Lesson 17 - Theme

🕐 Lesson Overview

Bellringer - Journal Writing
Notes: Theme
Theme vs. Summary
Brainstorm themes for A Long Walk to Water

⭐ Objectives

I can determine and analyze theme in a literary text.
I can provide evidence of a theme from a literary text.

📏 Standards

🗽 NYSNGSS

7R1:
Cite textual evidence to support an analysis of what the text says explicitly/implicitly and make logical inferences.
7R2:
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; summarize a text.
7R3 - RL:
In literary texts, analyze how elements of plot are related, affect one another, and contribute to meaning.
7W1:
Write arguments to support claims with clear reasons and relevant evidence.
7W1b:
Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using credible sources while demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.
7W5:
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.

🗒️ Lesson Plan

Anticipatory Set

Students will complete the following bellringer in their class journals.

Pretend someone heard that you were reading A Long Walk to Water. They have never read the book, and they ask you what it's about.

Write a short (2-3 sentences) summary of A Long Walk to Water in your journal. Focus on the most important details of the book, but try not to give away any major spoilers.

The teacher will take attendance. After sufficient time has elapsed, the teacher will invite students to share their summaries. The class will then review the agenda and objectives.

Developmental Activity

Students will copy the following notes into their journals.

A theme is a big idea or meaning in a text.

Think of it as the message.

The teacher will explain that the terms theme and central idea are often used interchangeably. To determine a theme, readers have to "zoom out" from the specific details of the book and themselves, "So what?" What is the overall message that the author is trying to communicate?

The teacher will distinguish between a theme and a summary, providing the following example from Percy Jackson.

Twelve-year-old Percy Jackson is on the most dangerous quest of his life. With the help of a satyr and a daughter of Athena, Percy must journey across the United States to catch a thief who has stolen the original weapon of mass destruction — Zeus’ master bolt. Along the way, he must face a host of mythological enemies determined to stop him. Most of all, he must come to terms with a father he has never known, and an Oracle that has warned him of betrayal by a friend.

Heroism
Trust
Loyalty
Bravery
With the help of one's friends, people can accomplish incredible feats

The summary comes from Rick Riordan's website.

The class will watch an excerpt (00:00 to 01:46) from a Khan Academy video on theme. The video provides a few prompting questions to support readers in determining a theme; after the video, students will turn and talk about the following questions for A Long Walk to Water.

What did the characters learn?

How did the characters grow and change?

Why did the characters act the way they acted?

What's different at the end of the story?

What stays with you after the story is over?

The teacher will invite students to share their ideas. As students share out, the teacher will record potential themes for the book on the board.

Closure

Students will work on ALWtW Paragraph #3. An additional class day will be provided for writing and revising; students should at least complete the first box of the graphic organizer (R&A) using one of the themes generated by the class.

⚙️ Modifications

Percy Jackson is used as an example in this lesson because students in my district read it during sixth grade. The teacher should sub in another text that students are familiar with if Percy Jackson is not part of the district's curriculum.