Understanding Theme & Big Ideas
Overview
This is an activity that includes student's own ideas and beliefs about the central ideas and important parts of the text. Students will also do a bit of writing to support their opinions. This activity gets at the heart of a text. I see this as introductory to deeper dives into theme. This lesson could be structured to be online or face to face. This is written as a class activity but an online discussion could easily be created after students had followed the protocol a few times and seen the discussion that results. This could easily work in many classrooms through high school.
Goal/Objective:
Goal/Objective: Who knew that finding just one sentence, one phrase, and one word could have so much meaning for a piece of reading? Today my challenge is for you to think about your reading and find meaningful pieces that are important to the story and you.
Directions:
Iowa Core Standard: I can determine a theme or central idea of a text. (RL6.2)
Nebraska State Standards:
LA 3.1.6.d Summarize a literary text and/or media, using key details to identify the theme.
LA 4.1.6.d Summarize a literary text and/or media, using key details to identify the theme.
LA 5.1.6.d Summarize and analyze a literary text and/or media, using key details to explain the theme.
LA 6.1.6.d Summarize and analyze a literary text and/or media, using key details to explain the theme.
LA 7.1.6.d Summarize, analyze, and synthesize a literary text and/or media, using key details to support interpretation of the theme.
SUCCESS CRITERIA- I will know if I am successful if I can choose or create a meaningful sentence, phrase, and word from a whole text and explain why it is important to the meaning of the text.
Steps:
1. You will read the poem "Grown Up" together as a class.
https://www.readworks.org/article/Grown-Up/05741df0-d7ad-40be-b34d-627e0539db83#!articleTab:content/
As you read note or highlight important sentences, phrases, or words that stand out as being very meaningful. Be thinking of what the author wants you to take away from reading his/her story and what might be the moral or lesson. Think about what are the big ideas? What is important? What stands out to you? This is pushing you to think about the themes of this reading.
2. When you are finished reading:
Together as a class, fill in the worksheet below with a sentence , (copy this sentence exactly as it appears in the text using quotes) phrase ("... write phrase" OR "Write phrase...") and word.
Together, pick the choice the majority of the class feels the strongest about and complete the bottom reflective piece. Please tell why the class chose this and why it is meaningful to the class. There are many lines so you plent of room to explain.
3. Next, you will complete the same worksheet with another reading passage The Lottery.
Be ready to share your ideas with your classmates in a discussion. You will need to think about your reasons for choosing any of the 3 choices.
Pick the choice you feel the strongest about and complete the bottom reflective piece. Please tell why you chose this and why it is meaningful to you and the text. There are many lines so you have plenty of room to explain.
Click the link and make a copy of this form to record your answers or the attachment below.