6th Main Idea and Theme

Which term means the most important, or central idea of a text? It is the overall idea of the text.

Which of the following applies to both fiction and nonfiction text.

Which of these can you only determine AFTER you read the entire text?

Which of these terms means the moral lesson, or message that we learn from the story?

Which of these applies only to literary texts?

True or False. There can be multiple themes in one text.

True or False. There is only 1 way to state the theme of a story.

George Washington was a great president. There are many ways that the people of the United States celebrate his life. Washington's head can be found on a quarter and a one dollar bill. There is also a tall stone structure in Washington, D.C. called the Washington Monument. George Washington even has a picture of his face carved on the side of a mountain! Schools and street names have been named after him too! With all of those things to remind us, there's no way we can ever forget about our first president. What is the main idea of this passage?

Thunderstorms are dangerous. Every thunderstorm contains lightning, and lightning kills more people each year than tornadoes or hurricanes! Do you know what to do to remain safe during a thunderstorm? First, go inside a sturdy building or a vehicle and close the windows. Furthermore, the National Weather Service recommends that you stay inside for at least thirty minutes after the last rumble or thunder is heard. Do not use telephones or electrical equipment. Avoid taking showers or baths. If you are unable to get safely inside a building, avoid taking cover beneath tall, isolated trees. Also, avoid water, high ground, and metal objects. Knowing what to do (and what not to do) during a thunderstorm could save your life. What is the main idea of the passage?

Apples can be used to make many delicious treats. Some people like to slice apples and dip them in caramel. Others like to cook apples and make them into applesauce. You might enjoy cutting apples and baking them in a pie. Maybe you like to use freshly picked apples to make fresh apple juice. Many people like to just pick an apple off of a tree and take a big bite. There are many ways to enjoy this wholesome food. What is the main idea of this passage?

Chameleons might change colors for several different reasons. If a chameleon is in the sun, it often changes from brown to light green. This causes the chameleon's skin to reflect the bright sunlight and helps it cool down. If the chameleon is cold, it will change its skin to a darker color. The darker color helps the chameleon soak up heat from the sun. Sometimes chameleons change color based on the mood they are in. If some chameleons get angry, they turn bright colors to let everyone know they are in a bad mood. The next time you see a chameleon, try to figure out what it is changing colors. What is the main idea of this passage?

Katie invited Missy to her house to work on their biology project, but Katie had no idea what a visit from Missy entailed. First of all, it was raining and Missy neither bothered to take her boots off nor thoroughly wiped them on the doormat. Then Missy ate a bag of hot chips on Katie's white bedspread without asking, and Missy is a sloppy eater, so hot chip powder got all over the bedspread. Katie tried to be polite and ignore Missy's sloppy behavior, but then Missy threw her chip wrapper on the floor. Offended, Katie pretended that she was sick and asked Missy to leave. The next day Katie asked the teacher if she could work by herself. After explaining her situation, the teacher allowed Katie to work alone. Missy would have finished the assignment by herself, but she spilled grade soda all over it. What is the theme of this story?

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, 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 Mark's bedroom. When 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, Mark could find nothing new or exciting in his life. Despite his vast wealth, Mark never found happiness. Penny was born poor. Her family hardly had anything to eat, but they loved each other. Penny appreciated everything she got. When she was six, her father walked her around the United Center before the Bulls played the Celtics. She was excited by the crazy fans and the feeling in the air. She looked forward to the day that she could see a real game. When she was thirteen, she learned to play the buckets. She was an extremely talented musician, a natural percussionist, and everyone on the block loved the rhythms that poured from her palms. By the time she was twenty-one, Penny was a successful business woman. Now she had everything that she had ever dreamed of and she truly loved to share her wealth and happiness with her family who supported her through all of the hard times. What could a theme of this story be?

Tammy and Sammy were both students in Mr. Morton's reading class. Mr Morton wasn't too strict about deadlines, and Sammy took advantage of that. He did all of his homework in his other classes but never bothered to complete Mr. Morton's reading assignments, figuring that he could complete them later. Tammy, on the other hand, completed each assignment Mr. Morton assigned the night that he assigned it. She had to stay up a little later, but she didn't want to get a penalty for turning in her reading work late. Tammy knew reading was a core subject and she wanted to keep "C" average for the entire year so that she wouldn't have to go to summer school. When the end of the quarter came, Tammy and Sammy had both planned on going to the Enchanted Castle amusement park, but Mr. Morton called Sammy's mother, and she grounded Sammy until he was able to turn in all of his late work. That weekend was horrible for Sammy. He stayed up until 2:00 AM each night and still couldn't complete all of the missing assignments. Meanwhile, Tammy had a great time eating pizza at the Enchanted Castle, watching movies late at night and enjoying her weekend free of stress and pressure. At the end of the quarter, Sammy was lucky to squeak by with a "C" minus in reading while Tammy earned an "A". Sammy still hasn't learned his lesson and continues to turn his homework in late. What is a possible theme of this story?

Mr. Pig and Mr. Dog were hanging out at the food court of the animal shopping mall. Mr. Pig was eating a huge feast of pizza and drinking a large jug of fruit punch and Mr. Dog was watching him eat. "Hey, Mr. Pig. If you give me a slice of your pizza, I'll let you have the next bone I find." Mr. Pig declined, even though it hurt his stomach to eat the last three slices of pizza. "I'm sorry, Mr. Dog," Mr. Pig said, "but I paid for this pizza and it's all mine." Mr. Dog sighed and waited for Mr. Pig to finish, and then they left the animal mall together. On the way out, a hunter spotted them and gave chase. Mr. Pig normally could have escaped the hunter but since he was weighed down by such a large meal, Mr. Pig collapsed and the hunter killed him. Mr. Dog easily escaped. Later that night while returning to the scene, Mr. Dog caught the scent of something delicious and began digging around a trash can. He found a large ham bone with lots of meat and marrow still stuck to the bone. Mr. Dog happily ate. What could a possible theme of this story be?