end of the season, he became one of the team's best shooters.
Practice and perseverance can help people improve.
A character faces a difficult problem. What should you ask yourself to help determine the theme?
What does the character learn from the problem?
What does "text evidence" mean?
Information from the text that supports your answer.
Is a theme usually one word or a complete statement?
A complete statement.
Is "True friends support each other during difficult times" a topic or theme?
Theme.
Lena noticed a new student sitting alone at lunch. Even though her friends were at another table, Lena invited the student to sit with her.
Small acts of kindness can help others feel welcome.
A character makes a mistake and learns from it. What theme might this suggest?
Mistakes can help people learn and grow.
Name one thing you can look for when searching for evidence of theme.
Character actions, dialogue, problems, changes, or important events.
What is the difference between a topic and a theme?
A topic is a subject or idea; a theme is the lesson or message about that subject.
Is "Courage" a topic or theme?
Topic.
Jordan blamed his brother when a vase broke. Later, Jordan admitted that he had accidentally knocked it over. His parents appreciated his honesty, even though he still had to clean up the mess.
Being honest and taking responsibility is important.
A character changes from selfish to helpful. What can this change tell you?
It can provide a clue about the story's theme.
If your theme is "Honesty builds trust," what would be good evidence?
A character tells the truth, and another character begins trusting them.
True or False: A story can have more than one theme.
True.
Turn the topic "perseverance" into a theme statement.
Example: Perseverance can help people overcome difficult challenges.
Maya wanted to enter the school writing contest but was afraid her story wasn't good enough. She entered anyway. She didn't win, but she received positive feedback and decided to keep writing.
Taking risks and learning from failure can help people grow.
Why are a character's actions important when determining theme?
Actions can show what the character learns or what lesson the author wants readers to understand.
Why isn't simply stating a theme enough?
You need evidence from the text to prove that your theme is supported.
Why should you use evidence when identifying a theme?
Evidence shows how the story supports the theme you identified.
Which is a stronger theme?
A. Family
B. Families can help people overcome difficult times.
B.
Ethan always made fun of a quiet student because he thought the student was unfriendly. One day, they were assigned to work together. Ethan discovered that the student was actually funny, creative, and nervous around new people.
We shouldn't judge people based on first impressions or appearances.
A character fails several times but keeps trying until they succeed. What theme does this character's behavior support?
Persistence/perseverance can help people overcome challenges.
Complete the sentence:
"The theme is of 'Home' is ______."
The theme of "Home" is change can be difficult, but families can learn to adapt together.