Theme Statements

Did I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are? by Dr. Seuss A down-in-the-dumps young child meets an old wise man in the desert, who explains to him all the ways in which he is actually very lucky. What would be an appropriate theme statement for this story?

• Rhymes are important for children.

• Children should not feel down in the dumps, ever.

• You should roam the desert to try to meet wise old men.

• Don’t dwell on the bad things in life; instead, focus on how good your life is and how lucky you are to be living it.

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Theme is defined as a

• message about a subject

• a specific statement including characters and plot

• big topic that is stated in one or two words

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When considering theme, the SUBJECT is defined as

• who or what the sentence is about

• love, life or lesson

• what a story is generally about, big topics in life stated in one or two words

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A theme statement can include characters, plot and specific details.

• FALSE

• TRUE

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In theme, the term universal means:

• having to do with space

• it is an opinion

• it can be understood by ALL HUMANS

• it is a a command / direction

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Choose the best common childhood theme that matches this image

• Life is rough.

• Perseverance leads to the accomplishment of a goal, never give up.

• One should only attempt to ride a bike after they turn 4.

• Safety first!

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Theme or not?

Check all THEMES

• War kills many people.

• Beauty is only skin deep.

• Kindness matters; those who are kind will be given the same treatment.

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“Have You Filled a Bucket Today?” by Carol The story explains that we all have an invisible bucket that gets filled when we are kind to others or they are kind to us and is emptied when we are mean or someone is mean to us. An effective theme:

• We should always own up to our actions, even if we’re afraid we might get in trouble.

• We have so many wonderful reasons to be thankful in our lives every day.

• Being honest, even when it may disappoint someone, is always the best policy.

• Giving or receiving kindness makes you feel good, and being unkind to others not only makes them unhappy, but it makes you unhappy, too.

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Kindly zookeeper, Amos McGee, takes very good care of the animals in his zoo. One day, Amos isn’t feeling well and the animals return the favor by taking care of him. The best theme would be:

• Don’t dwell on the bad things in life; instead, focus on how good your life is and how lucky you are to be living it.

• Always be kind to others, and they will be kind to you.

• t hurts to be left out. If you see another kid who isn’t being included, be the one to reach out and get to know them.

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“The Berenstain Bears and the Forgiving Tree” by Jan Berenstain

Cousin Fred accidentally damages Brother Bear’s bike, and he is very angry. Sister Bear does her best to make him see it was an accident and he should forgive his cousin. The best theme is

• Other people can make mistakes that upset us, and it’s important to forgive them when they say they’re sorry.

• Love everyone.

• Everyone’s words are as important as our own, and we should respect others enough to wait our turn to speak.

• Courage

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