Theme

red

100

Neil never liked to do any work. He would often ask if he could do his homework later. When later came, he still would not do it. When it was time to clean his bedroom, he would make up an excuse not to clean it. What word best describes Neill? a. creative b. mean c. lazy d. rude

c. lazy

200

Mouse knew that he needed to do something fast if he was going to get away from Fox. He decided to come up with a plan. “Oh Fox, I really don’t think that you want to eat me. See I saw two rats that are even more plump than me outside. If you let me out of this cage, I can help you catch them,” said Mouse as he looked outside of his cage. “Really? Then we should go catch them,” said Fox as he unlatched the cage. Fox thought about how good it would be to have two juicy rats to feast on. As soon as Fox opened the cage, Mouse ran as fast as he could and escaped from the house. He laughed as he ran free. What is the moral of this story? a. Wisdom and cleverness can get someone out of difficult circumstances. b. Hard work pays off in the end. c. Always be yourself

a. Wisdom and cleverness can get someone out of difficult circumstances.

300

“But she is so pretty. Everyone wishes that they could be like her,” said Brianna as she talked to Paula. “Catherine may be pretty on the outside, but she is always so rude to everyone. Who does she think she is?” said Paula. “Maybe I should not go either then. She is just so popular. Everyone wants to be like her so much,” replied Brianna. What is the lesson that the author wants the reader to learn? What details from the text helped your figure this out?

The lesson the author wants you to learn is beauty is only skin deep because Catherine was pretty on the outside but rude on the inside.

400

Almost everyone knows the story of Mohandas Gandhi. The bravery and decision to fight for equality has inspired many. Mohandas Gandhi is well known for his decision to protest unequal treatment of the citizens for India. He went on hunger strikes and even convinced other citizens to protest unfair treatment. His story of bravery and desire for justice will inspire many for generations to come. Which statement best describes the theme of this text? a. It is important to follow the rules. b. It is important to stand up for what is right. c. Follow your dreams.

b. It is important to stand up for what is right.

500

It was Sean's first day at a new high school. Most of the students had been nice to him, until he got into gym class. The coach had assigned two captains, Mike and Malik, and they were picking teams from the boys in Sean's class. As Mike and Malik made their picks, it became pretty clear to Sean who was popular and who was not. Since Sean was short for his age, Mike and Malik just assumed that Sean could not play basketball. Mike and Malik joked about who was going to get stuck with whom, and then Mike made his last pick. It was not Sean. Sean sighed and reluctantly joined Malik's team. As soon as the game began, Mike became aware of the error that he had made. Sean quickly stole the ball from him and ran it back for a layup. What Sean lacked in height, he made up for in speed, and he continued to dominate the action on the court for the remainder of the game. With Sean's blazing speed and crazy crossovers, Malik's team devastated Mike's, and that was the only time that Sean would be last pick at that high school. What is the theme of the story?

The theme is that things are not always as they seem because even though Sean was short, it didn't mean that he couldn't play basketball. He was picked last for the team and ended up being the best player.

purple

100

The students laughed at Todd’s odd hair. This is something they always did. Todd looked different than everyone else. The way the other students treated him was terrible. “Hi. My name is Jill,” said a friendly voice. Jill was the only person that talked to Todd. She knew what it was like to be treated differently for no good reason. What is the central idea the author wants the reader to learn? a. Be friends with everyone. b. Who a person is in the inside is more important than what they look like. c. Do not talk to people that you do not know.

b. Who a person is in the inside is more important than what they look like.

200

Harold placed the warm blanket on his grandmother. Ever since his cousins moved away three years ago, his grandmother was mostly at home alone. Each week, Harold went to spend time with his grandmother. Most of the time they played checkers. She loved this game. With a smile, his grandmother always thanked him for stopping by. He knew that she felt less lonely when he was around. What is the theme the author wants the reader to learn? a. Be kind to others. b. Harold should spend time with his family. c. Hard work pays off in the end.

a. Be kind to others.

