Theme
True or False: A text can have multiple themes
True
When summarizing a story or a passage, you should include the central idea.
True or False?
True
Occurs at the beginning, Introduces characters, setting, and basic situations needed to understand the story
Exposition
What is the MAIN topic of this passage? They are building a new school near my house. Every day I watch the workers drive huge tractors and push a ton of dirt. They have big cranes that help them place tall beams in the ground. The workers build walls using bricks. Every day it looks more and more like a school. Mom says I will go there in the fall.
Building a new school
_______ is the lesson or moral of the story.
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 all about. The theme is the life lesson or moral that the author wants us to remember.
What two things are needed to find the central Idea?
A. supporting points and details
B. clues and prior knowledge
C. paper and pencil
D. comparing and contrasting
A
The end of the story where all the loose ends are tied up
Resolution
Summarize in one sentence: Someday we will all have robots that will be our personal servants. They will look and behave much like real humans. We will be able to talk to these mechanical helpers and they will be able to respond in kind! Amazingly, the robots of the future will be able to learn from experience. They will be smart, strong, and untiring workers whose only goal will be to make our lives easier.
Someday we will have robots that will be our personal servants.
The _____ is what the story is all about. The key details.
Central Idea
Give an example of a common theme. A phrase, not a word.
** Teacher determines correct or incorrect answer
What is the central 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.
There are very clear rules for lining up
The turning point of the story - usually the most exciting
Climax
What is the main idea of this passage? Sonny watches too much television. A toddler shouldn't spend hours sitting in front of a television screen. 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.
Watching a lot of television is bad for Sonny
A brief statement or account of the main points of something.
Summary
To determine theme, you should ask yourself, What did the character(s) _____________?
Learn
What is the central idea?
Aaron wanted to ride his bike to school. He saw that he had to a flat tire. Aaron said, "Oh,no, I really wanted to ride my bike to school. I will have to wait until I get it fixed." His mom said, "I will take you to school today." Aaron went to school with out his bike.
Aaron couldn't ride his bike because of a flat tire.
The main parts of the story - includes the problem.
Rising Action
Blaine opened up the present and began pouting. He screamed in a high-pitched voice, "This is Captain Thunder! I wanted Captain Lightning!" His mother looked at him with dismay and handed him another present, which he greedily opened. "Why did you get me a red hat? You know I like blue more," Blaine whined as he threw the hat across the room. His mother straightened her expression and squinted at him. Earlier she had hoped to take some pictures of this moment, but by now she had put away her camera. She sighed and handed him one more present in hopes that this year wouldn't be a total bust. Blaine huffed and opened it. "A Game Box 4000� wow. Where's the Game Box 5000 that I asked for?" His mother could bear his ingratitude no longer. The next time that Blaine returned from his father's house, he was shocked to find that all of these toys and gifts, along with many other of his things, had been generously donated to needy children. What is the theme?
Be thankful for what you have in life.
Hints that the author gives to help define a difficult or unusual word
Context Clues
Tim hated his old baseball glove. He wanted to play with a new glove. He didn’t have any money, so he decided to steal it. When Tim got caught stealing the glove, his parents said he couldn’t play baseball all summer. What is the theme?
Stealing is wrong and is not worth getting caught
Bad actions have consequences
What is the central idea?
Peter's parents bought a new carpet for the lining room. Now, he has to take his shoes off when he enters the house. He's also not allowed to eat or drink in the living room any more. Peter's furry dog isn't allowed to play ball in there either. When his parents got the new carpet, there were lots of new rules.
Petter's parents made new rules so the new carpet stays clean
The events that follow the climax - leads to the resolution
Falling Action
Identify the theme:
Money Mark was born rich. He never had to work a day in his life and he got everything handed to him on a silver platter. When he was six, Money Mark wanted to go to a basketball game. His father paid the starting five of the Bulls and Celtics to play a private game of Nerf-ball in Money Mark's bedroom. When Money Mark turned thirteen, he wanted to start a band. His father hired the Rolling Stones to play with him every Saturday at the family's private concert hall, though his family was never there. By the time he was twenty-one, Money Mark was bored with life. He was surrounded by a bunch of possessions that he didn't appreciate and Money Mark could find nothing new or exciting in his life. Despite his vast wealth, Money Mark was never satisfied. What is the theme?
Money can't buy happiness
__________is the events of a narrative in a novel, movie, play, etc.
Plot