"A New Day" is a one-page, fictional reading passage about children who learned about civil rights marches while visiting their grandfather in Mississippi. They helped people register to vote before President Obama was elected for the...

"Community Progress" is a one page, realistic fiction passage about how students created a mural for their school, which generated lots of attention from the press, parents, and other schools. It is followed by constructed-response...

"His First Dollar" is a one-page, historical fiction passage in which Abraham Lincoln tells his Secretary of State Seward when and how he had earned his first dollar. It is followed by constructed-response questions which require...

"Columbus and the Egg" is a one page, historical fictional passage about Christopher Columbus's return to Spain after discovering America. Some people said anyone could sail the seas. Columbus used an egg to make a point. It is followed...

"Community Progress" is a one page, realistic fiction passage about how students created a mural for their school, which generated lots of attention from the press, parents, and other schools. It is followed by constructed-response...

The students will be able to determine the theme of a story by recalling key details that support the theme.

Learn how to determine a theme of a story on this site. Click on model at the bottom right and continue through lesson.

Read five short paragraphs and choose the main idea of each. Check the answers when finished to see how many were right.

"Chicago Changer, Jane Addams" is a one page, biographical passage about Jane Addams, Chicago's first changer. She helped poor people and immigrants to find homes and learn English. It is followed by an open-ended question which requires...

"My Summer" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about a child who visited his grandmother in Phoenix for the summer. He was surprised at how hot it was there. It is followed by constructed-response questions which require students...

"A Good Student" is a one page, fictional reading passage about a freshmen going to a large high school on the first day of school. It is followed by constructed-response questions which require students to provide evidence from the...

"Traveling with Lewis and Clark" is a one page, fictional, reading passage about traveling with Lewis and Clark on their expedition and the hardships of winter and food shortages they endured. It is followed by constructed-response...

Article explains how to find the theme in a piece of literature by asking yourself a series of questions as you read. RL.9-10.1 Analyzing Theme. CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.2

This interactive Language Arts skill-building site provides links to interactive activities that focus on finding the main idea of a reading selection. Online lessons, games and quizzes challenges students understanding of main idea.