300

Ant looked as Turtle sat there and did nothing. “Aren’t you going to get ready for the winter?”Ant asked Turtle. “I will do it later,” replied Turtle. It went this way the whole summer and autumn. Turtle played with his toys and refused to prepare for the cold winter which was a time that little food could be found. When winter came, Turtle did not have any food to eat. Ant sat with a stuffed belly next to the fireplace with plenty to eat. What is the lesson the author wants the reader to learn? Use evidence from the text to explain your thinking.

The author wants you to learn that hard work pays off because the author said that ant worked hard and then had food. Turtle played all winter and then didn't have any food.

400

Even though they were sisters, Suzie and June were nothing alike. If Suzie wanted to jump rope, June wanted to play hopscotch. If June wanted to watch soap operas, Suzie wanted to watch talk shows. Tensions rose to the point that the girls could no longer stand one another’s company. It seemed that they had nothing in common, until the day that progress reports came out. While riding the bus home from school, the girls—startled by how upset the other looked—realized that they were both failing a subject. Suzie was failing math and June was failing reading. Since both girls wanted to pass their classes, they got to talking and agreed to help one another. So everyday after school for the next few weeks, Suzie tutored June in reading and then June tutored Suzie in math. By the time report cards came were distributed, Suzie and June were passing all of their classes.What is the theme of this story? Explain your answer.

The theme of the story is to help each other because the author wrote about June and Suzie not getting along. Then they helped each other pass classes at school. They learned to set aside their differences to help each other.

500

After setting his alarm clock for PM instead of AM, Eric woke up late for school. In his haste, he forgot to pack a lunch or bring lunch money. Eric did not mind much at the time and figured that he could just eat some of his friend's food. During lunchtime, Eric explained his situation to the people at his lunch table. His friends were sympathetic to his cause, but they only packed lunches for themselves, not Eric. Katie offered Eric a small bag of carrots. "Yuck! I hate carrots. Chuck offered Eric his milk, to which Eric responded, "Is that skim milk? Ewww.... I hate skim milk. Does anyone have any chocolate milk?" Doesn't anyone have anything good for me?" But that was the last offer that Eric would receive that day. What is the theme of the story?

The theme of the story is to be prepared because Eric woke up late and wasn't responsible about getting his lunch ready the night before. He thought his friends would give him their lunch, but they didn't.

yellow

100

All the cool girls at school wore the same hairstyle. Gail went into the school bathroom and changed her hair like the other girls. When Gail got home, her mother was there to meet her at the door. “What happened to your hair?” asked her mother. “ I fixed it when I got to school,” replied Gail. “You love your hair in braids. Why would you change it?” asked Gail’s mother. She knew that her and Gail needed to have a talk. What is the central idea the author wants the reader to learn? a. Be kind. b. Accept yourself for who you are. c. Always follow the rules that are given.

b. Accept yourself for who you are.

200

Anthony looked at his dad take off the final latch on the door and open it. Anthony just stood there and looked at an ant cross his path instead of go inside the house. “You will love it here,” said his father unloading bags into the house. Anthony sighed and tried to look happy. “I know it is not New York, but in time, you will like it here. Anthony took a deep breath and decided to walk inside. What is the theme that the author wants the reader to learn? a. Hard work pays off in the end. b. Always be willing to move. c. Change can be difficult at times.

c. Change can be difficult at times.

300

Benjamin looked at the rest of the runners glide past him. He had been in the lead but now he was running behind the runner next to him. For months, he had practiced and hoped to win. With everything within him, Benjamin pumped his legs harder and faster. little by little, he inched his way forward taking the lead and winning the race. What is the central message the author wants the reader to learn? Explain your thinking.

The central message is practice makes perfect because Benjamin practiced for months, worked hard, and then won the race.

400

Kyle liked Lucy more than any other girl in the school, but he had an odd way of showing it. When she walked ahead of him in line, he kicked at her shoe. When she passed him on the school yard, he called her “lame Lucy.” He even wrote a mean word on her homework during the bus ride to school. But what puzzled Lucy the most was receiving an invitation to Kyle’s birthday party. Figuring that he was just planning a mean trick on her, Lucy decided not to go, and while Kyle eagerly awaited Lucy’s arrival, Lucy talked on the phone to Jacob. When Kyle finally realized that Lucy was not coming to his party, he was crushed. What is the theme of this story?

