Theme
What is theme?
The message or lesson the character learns
When we say “theme,” we are looking for the underlying message the author wants to share with us or that the story is about. Themes are ideas the text explains, develops, and explores. There can be more than one. A theme may be implicitly or explicitly stated. A theme is a “real world” idea. An example of a theme is “Do unto others as you would want done unto you.
How do you analyze a character?
based on their words,actions, and thoughts
What is setting
Its when where a story takes place it includes time and place.
What is a summary?
A summary is a recount or telling of a story. It only includes the most important events of the story.
What is sequence?
The order in which events happen in a story.
A great and mighty prince lived without a care in the world until the day intruders entered his village. The wise men and women of the kingdom pleaded with the prince to cooperate with them for they had a very detailed plan to capture their enemies. The prince agreed and followed them into the woods where they were to wait for the opportunity to encircle and trap the enemy. The prince watched as several intruders made it past their line of defense. He grew tired of waiting and demanded they forget the plan and immedi- ately attack. The villagers pleaded with the prince to trust them, but he could wait no longer. The prince darted out to fight the enemy. Little did he know they were waiting for him beyond the foothills. Not only was he captured, but the brave villagers were also overcome.
What is the theme of the story?
a. bravery b. loyalty c. impatience
c. impatience
A fierce snake slithered through the grass seeking his prey. A small mouse or maybe even a bird egg would hit the spot. As the snake dreamed of his meal, a small mother bird jumped in front of the him. The snake flickered his tongue demanding the mother bird lead him to her nest. “Mr. Snake, my nest was blown away in the storm. Let me lead you to a hay pile where many mice like to sleep.” The snake felt his stomach grumble and quickly agreed. The little bird led the snake to a wide open field. With no tall grass to hide in the snake quickly became a target for the hawks flying overhead. “You tricked me,” called Mr. Snake as the mother bird fluttered away
Which trait best describes the snake?
a. childish b. impatient c. foolish
c. foolish
Normally Tess loved the peace and quiet under her favorite tree next to the reptile building, but today was different. It was the opening for the new exhibit, and it seemed everyone in the world had come to see. She wouldn’t let the crowd keep her from enjoying her day. She leaned back and took in the beauty of the changing leaves. As she felt the cool breeze she hoped the concessions would have warm apple cider.
Which of the following is most likely the setting of the text?
a. A beautiful spring morning at the zoo
b. A crowded zoo in the fall
c. A fall day in the woods
b. A crowded zoo in the fall
Susan and her family woke up early Saturday morning to go visit the local zoo. On their way to the zoo, they stopped for breakfast at Susan’s favorite restaurant. Once the family ate, they headed towards the zoo. On their way to the zoo, the family’s car got a flat tire. Susan’s dad pulled over on the side of the road and replaced the flat tire with a spare tire. Finally, Susan and her family made it to the zoo where they saw many animals. The family had a wonderful time at the zoo.
What is the best summary of the selection?
A. Susan and her family went to the zoo and saw many animals. The family’s car had a flat tire on the way to the zoo. Susan and her family had breakfast at her favorite restaurant.
B. Susan’s family ate breakfast at her favorite restaurant. The family had a great time at the zoo. The family’s car had a flat tire.
C. Susan and her family woke up early Saturday morning to go visit the local zoo. On their way to the zoo, they had a flat tire. Susan and her family saw many animals at the zoo and had a great time
C. Susan and her family woke up early Saturday morning to go visit the local zoo. On their way to the zoo, they had a flat tire. Susan and her family saw many animals at the zoo and had a great time
The line was moving. Again. Inching forward, Myra was no longer interested in riding The Fire Dragon. All the way to the park Myra had bragged about how tough she was despite her brother scaring her during breakfast. Her stomach dropped when she real- ized she was next in line. She glanced at the exit sign and wondered if it was too late to chicken out. Then, she heard the ride operator yell, “Next!” Myra took a deep breath and climbed aboard. “You’re a big baby,” she remembered her brother saying on the drive to the park. “I’ll show him,” thought Myra as she buckled her seat belt.
