Theme Worksheet

A Dog, to whom the butcher had thrown a bone, was hurrying home with his prize as fast as he could go. As he crossed a narrow bridge, he looked down and saw his reflection in the quiet water as if in a mirror. But the greedy Dog thought he saw a real Dog carrying a bone much bigger than his own. If he had stopped to think he would have known better. But instead of thinking, he dropped his bone and sprang at the Dog in the river, only to find himself swimming for dear life to reach the shore. At last he managed to scramble out, and as he stood sadly thinking about the good bone he had lost, he realized what a foolish Dog he had been.
What is the theme?

• Be honest.

• Don't be greedy.

• Always share your things with others.

• Be respectful to others.

The theme is a lesson learned; the moral of the story.

• True

• False

• Be an alert passenger when others are driving.
• Don't text and drive when traffic is heavy.
• When you make a mistake, admit it.
• Reckless behavior can hurt you and others. 

Can theme be found in fiction and nonfiction? 

• True 

• False 

Which of the following is NOT a synonym for theme?

• message

• moral

• life lesson

• fable

One summer's day, a merry Grasshopper was dancing, singing and playing his violin with all his heart. He saw an Ant passing by working hard to store food for the winter. “Come and sing with me instead of working so hard,” said the Grasshopper “Let’s have fun together.” “I must store food for the winter,” said the Ant,“ and I advise you to do the same.” “Don’t worry about winter, it’s still very far away,” said the Grasshopper, laughing at him. But the Ant wouldn’t listen and continued to work. When winter came, the starving Grasshopper went to the Ant’s house and humbly begged for something to eat. “If you had listened to my advice in the summer you would not now be in need,” said the Ant. “I’m afraid you will have to go without supper,” and he closed the door.

Which text best supports the theme?

• “Let’s have fun together.”

• "One summer's day, a merry Grasshopper was dancing, singing and playing his violin with all his heart."

• “Don’t worry about winter, it’s still very far away,” said the Grasshopper, laughing at him."

• "But the Ant wouldn’t listen and continued to work. When winter came, the starving Grasshopper went to the Ant’s house and humbly begged for something to eat."

Carrie loved her phone and her tablet. She was always looking at one or the other. Her parents would try to talk to her about her life, but she would just ignore them or give them brief answers until they left her alone. When she was at school, she'd sneak peeks at her phone under her desk whenever she could get away with it. When she was at parties, she spent more time interacting with the devices in front of her than with the people around her. Even at concerts and sporting events, Carrie seldom removed her eyes from these tiny screens. One day Carrie was walking home from a friend's house and watching a funny video of people slipping on ice. She began crossing the street just after the light changed. She was so into the video that she did not notice the oncoming traffic. She walked directly into the traffic while laughing at the falling people on her tiny screen and was hit by a bus. Carrie sustained mild injuries, but both of her devices were destroyed. As far as she was concerned, her life was over.

• "Carrie loved her phone and her tablet. She was always looking at one or the other."

• "When she was at school, she'd sneak peeks at her phone under her desk whenever she could get away with it."

• "One day Carrie was walking home from a friend's house and watching a funny video of people slipping on ice."

• "She walked directly into the traffic while laughing at the falling people on her tiny screen and was hit by a bus."

In a spell of dry weather, when the Birds could find very little to drink, a thirsty Crow found a pitcher with a little water in it. But the pitcher was high and had a narrow neck, and no matter how he tried, the Crow could not reach the water. The poor thing felt as if he would die of thirst. Then an idea came to him. Picking up some small pebbles, he dropped them into the pitcher one by one.

Which text best supports the theme?

• "a thirsty Crow found a pitcher with a little water in it."

• "Then an idea came to him. Picking up some small pebbles, he dropped them into the pitcher one by one."

• "The poor thing felt as if he would die of thirst."

• "In a spell of dry weather, when the Birds could find very little to drink, a thirsty Crow found a pitcher with a little water in it."

A number of flies were attracted to a jar of honey which had been overturned in a housekeeper's room, and placing their feet in it, ate greedily. Their feet, however, became so smeared with the honey that they could not use their wings, nor release themselves, and were suffocated.

Which text best supports the theme?

• A number of flies were attracted to a jar of honey

• placing their feet in it, ate greedily

• Their feet, however, became so smeared with the honey that they could not use their wings

• (they) were suffocated.

In math class, Mr. Carico handed the students their graded tests. Nicole showed her friend Maura the score she had gotten. It was bad. Maura, on the other hand, had gotten an A. On the bus ride home, Nicole and Maura were talking about the math homework for that night. "I just don't get this stuff," Nicole said. "I guess I'll bomb the next test, too." "Look, let's do the math homework together. I can help you," said Maura. Nicole shook her head. "No, I'll figure it out." Maura shrugged. "Okay," she said. That evening, Maura called Nicole. "I'm bored. What are you up to?" Maura asked. Nicole had been struggling with the math homework but didn't want to say so. Clearly, Maura had already finished. "Just getting ready for bed. I'm beat," Nicole lied. "It's not even nine!" Nicole bristled. "Well I'm tired, okay? It's not my fault you're bored." Maura was silent for a moment. Then she quietly said she had to go. Nicole hung up, too, and grabbed her pencil again. But the longer she stared at her worksheet, the more the problems looked like a jumble of meaningless symbols. She took a deep breath and reached for her phone. "Yeah?" Maura answered. Nicole told her the truth. "I'm sorry I was a jerk earlier. I was in a bad mood because I was stuck on the homework. I guess I was feeling resentful that you finished already." Maura said she understood. "Do you think . . . would you still be willing to help me?" Nicole asked meekly. "Of course," Maura said. "Like I said, I'm bored. I need something to do." On the next math test, Nicole got an A. The theme of this passage is- Don't let pride keep you from asking for help. What line best supports this theme?

• "Do you think . . . would you still be willing to help me?"

• Nicole had been struggling with the math homework but didn't want to say so.

• But the longer she stared at her worksheet, the more the problems looked like a jumble of meaningless symbols.

• Math is the hardest subject of all.