Let's solve this worksheet step by step. The goal is to
determine whether each sentence is a theme or a summary.
Definitions:
-
Theme: A central idea or message the author wants to convey about life, human nature, or society. It’s usually broad and universal (e.g., "Love conquers all").
-
Summary: A brief statement that outlines the main events or plot of a story (e.g., "A girl adopts a dog and learns a lesson").
Now let's go through each sentence:
---
1. A woman who thinks the best part of her life is behind her adopts a dog who changes her perspective and her life.
- This describes what happens in a story — a woman adopts a dog, and her life changes.
- It tells us the
plot or key events.
-
✔ Answer: Summary
---
2. Happiness comes from within you, not from things outside of you.
- This is a general idea about life and inner contentment.
- It’s a
universal message that could apply to many stories.
-
✔ Answer: Theme
---
3. A dog who gets separated from his family finds his way back to them despite running into many obstacles on the way.
- This is a description of a
storyline — a dog travels home against odds.
- It summarizes the
plot of a story.
-
✔ Answer: Summary
---
4. The most successful businesses are about mission, not money.
- This is a
general belief or idea about success in business.
- It expresses a deeper message or value.
-
✔ Answer: Theme
---
5. A friendship grows when two strangers spend the night together in a broken-down car.
- This describes an event — two people meet and form a bond during a specific incident.
- It's a
plot summary, not a broader idea.
-
✔ Answer: Summary
---
6. Courage means being afraid and doing what you have to do anyway.
- This is a
definition of courage, a universal truth or insight.
- It reflects a
core message about human behavior.
-
✔ Answer: Theme
---
7. A girl invents a machine that makes teachers obsolete.
- This is a
plot point — it describes a character’s action and its consequence.
- It tells us what happens in the story.
-
✔ Answer: Summary
---
Final Answers:
1.
summary
2.
theme
3.
summary
4.
theme
5.
summary
6.
theme
7.
summary
✔ These answers reflect the difference between
theme (big ideas) and
summary (what happens in the story).
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of theme worksheet 5.