What happened right before Myra climbed aboard the ride?
a. Her brother had tried scaring her.
b. Myra buckled her seat belt.
c. She glanced at the exit sign and wondered if it was too late to chicken out
c. She glanced at the exit sign and wondered if it was too late to chicken out
What lesson might the author want the reader to learn?
a.Impatience can be destructive.
b. Loyalty can come at a price.
c. Bravery is admirable.
a.Impatience can be destructive.
Which trait best describes the mother bird? a. cunning b. careless c.cruel
a. cunning
Nanna’s grandchildren gathered around her rocking chair as she reminisced on her school days. “The walk home from the school house was a mile long. We’d stop at the corner shop to get a 10 cent ice cream cone every Friday before the moving picture show,” she told her grand- children with a grin on her face. “I’ll never forget the day I almost did- n’t make it home...” The children looked puzzled as Nanna continued with a far off look in her eyes. “You see, there was a blizzard— It was a white out. No one could see even a foot in front of their faces. I won- dered around for hours hoping I was going in the right direction. I held my arms out in front of me hoping to touch the side of a building or an- other person walking in the storm.” The children couldn’t imagine being lost in a snow storm without a quick solution. “But why didn’t you just call your mom?” the littlest of the grandchildren asked innocently. Nan- na chuckled before continuing to tell of her rescue on that day.
Which of the following best describes the setting from Nanna’s story?
a.A spring afternoon in the past
b. A winter day in the past
c. A winter evening in the present
b. A winter day in the past
On Monday morning, Mary woke up with a stomach ache. Her mom checked her temperature, Mary had a high fever. Mary’s mom gave her medicine to bring the fever down. Her mom told her to stay in bed and rest. Mary felt sad that she would no be able to make it to school on Monday. Mary’s mom stayed home with her. Later that morning, Mary’s mom took her to the doctor. The doctor gave Mary medicine for her stomach ache. Mary felt better and was ready to go to school the following day.
What is the best summary of this selection?
A. Mary felt sad that she would not go to school on Monday. Mary’s mom took her to the doctor’s office. Mary woke up with a stomach ache.
B. Mary had a high fever. The doctor gave her medicine. Mary’s mom checked her temperature.
C. Mary woke up with a stomach ache and high fever. Mary stayed home to rest and did not go to school. Later that morning, her mom took her to the doctor.
It doesn't matter if you win or lose as long as you have fun. Always be a good sport.
“Zoooooooooom!” The sound of the new Super Blazer Scooter played in my head on repeat. I couldn’t shake how disappointed I was when I asked my mom for one but she told me I would have to wait for Christmas. I wanted it right this very second, not in three months! I knew I had to take matters into my own hands and raise the money myself. I decided to have a lemonade stand next Saturday. I surveyed my friends and family to decide the best time of day to be open. Before gathering ingredients, I asked mom to lend me a small loan to shop for lemons, sugar, and paper goods. After mom agreed, she took me shopping to gather the ingredients. I spent $12 on ingredients so after several calculations I set my price at 50 cents per glass. Then, I created signs and flyers for the big day. After a great deal of hard work, Saturday came and my lemonade stand was a huge success! Once I cleaned up, I was finally ready to total up my earn- ings. I had earned a whopping $27.25! While it was a lot of money, it still wasn’t enough to buy my scooter. Maybe next week I’ll have a bake sale!
What did the author do right before deciding how much to charge per glass?
a. Go shopping b. make a list of ingredients
c. calculate costs
c. calculate costs
William sat down heavily on the bench in the locker room. He did his best to avoid eye contact with anyone as he watched his friends form a circle around the youngest and newest boy on the team. William was starting to not recognize the boys that he’d once considered his closest friends. It seemed they had transformed into bullies overnight. Today the boys hurled insults at the new teammate, Luke. When Luke began to cry, the boys became relentless. They called him a cry baby and one of the older boys even kicked Luke’s helmet out of his reach. That was the final straw for William. He knew he had to do something even if it meant losing his friends. William stood and walked up to the boys saying, “Come on guys, back off. We’ve all been new before.” To William’s surprise, the boys listened. Luke looked up as the older boys walked away and whispered, “Thanks, man” to William. “No sweat off my back,” William responded with a smile.
What is the theme of the story?
a. adventure b. courage c. jealous
What lesson might the author want the reader to learn?
a. It is more important to do what is right than what is popular.
b. It is important to keep friendships no matter the cost.
c. Sometimes it is better to keep your thoughts to yourself.
b. courage
a. It is more important to do what is right than what is popular.
