About Theme 👩🏽🏫
What is the meaning of "theme"?
The theme is the universal message or lesson learned within a story.
Kelsey is trying to ride his bike without training wheels but he keeps falling. Every day he practices and he keeps falling. He keeps trying. Finally, he is able to ride on two wheels. He is so proud of himself!
What is the theme?
Never give up, keep trying.
TRUE OR FALSE:
When writing a theme, you should ALWAYS state a character's name
FALSE.
The sun is high, the sky is blue,
I feel the breeze, the day feels new.
A perfect day, the world is bright,
I’m happy here, it feels just right.
What is the theme?
A) Happiness comes from enjoying the simple moments.
B) Happiness is found by always having big plans.
A) Happiness comes from enjoying the simple moments.
With imagery vivid and description bright,
And figurative language that brings words to light,
I’m not the plot, but how it's shared—
Each choice the author wisely prepared.
From tone to structure, I help passages speak
These are writing techniques
Who am I?
Author's Craft Moves
Are themes implicitly or explicitly stated?
Aryan is mean to Jared, so Jared is mean to him back. Aryan does not like this and he is upset.
What is the theme?
A.Treat others the way you want to be treated.
B. Being a bully is not fun.
C. Jared is not a good friend.
A. Treat others the way you want to be treated.
TRUE OR FALSE:
The central idea is specific to the story, but the theme relates to any story or scenario.
TRUE.
The trees are tall, the leaves are green,
A peaceful forest, calm and serene.
Birds are singing, the air is clear,
Nature’s beauty is so near.
What is the theme?
A) Nature can provide peace and clarity.
B) Nature is the best place for peace and clarity.
A) Nature can provide peace and clarity.
I live in a poem, not too wide or long,
A group of lines that can dance like a song.
I’m like a paragraph, but more with a beat,
Where rhymes and rhythms often repeat.
What am I?
A stanza.
Is the theme the same as the plot? Why?
No, the theme is different than the plot. The plot is just the events that happen in a story.
It was going to be a tough few months in the Gonzalez household. Dad had lost his job and Mom was only working part-time. When their parents broke the news, the kids were a bit worried about the change. But, Mom explained that sometimes life is tough and that by working together, they’d get through it. Everyone was going to pitch in so that Dad could look for work and Mom could apply to work full time. The kids promised to help with more chores, and the whole family committed to eating more meals at home to save money.
A. Together, they’d make it through.
B. Families love each other no matter what.
C. Together, families can survive hardships.
C. Together, families can survive hardships.
TRUE OR FALSE:
"Sydney learned that good friends aren't always easy to find".
This is a well-written theme.
The stormy clouds, they fill the sky,
The winds blow fierce, the trees all sigh.
A flash of light, a rumble loud,
A thunderstorm, dark and proud.
What is the theme?
A) Storms and struggles are powerful and will always stay.
B) Difficult moments are powerful but will eventually pass.
B) Difficult moments are powerful but will eventually pass.
I help you track stories without writing a lot—
Just a few key parts that should never be forgot.
Characters, setting, and problem—I name,
Motivation shows why they play the game.
Resolution tells how the trouble will end,
And theme is the message the author will send.
Ms. Wilburn, Ms. Peeples, and Mr. Rookwood agree—
You should always use me when reading, you see!
What am I?
Fiction Jots (Ch, sett, prob, mot, res, lesson learned)
True or False?
Themes are usually expressed in a complete sentence.
TRUE.
Elena thought the town’s library was abandoned — old, silent, forgotten. But one rainy day, she noticed a light inside. Drawn by curiosity, she stepped through the creaking door and found rows of dusty books. In the center, one book flipped its pages on its own and whispered her name.
“Elena,” it said. “You’ve come to remember.”
Images of her past appeared on the pages — memories she had buried deep. The library wasn’t empty after all. It had been waiting.
There is power of within your memories and the past
TRUE OR FALSE:
A story can have multiple themes.
TRUE.
The mountain’s peak, so far away,
Through snow and ice, I make my way.
Each step I take, the path is steep,
The climb is hard, but promises keep.
With every fall, I rise again,
For every loss, there's something to gain.
What is the theme?
A) Perseverance through hardship is a scary path.
B) The most rewarding journeys require perseverance through hardship.
B) The most rewarding journeys require perseverance through hardship.
I may be brief, but I must be complete—
A claim up front makes me neat.
Two pieces of proof to back what I say,
Then analysis to show the way.
Wrap it up, don't leave a mess—
Without these parts, I’m just a guess.
What am I?
A short response.
Is the theme about only one part of the story or the whole story?
Whole story.
Maya had lived in her grandfather’s house for three years, and one door had always stayed locked. No key. No explanation. Maya really loved her grandfather; he was her best friend. She never thought she would lose him.
On the day of his funeral, the door stood open.
Inside, she found a wall of letters — all written to her, one for each birthday he hadn’t been there to see.
She sat on the floor, opened the first envelope, and began to read. She felt comforted.
Possible themes:
-Grief can be eased by discovering how much someone cared.
-Love can reach beyond absence
TRUE OR FALSE:
Themes are opinions.
TRUE (as long as they can be supported with text evidence!)
Beneath the stars, the road is long,
My feet are tired, yet I press on.
The silence speaks of things untold,
Of battles fought, and stories bold.
Though no one walks beside me here,
I find strength in facing my fear.
What is the theme?
A) Facing solitude and adversity can reveal inner strength.
B) Moments of solitude is will always provide a life story.
A) Facing solitude and adversity can reveal inner strength.
Sometimes I cause something new to appear,
Other times I describe what is near.
I might be a problem you’re eager to fix,
But I’ll give a solution right in the mix.
I can tell things in order—time or a list—
Without me, nonfiction would often be missed.
What am I?
Non-fiction text structures.
(Cause & effect, description, problem & solution, chronological order, sequence)