Theme

Topic vs. Theme: What's the Difference?

TOPIC

What the story is ABOUT

Just 1-2 words

Example: "Friendship"

The LESSON or MESSAGE

A complete sentence

Example: "True friends help each other through hard times."

Remember: The theme is always a SENTENCE, not just one word!

How to Find the Theme: Look for Clues!

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Character Change: How does the main character change? What do they learn?

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Important Words: Are there any wise sayings or repeated messages?

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Story Ending: How does the story end? What lesson does that teach?

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Ask Yourself: "What would the main character tell others based on what they learned?"

Let's Read Together: "The Broken Vase"

Marco was playing ball in the house even though his mom told him not to. The ball bounced off the wall and crashed into her favorite vase. It broke into a hundred pieces!

Marco's heart pounded. He quickly swept up the pieces and hid them in the trash. When his mom came home, she noticed the vase was missing. "Marco, do you know what happened to my vase?" she asked.

Marco wanted to lie, but his stomach felt sick. He took a deep breath. "I broke it, Mom. I was playing ball inside. I'm really sorry."

His mom looked sad, but she hugged him. "Thank you for telling me the truth, Marco. The vase can be replaced, but your honesty is worth more. I'm proud of you for being brave enough to tell me."

Marco felt relieved. Even though he was still in trouble for playing ball inside, he was glad he told the truth.

Finding the Theme in "The Broken Vase"

Topic: Honesty (what the story is about)

Let's find clues to the theme:

Character Change: Marco wanted to lie → decided to tell the truth
What Happened: His mom was proud of his honesty
Story Ending: Marco felt relieved after telling the truth
Mom's Words: "Your honesty is worth more"

Theme: Telling the truth, even when it's hard, is always the right choice.

Common Themes in Stories

Good friends help each other.

Keep trying and don't give up.

Honesty is always the best choice.

Be kind to everyone you meet.

It's okay to be different.

Family is always there for you.

Believe in yourself.

Treat others how you want to be treated.

Your Turn!

1. What is the TOPIC of "The Broken Vase"? (1-2 words)

2. What is the THEME of "The Broken Vase"? (Write a complete sentence)

3. Which detail from the story BEST supports the theme?

○ A. Marco was playing ball in the house. ○ B. The ball broke his mom's favorite vase. ○ C. Marco's mom was proud of him for telling the truth. ○ D. Marco swept up the pieces and hid them.

4. How did Marco CHANGE in the story? What did this change teach us?

Remember!

To find the theme, ask:

"What lesson does the main character learn?"
"What message does the author want ME to learn?"
"What advice would the character give at the end of the story?"

Theme is NOT: A summary of what happened. It's the LIFE LESSON the story teaches!