“Lasagna again!?” Helix spat out as he slumped down in his chair at the dinner table. Yuri couldn’t understand for the life of her what had hap- pened to her fun loving brother. Ever since he started Junior High last month he spoke down to his mom as if she were of little importance to him. Yuri glanced at her mother who was staring at her phone in one hand while taking the lasagna out with the other. “Mom! Did you hear what Helix said to you??” Yuri asked in disgust. Mom nodded and gave a wave of her hand while never looking up. Helix kicked Yuri under the table as if to tell her to zip her lips. “I’m not hungry,” Helix grumbled and stomped up to his room. Yuri now sat at the empty table in disbelief. “Let’s eat!” Mom chimed with a smile on her face before looking around in confusion for Helix. Had she not even noticed him storming off to his room?
Which word best describes Mom?
a. carefree b.disgusted c. distracted
c. distracted
I kicked the pebbles beneath my sneakers as I walked down my gravel driveway. The sun had awoken me early this morning. Not only had it awoken me, but it had awoken Charles. He had let out a loud, deep bellow with every ray of sunlight that hit him. He looked so peaceful now, grazing by the pond. I had to fight the urge not to go to him. I knew the bus would be here any second.
As Juanita, my school bus driver, pulled up I climbed aboard the empty bus. I was always the first on and the last off. I let myself doze as she traveled down the dirt road from my home.
I awoke to a loud screech of the breaks and knew we were at school. In comparison to my simple home, the school seemed extravagant. There were no broken windows or old, crumbling buildings. You didn’t even have to watch your step for cow patties! It seemed out of place, squished be- tween skyscrapers and busy streets. But, all the same, it was my school and I loved it. My classroom was on the sec- ond floor and overlooked a new apartment complex. Many of my friends had moved in. They didn’t have to ride the bus.
I grabbed my bag and ran up the perfectly paved sidewalk and up the winding stairs to my classroom.
Which best describes where the narrator lives?
a. a crowded city with skyscrapers and busy streets b. a small neighborhood near the school
c. an old farmhouse
c. an old farmhouse
What is the central message of Howard Learns to Listen?
When others are trying to be helpful you should listen to them.
The grand opening was finally here. After months of hard work, Mr. Tanaka was ready to open his restaurant for business. Mr. Tanaka watched as his staff prepared for their first customers. It was 10:00am. The crowds would begin pouring in with big appetites by 11:00am—the lunch hour. The staff busied themselves with tasks such as rolling silverware, wiping down tables, or reviewing the menus. Mr. Tanaka was taking his first break of the morning, reflecting on all the work he had put into the restaurant. He had been awake since 5:00 am thinking through all of the last minute details of the day. His staff had not arrived until 9:00am so he had four hours to get his thoughts together.
Mr. Tanaka switched on the “Open” sign. It was now 11:00am and time to greet the ravenous crowds. But, to Mr. Tanaka’s disappointment, the crowds did not come. The minutes on the clock seemed to drag on for hours. Mr. Tanaka was ready to throw in the towel, but then there was a chime as a family of five entered the restaurant. And then another chime, and another, and another. By 11:30am, the restaurant was packed. His staff waited tables just as they had practiced. The crowds did not slow until past 2:30pm!
As Mr. Tanaka turned off the “Open” sign, he thought to himself that this would truly be a successful venture.
Which list correctly orders the events in the text?
a. Mr. Tanaka’s staff showed up to work, Mr. Tanaka took a break, Mr. Tanaka turned on the “Open” sign
b. Mr. Tanaka turned on the “Open” sign, Mr. Tanaka took a break, Mr. Tanaka’s staff showed up to work
c. Tanaka’s staff showed up to work, Mr. Tanaka turned on the “Open” sign, Mr. Tanaka took a break
a. Mr. Tanaka’s staff showed up to work, Mr. Tanaka took a break, Mr. Tanaka turned on the “Open” sign
Casandra didn’t mean to be a know it all, but it seemed she was the only member in the group interested in actually working. Ms. Tilly had assigned the groups. Otherwise, Casandra would not be working with Ben and Larson—the class clowns. They were far more interested in playing pranks and snickering at each other’s jokes than helping Casandra build a model of the Solar System.