The theme of the story is to be kind to others because the author wrote about Kyle playing mean tricks on Lucy. Then he wanted her to come to his party and she didn't because she thought he would be mean again.

500

Kara chose a difficult piece to play for the piano recital. Her teacher advised her to select an easier piece, but Kara knew she could do it. Kara practiced every day after school. When her friends called to see if she could play, Kara told them that she couldn't and continued to practice. Even with all that practicing, a week before the recital, Kara still could not play the piece without making mistakes. Kara thought about giving up and switching to an easier piece, but instead she decided to double her practice time. The night of the recital arrived. Kara was the last student to play. As she walked onto the stage to take her place at the piano, she remembered the long hours she had spent practicing. Kara began to play. Her hands danced across the keyboard. She knew the piece so well! When the final note faded the room erupted in applause. She had played the piece perfectly! What is the them of this story? a. It takes a lot of practice to play the piano. b. Kara practiced a lot and did well. c. persistence pays off.

c. persistence pays off.

blue

100

For weeks, Danielle did not watch a single television show. Instead, she practiced for the school spelling bee. Day and night she went over her words. Her younger brother Antonio even quizzed her. The day of the spelling bee had arrived. Danielle won. When she was given the trophy, she smiled when she thought about all of her hard work. What is the theme of the story? a. Students should always do their homework. b. Be patient. c. Hard work pays off in the end.

c. Hard work pays off in the end.

200

The grass was dry. Plants would not grow. Farmers shook their heads. It was the worst summer they had ever seen. It was the year 1935 and the nation was in the Great Depression. Dolly and the other ladies of her knitting club decided that no family would need a thing, if they could help it. She made recipe books and held cooking classes to teach ladies how to make food that did not cost a lot of money. Dolly and her knitting club members fished in the lake and cooked fish for needy families. Little by little, everyone in the community found a way to help one another. What is the theme the author wants the reader to learn? a. The human spirit can triumph even through difficulties. b. Prepare for the future. c. Be careful what you wish for.

a. The human spirit can triumph even through difficulties.

300

Kendra loved square dancing. She knew that her friends liked all the popular singers from the radio instead. Every weekend, Kendra and her family had square dancing in their living room. They had fun doing the dances. This was a side about herself that Kendra always hid from others. She knew that if they knew, they would laugh at her. What is the lesson that the author wants the reader to learn? What details from the text helped your figure this out?

The lesson the author wants you to learn is that everyone is different because Kendra liked square dancing and her friends didn't. She was afraid to tell them she liked it but should know that it's ok because everyone is different.

400

Ulysses spent all of his free time reading books and felt that he was very intelligent. One day a nice student from his class asked him if he wanted to go sledding and Ulysses responded, “I’ve read about sledding in books, and it sounds miserable. No, thank you.” On another day, a different friendly student asked Ulysses if he wanted to go out for hotdogs after school. Ulysses responded, “I’ve read that hotdogs are filled with rat parts and pig bellies. No, thank you.” Nobody asked Ulysses to hang out again, but he did read about friends in his books. What is the theme of this story

The them of the story is you never know until you try because Ulysses only read about things in books and never wanted to actually try them. Now he has no friends.

500

Ryan's life changed when he got sick. He didn't have a cold or the flu. Ryan had cancer. He got very sick and had to stay in the hospital for long time. When his class at school found out about his illness, the teacher had them all make cards for him. Ryan had been popular with his classmates and while he appreciated the cards, he was surprised that no one from his class came to visit him, no one except James. James was a nice kid, a little shy, so Ryan had never gotten to know him well, but he had always liked him. On that first visit, James brought Ryan some of his favorite comic books to read. James continued to visit Ryan a few times a week. James kept coming to the hospital, even when the cancer made Ryan so weak that he could hardly move or talk. In fact, he came more often. The cancer treatments worked and Ryan got better. He returned to school and was greeted enthusiastically by his classmates. Although lots of kids wanted to play with him at recess and sit with him at lunch, Ryan preferred to spend most of his time with James. What is the theme of this story? a. It's nice to visit people who are sick. b. James is a good friend. c. Real friends don't go away when times are tough.

