Theme Worksheet 3 | Reading Activity - Free Printable
Educational worksheet: Theme Worksheet 3 | Reading Activity. Download and print for classroom or home learning activities.
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Step-by-step solution for: Theme Worksheet 3 | Reading Activity
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Step-by-step solution for: Theme Worksheet 3 | Reading Activity
Theme Worksheet 3
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1. Barry liked playing board games, but he hated losing. He hated losing so much that he would do whatever it took to win, even bending or breaking the rules. He'd steal money from the bank and hide it under the couch cushions. He'd skip spaces while he was moving around the board. He'd shortchange others money that they were owed and argue with them about it. Barry's techniques were effective. He did win most of the games that he played, but the people whom he played with were his friends and family, and it didn't take too long until they caught on to Barry's tricks. They tried to tell Barry to stop cheating. They said that the game wasn't any fun when he cheated, but he didn't listen. He continued with his treacherous style of gameplay, until nobody would play with him anymore. Barry may have won a lot of games, but at what cost?
What is the theme of the story?
The theme of the story is that cheating may bring temporary victories, but it ultimately destroys trust and relationships.
What happens in the story that leads you to believe this?
Barry cheats in board games by stealing money, skipping spaces, and shortchanging others, which helps him win. However, his friends and family eventually notice his dishonesty and stop wanting to play with him. This shows that although Barry wins games, he loses the friendships and fun that made the games worthwhile, proving that dishonesty has serious consequences.
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2. It was Sean's first day at a new high school. Most of the students had been nice to him, until he got into gym class. The coach had assigned two captains, Mike and Malik, and they were picking teams from the boys in Sean's class. As Mike and Malik made their picks, it became pretty clear to Sean who was popular and who was not. Since Sean was short for his age, Mike and Malik just assumed that Sean could not play basketball. As Mike and Malik's choices dwindled, Sean still remained amongst an ever-slimming pool of struggling athletes. Now there were only two students left: Sean and another kid who seemed nice but was reading a book. Mike and Malik joked about who was going to get stuck with whom, and then Mike made his last pick. It was not Sean. Sean sighed and reluctantly joined Malik's team. As soon as the game began, Mike became aware of the error that he had made. Sean quickly stole the ball from him and ran it back for a layup. "The new kid got lucky," Mike remarked, but it soon became clear that Sean had more going for him than luck. What Sean lacked in height, he made up for in speed, and he continued to dominate the action on the court for the remainder of the game. With Sean's blazing speed and crazy crossovers, Malik's team devastated Mike's, and that was the only time that Sean would be last pick at that high school.
What is the theme of the story?
The theme of the story is that appearances can be deceiving, and true ability should not be judged by outward traits like height or popularity.
What happens in the story that leads you to believe this?
Sean is overlooked and picked last because he is short, which leads others to assume he can’t play basketball. However, during the game, he proves himself to be an exceptional player through his speed and skill, completely outperforming the other players. This shows that judging someone based on looks or assumptions is unfair and inaccurate, and real talent often surprises those who don’t look beyond surface-level traits.
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3. Blaine opened up the present and began pouting. He screamed in a high-pitched voice, "This is Captain Thunder! I wanted Captain Lightning!" His mother looked at him with dismay and handed him another present, which he greedily opened. "Why did you get me a red hat? You know I like blue more," Blaine whined as he threw the hat across the room. His mother straightened her expression and squinted at him. Earlier she had hoped to take some pictures of this moment, but by now she had put away her camera. She sighed and handed him one more present in hopes that this year wouldn't be a total bust. Blaine huffed and opened it. "A Game Box 4000... wow. Where's the Game Box 5000 that I asked for?" His mother could bear his ingratitude no longer. The next time that Blaine returned from his father's house, he was shocked to find that all of these toys and gifts, along with many other of his things, had been generously donated to needy children.
What is the theme of the story?
The theme of the story is that gratitude and appreciation are important, and ungrateful behavior can lead to consequences.
What happens in the story that leads you to believe this?
Blaine is ungrateful for every gift he receives, complaining about each one instead of being thankful. His mother tries to make the moment special, but he throws a tantrum over small details. Eventually, his mother decides to donate all his gifts to children in need, showing that his lack of appreciation led to him losing everything. This teaches that being thankful for what we have is essential, and disrespecting kindness can result in loss.
