💡 The theme is the big lesson or message in a story. It's what
the author wants you to learn.
Common Themes:
• Be kind to others • Hard work pays off • Be yourself • Friends help each
other • Don't give up • Honesty is important • Treat others how you want to be treated
The North Wind and the Traveler's Hat
A proud wind boasted that he could remove any traveler's hat with his powerful gusts. He blew fiercely at a passing traveler, but the man simply held his hat down tighter with both hands. A gentle breeze then came along and softly suggested the man might enjoy feeling the sun on his head. Curious, the traveler removed his hat on his own to enjoy the warmth. The wind realized that forcing things rarely works as well as offering a reason.
Question
Your Answer
What is the theme/moral of this story?
Which character's actions best showed this theme?
What mistake did the other character make?
2 Match the Story to the Theme
🔗 Read each mini-story. Draw a line to the best theme.
Instead of demanding his little sister share her toys, Diego offered to trade one of his own toys, and she happily agreed.
After weeks of struggling with long division, Aisha kept practicing every night until the steps finally clicked into place.
Every student in class dressed the same way for spirit week except Noor, who wore her own creative costume idea, which became everyone's favorite.
Kindness and fairness work better than demands
Hard work and practice pay off
Be yourself — it's okay to be different
3 Find the Theme
📖 Read the story. Choose the BEST theme from the options.
The Classroom Vote
When the class needed to choose a theme for their reading corner, one student tried to convince everyone to pick her idea by repeating it loudly. Instead, the teacher suggested everyone write their ideas down and vote fairly. The class ended up choosing an idea nobody had expected, and everyone felt like their voice had mattered. The loud student even admitted the winning idea was better than her own.
A The loudest idea should always win.
B Fair processes can lead to better outcomes than forcing an opinion.
C Voting is unnecessary in classrooms.
D Only one student's ideas matter.
Why did you choose that answer?
4 Create a Story with a Theme
✍️ Choose a theme. Then write a short story (3–5 sentences) that teaches that
lesson.
Pick a ThemeDon't give upBe a good friendTell the truth
My theme:
5 SBA Performance Task: Extended Response
This section is like a performance task on the state test. Read carefully, find evidence, and write a complete response.
Question: What is the theme or lesson of this story? Use two details from the text to explain how the author develops this theme.
My claim or answer:
Evidence 1: (Quote or detail from the text)
Evidence 2: (Another quote or detail)
My explanation: (Connect the evidence to your claim in 2-3 sentences)
+ Bonus Reading Practice
Use this short practice to extend Set 10.
Topic words: science lab, model, test, result
1. Write one sentence using two of the words above.
2. What detail would you expect to find in a passage about this topic?
3. Write one inference a reader could make from a text about this topic.