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Thinking About Theme
Writers use the literary element of conflict to develop their theme. Use the conflict between the Johnny and the ScreeWees in Terry Pratchett’s Only You Can Save Mankind to model how a major theme is revealed. The conflict between the...
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Theme Matters
Fifth graders read to find the purpose of a piece of writing. They explore the theme of Bridge to Terabithia through events in the story. Furthermore, they consider how they would find a theme and examine a new text for its theme.
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Lesson 4: Theme Matters
This useful approach to determining themes based on specific details from a book is aimed at readers of Jerry Spinelli's Maniac Magee. It could also easily be adapted for use with other books or readings. The class identifies recurring...
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Lesson 3: A Poem's Theme
Leaf by Leaf: Autumn Poems by Barbara Rogasky is the foundation of this lesson plan on theme identification. Critical thinkers read three different poems from the book then attempt to find the message the author is sending her readers....
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Deciding Theme
Read aloud to your class the fable "The Lion and the Mouse" as you explore characters' choices and the effects they have on a story. Apply what is discussed to finding a theme of the chapter "Not Giving Up" from The Wizard of...
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Genre Lesson: Biography/Autobiography
Practice distinguishing biography from autobiography through point of view. Tell a brief story of your morning. Have a class member retell the story to you (using second person). And have another retell the story to the class (using...
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A Poem's Theme
Show young poets how to use the main idea and voice to determine the theme of a poem. Model the steps using Listen Children. Lucille Clifton’s This Morning provides guided practice. Finally, class members use Nikki Giovanni’s...
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Thinking about Theme
Sixth graders explore theme in science fiction texts by examining how plot conflicts are resolved. This resource focuses on Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time, but the approach and guiding questions could apply to a variety of texts.
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Which Story Matches the Given Theme?
Model for young learners how to determine the theme of a story. Read aloud Aesop’s The Fox and the Stork. Chart the plot and the main idea of the fable, showing class members how these elements support the theme. Fable titles for...
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Story Elements that Support the Theme
Three great graphic organizers guide readers to see how the elements of plot and main idea can be charted to reveal the theme of a story. Model the process on the provided Direct Teaching Teacher Graphic Organizer using Aesop’s The...
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Identifying Universal Themes Across Cultures
Have your class read the story "The Magic Lake," retold by Liana Romulo, from Filipino Children's Favorite Stories. Guide them to identify the problem, solution, and universal theme. They compare the theme of this story to the theme of...
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Identifying Theme of a Fable
Third graders understand how to find the theme of a fable. In this theme lesson plan, 3rd graders use graphic organizers to record the events of a fable. Students use that information to determine the lesson plan of the story. Students...
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Deciding Theme
Fifth graders explore the theme of a story by identifying the effects of a character's decision. In this theme study activity, 5th graders refer to the events in The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe. Students discuss as a whole class how...
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Determining Theme Based on Events in the Story
Third graders read the book How the Fox Tricked the Tiger and determine the theme based on the events in the story. In this theme lesson plan, 3rd graders list the events in a graphic organizer.
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Identify Themes in Biographies
Fourth graders identify the theme based on the main events of the book A Picture Book of Anne Frank. In this themes worksheet, 4th graders discuss the themes of biographies and also read Sojourner Truth.