Rosa's project collapsed the night before judging. She taped it, rebuilt the base, and worked until midnight. Her hands ached, but the model stood straight. 'It isn't perfect,' she said, 'but I didn't quit.' What theme does Rosa's response support?

Ty forgot his lines at rehearsal and froze. That night he read the script aloud until he stopped stumbling. He asked Ms. Ruiz to run the scene twice at lunch. What did Ty do that shows he responded to freezing by working to fix it?

Nadia found a twenty-dollar bill under the bleachers. She thought about the skateboard wheels she wanted. Then she carried the bill to the office. The next day a student she barely knew thanked her. What theme does Nadia's choice support?

Priya's legs locked on the high dive ladder. Jordan climbed up behind her and said, 'Count with me. Three, two, one.' They counted twice. On the third count Priya let go of the rail and jumped. What theme does Priya's response to fear support?

Marcus shared half his lunch with Ana, the new student, who had left hers on the bus. He never mentioned it again. Weeks later, when Marcus sprained his wrist, Ana carried his tray every day for a month. What theme does the passage support?

A speaker in a poem says: 'I planted seeds in April rain / and saw no green for weeks. / I watered dirt. I felt a fool. / Then June arrived, and beans.' What theme do the speaker's reflections support?

Coach cut Dev from the starting lineup. Dev slammed his locker. For two days he sat at the end of the bench. On Wednesday he stayed late and asked Coach what to fix. What did Dev do that shows he was trying to improve?

The old apple tree behind the library was going to be cut down. Lena gathered signatures. The council agreed to keep it if her class wrote a care plan. What did Lena do that shows she responded to the tree's removal by taking action to protect it?

Kai hated losing at chess. After a third loss to Grandma, he asked her to teach him the opening she had used, and he studied it all week. What did Kai do that shows he responded to losing by trying to learn from it?

Ana's bread burned six times; the seventh loaf came out golden. A sculptor's first statues cracked in the kiln, so he mixed the clay differently and fired a tenth one that held. What theme do both passages share?

Maya wanted to quit soccer after missing an easy goal. Her coach encouraged her to practice for ten minutes each day. By the next game, Maya felt braver and helped her team score. What is the best theme of the story?

A speaker in a poem says: 'My legs burned by the second mile, / but I counted steps instead of pain. / I crossed the line dead last— / and grinned like I had won.' What theme do the speaker's reflections support?

Before the recital, Mia's hands shook so badly she almost put her violin down. She took three slow breaths, remembered her weeks of practice, and lifted the bow. What did Mia do that shows she responded to her fear by pushing through it?

Leo laughed when his little brother could not tie his shoes. Later, Leo needed help fixing his bike, and his brother patiently handed him tools. Leo apologized and promised to be more patient. Which theme fits best?

A character gives up a prize so a friend can have a turn. Which story detail would best support the theme “Friendship matters more than winning”?

A speaker in a poem says: 'The old oak came down in the storm. / I cried for the fort I'd built in its branches. / By spring, we built a new fort in the maple, / higher than the old one ever was.' What theme do the speaker's reflections support?

Nia promised to help Grandpa rake leaves on Saturday. That morning, her friends invited her to the pool. She said no and raked all morning. Grandpa said she was someone he could count on. What theme is most likely?

Coach benched Ravi after he missed practice twice. Ravi apologized, showed up early the next week, and ran extra drills before the whistle blew. What did Ravi do that shows he responded to being benched by working to earn his spot back?

In a story, a shy student shares one idea during a group project. The idea helps the group solve its problem, and the student decides to speak up more often. Which theme is best?

A speaker in a poem says: 'I carried the box alone up three flights of stairs, / arms shaking, box sliding from my grip. / I finally knocked on my neighbor's door— / together we carried it in one trip.' What theme do the speaker's reflections support?