c. Real friends don't go away when times are tough.

green

100

It was the year 1889. Jane Addams looked around. She was sad at what she saw. Many people have just moved to America. Some did not have good homes. Some kids needed help at school. Many people needed food. Jane Ad- dams decided to help by making a place called Hull House. People could go to Hull House to get things that they need. What is the central idea of this text? a. Buy fancy things. b. Care for others. c. It is important to go to school.

b. Care for others.

200

When Wilma Rudolph was born, her mother knew that she was different. One day, many people would know who Wilma was. When Wilma was little, a doctor said that Wilma would never walk. Her mother took her daughter to people that could help her legs get better. After years of getting help, Wilma was able to walk. In time, her legs got better. She was in races. It was hard, but Wilma tried to win. Hard hours were spent get ready. It all paid off one day when Wilma won the Olympics. What is the theme the author wants the reader to learn? a. The human spirit can triumph even through difficulties. b. Who a person is in the inside is more important than what they look like. c. Accept yourself for who you are.

a. The human spirit can triumph even through difficulties.

300

Trevor slumped into his seat and dreaded the torment that was surely awaiting once the rest of the students entered the classroom and saw him. It was his first day of school, and Trevor knew he looked different. His prickly green hair was in sharp contrast to the slick styles of the other boys. Trevor wished they would just get to know him. The other students entered the classroom. Just as he guessed students snickered. One warm hello greeted him. “Hello, I’m Carissa,” the voice said. Maybe it will be different at this school. Trevor thought. What is the central idea the author wants the reader to learn? a. Be friends with everyone. b. Who a person is in the inside is more important than what they look like. c. Do not talk to people that you do not know.

b. Who a person is in the inside is more important than what they look like.

400

Cody had not studied for the big math test. When he got his test, he quickly realized that he had no idea how to solve the problems. Luckily, Cody sat right behind Emily. Emily was the best math student in the class and he could see her paper. Cody copied all of Emily's answers. The next day when Mrs. Jenkins passed back the graded tests, she told that class that only two students had gotten A's. Since these two students had done so well, she would have them explain some of the more challenging problems to the class. Of course, Cody did not know how to solve the problems. A long moment passed as Cody stood in front of the board trying to figure out what to do. Some of his classmates started to whisper and snicker. "Can you solve this problem?" Mrs. Jenkins finally asked. Humiliated, Cody just shook his head. Now everyone knew he had cheated and he was in big trouble. What is the theme? a. Cheating does not pay off in the end. b. Cody got in trouble for cheating on his test. c. It is important to study for a test.

c. It is important to study for a test.

500

"Mom, guess what!" Claire yelled as she came through the door. "Taylor Carson invited me to her skating party tomorrow night! It's going to be so fun!" Mom frowned. "I know you really want to go to that party, but tomorrow night is grandpa's 80th birthday. You know that. We've been planning it for months. Claire's face fell. "Oh no. I forgot," she moaned. "But can't I go to the skating party? Grandpa will hardly even notice I'm not there." "Absolutely not," replied Mom. "He most certainly will notice. You are his only grandchild and family comes first. Always." Claire knew by the tone of her mother's voice that there was no arguing. She was so mad and so disappointed. She had been excited about her grandfather's party. Now she didn't even want to go. On the night of the party, Claire spent most of her time sulking, wishing she were skating with her friends. Then grandpa called her over to his chair. "Claire-Bear," he said, "it means the world to me that you are here to celebrate my birthday. You are so very precious to me." Claire's resentment disappeared. Mom was right. Skating would have been fun, but this was more important. What is the theme? a. Claire loves her grandpa. b. Family is important. c. It is important to listen to your mother.

b. Family is important.