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✔ Summary of Themes:
1. Cheating damages relationships.
2. Don’t judge by appearance—true talent matters.
3. Gratitude is essential; ingratitude leads to consequences.
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1. Barry liked playing board games, but he hated losing. He hated losing so much that he would do whatever it took to win, even bending or breaking the rules. He'd steal money from the bank and hide it under the couch cushions. He'd skip spaces while he was moving around the board. He'd shortchange others money that they were owed and argue with them about it. Barry's techniques were effective. He did win most of the games that he played, but the people whom he played with were his friends and family, and it didn't take too long until they caught on to Barry's tricks. They tried to tell Barry to stop cheating. They said that the game wasn't any fun when he cheated, but he didn't listen. He continued with his treacherous style of gameplay, until nobody would play with him anymore. Barry may have won a lot of games, but at what cost?
What is the theme of the story?
The theme of the story is that cheating may bring temporary victories, but it ultimately destroys trust and relationships.
What happens in the story that leads you to believe this?
Barry cheats in board games by stealing money, skipping spaces, and shortchanging others, which helps him win. However, his friends and family eventually notice his dishonesty and stop wanting to play with him. This shows that although Barry wins games, he loses the friendships and fun that made the games worthwhile, proving that dishonesty has serious consequences.
---
2. It was Sean's first day at a new high school. Most of the students had been nice to him, until he got into gym class. The coach had assigned two captains, Mike and Malik, and they were picking teams from the boys in Sean's class. As Mike and Malik made their picks, it became pretty clear to Sean who was popular and who was not. Since Sean was short for his age, Mike and Malik just assumed that Sean could not play basketball. As Mike and Malik's choices dwindled, Sean still remained amongst an ever-slimming pool of struggling athletes. Now there were only two students left: Sean and another kid who seemed nice but was reading a book. Mike and Malik joked about who was going to get stuck with whom, and then Mike made his last pick. It was not Sean. Sean sighed and reluctantly joined Malik's team. As soon as the game began, Mike became aware of the error that he had made. Sean quickly stole the ball from him and ran it back for a layup. "The new kid got lucky," Mike remarked, but it soon became clear that Sean had more going for him than luck. What Sean lacked in height, he made up for in speed, and he continued to dominate the action on the court for the remainder of the game. With Sean's blazing speed and crazy crossovers, Malik's team devastated Mike's, and that was the only time that Sean would be last pick at that high school.
What is the theme of the story?
The theme of the story is that appearances can be deceiving, and true ability should not be judged by outward traits like height or popularity.
What happens in the story that leads you to believe this?
Sean is overlooked and picked last because he is short, which leads others to assume he can’t play basketball. However, during the game, he proves himself to be an exceptional player through his speed and skill, completely outperforming the other players. This shows that judging someone based on looks or assumptions is unfair and inaccurate, and real talent often surprises those who don’t look beyond surface-level traits.
---
3. Blaine opened up the present and began pouting. He screamed in a high-pitched voice, "This is Captain Thunder! I wanted Captain Lightning!" His mother looked at him with dismay and handed him another present, which he greedily opened. "Why did you get me a red hat? You know I like blue more," Blaine whined as he threw the hat across the room. His mother straightened her expression and squinted at him. Earlier she had hoped to take some pictures of this moment, but by now she had put away her camera. She sighed and handed him one more present in hopes that this year wouldn't be a total bust. Blaine huffed and opened it. "A Game Box 4000... wow. Where's the Game Box 5000 that I asked for?" His mother could bear his ingratitude no longer. The next time that Blaine returned from his father's house, he was shocked to find that all of these toys and gifts, along with many other of his things, had been generously donated to needy children.
What is the theme of the story?
The theme of the story is that gratitude and appreciation are important, and ungrateful behavior can lead to consequences.
What happens in the story that leads you to believe this?
Blaine is ungrateful for every gift he receives, complaining about each one instead of being thankful. His mother tries to make the moment special, but he throws a tantrum over small details. Eventually, his mother decides to donate all his gifts to children in need, showing that his lack of appreciation led to him losing everything. This teaches that being thankful for what we have is essential, and disrespecting kindness can result in loss.
---
✔ Summary of Themes:
1. Cheating damages relationships.
2. Don’t judge by appearance—true talent matters.
3. Gratitude is essential; ingratitude leads to consequences.
Parent Tip: Review the logic above to help your child master the concept of theme worksheet 6 answers.
