The document provides guidance on determining the theme of a story. It explains that the theme is the message or meaning learned from a story. To identify the theme, a reader should analyze the character's traits, actions, and motives. These clues can help synthesize or figure out the theme. The document uses the example of the three little pigs and potential themes that could be drawn from that story like "Don't be lazy", "Crime doesn't pay", and "Being smart pays off". It directs the reader to apply these techniques to determine the theme when reading the story "When the Circus Came to Town".