“I’m just going to do it on my own,” Casandra told her babysit- ter after school. “I tried inviting them over afterschool to work on the project, but they both said they had better things to do,” Casan- dra continued.
Ginger was the world’s worst babysitter. She spent most of her time talking on her cell phone, but she occasionally gave good advice. “Doing it on your own seems like a lot of work. Maybe you could ask them to divide the work.”
The next day at school Casandra ignored the boys and spent her lunch working on the project alone. After all, it was due tomor- row! She knew all about the Solar System and didn’t think it could be all that hard to put something together on her own. But, she quickly realized that she wasn’t such a great painter. The planets could have been painted by a 5 year old! She began to sob.
Just then, Ben and Larson walked in. Their smiles quickly faded as they saw Casandra crying. They didn’t like knowing they had caused her to be sad. They rushed over and began to help. Ben was a pretty good painter after all. With Casandra’s knowledge, Ben’s artistic skills, and Larson’s public speaking skills, they were sure to get an A
What lesson does Casandra learn in the story?
a. It is better to ask for help than try to do everything on your own.
b. You can’t trust others to work as hard as you do.
c. Always try a project on your own first before depending on others.
a. It is better to ask for help than try to do everything on your own.
“I’m not going!” Marcus called out down the stairs to his mother. Marcus was sure camp would be the most boring place on earth. There would be no video games, no TV, no cell phones. Plus, if he was being completely honest with him- self, there would be no nightlights. He knew that once the sun set, he’d be in the dark at camp. And, he could not stand the thought of his friends knowing he was scared of the dark! Not only would it be dark, but there would be spiders and big bears. And what about the lake? What if he fell in and could- n’t swim to shore?
When Marcus yelled and kicked refusing to go to camp, his mother calmly sat him down on the bed and rubbed his back. She didn't scold Marcus for throwing a tantrum. Instead, She told him of all the fun she had had when she was a little girl at camp. She told him silly stories that made him laugh. She even told him that they would probably roast marshmallows by the fire.
Marcus was finally convinced to give camp a try after
hearing his mother’s stories and once she packed his bag with
a flashlight, bug spray, and some floaties. Marcus also insist- ed that she included a first aid kit. You never could be
too prepared. Marcus began to think of camp as a chance
to show just how responsible he was.
Which character traits best describe Marcus?
a. friendly and outgoing
b. disrespectful and intelligent
c. cautious and timid
c. cautious and timid
which detail from the text best helps the reader infer the setting of the passage at the end of the story?
a. I awoke to a loud screech of the breaks and knew we were at school.
b. Many of my friends had moved in. They didn’t have to ride the bus.
c. It seemed out of place, squished between skyscrapers and busy streets.
c. It seemed out of place, squished between skyscrapers and busy streets.
Give an example of a central message.
If needed remind the students of the story, The Turtle and the Hare
“We have a thousand errands to run this morning!” Mom screeched as Annabella ate her big bowl of cereal. She’d most likely been awake for hours because she had already showered and it was very obvious she’d drank a big cup of coffee!
“First, we need to stop by the store and pick up the bal- loons, then we need to go to the bakery and make sure they have the correct spelling of your name,” Mom babbled on. She was still quite perturbed about the bakery misspelling her name on last year’s cake. Annabella was lacing up her shoes and she heard her little brother gagging and then the unthinkable happened! He threw up all over the kitchen floor! Anabella and Mom both looked shocked. Luke could NOT be sick on the day of her birthday party.
Mom comforted Luke then called his grandmother. Grand- mother agreed to take Luke to her house for the day and spoil him rotten with popsicles and movies. Annabella and Mom were both relieved that Annabella’s party would not have to be can- celed.
After dropping Luke off with Grandma, Annabella and Mom went for a quick birthday brunch before picking up the balloons and stopping by the bakery.
After all the errands were run, Mom and Annabella went home to decorate!
List the events from the story in order.
Luke throws up on the kitchen floor.
Mom comforted Luke then called his grandmother.
Mom tells Annabella they have thousands of errands to run.
Mom tells Annabella they have thousands of errands to run.
Luke throws up on the kitchen floor.
Mom comforted Luke then called his grandmother.