Theme

Lesson Components
What teacher and student behaviors are planned and expected
Context: Course name; grade level; length of lesson; description of setting, students, and
curriculum and any other important contextual characteristics
This lesson will be taught to three unleveled 6th grade Language Arts classes. One of these classes,
although ostensibly the same, has a higher percentage of special needs students 10 or 11 of the 20
students have IEPs. There are two SPED teachers who assist in the classroom during that block.
The students have probably had some prior contact with theme, but nothing official in this class, so
this is basically an introductory lesson. They will do some more work with theme on Friday.
Estimated length: 1 hour
Virginia SOL(s):
6.5 a) Identify the elements of narrative structure, including setting, character, plot,
conflict, and theme.
Common Core State Standard(s):
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.2

Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a
summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.
Objectives (KUD format):
Students will understand that theme is debatably the most important part of literature
Students will know what theme is
Students will know how to create examples of theme
Students will be able to create examples of theme
Assessments: Methods for evaluating each of the specific objectives listed above.
Diagnostic: I will ask the class to raise their hand if they have learned about theme before. I will ask a
couple of students to try and explain what they know about theme to the class.
Formative: Students will assist me in identifying theme in a short story
Students will assist me in coming up with a big list of different possible themes

Students will participate in identifying examples of different types of literature that use a
given theme.

Comments

Summative: Students will write an example of a theme on post-it-notes, which I will collect.
Later in the week, students will incorporate a theme into their writing
Procedures: Detail student and teacher behavior. Identify possible student misconceptions.
Include:
I.

Welcome/greeting/announcements

I will greet the students as they enter.

Morgan: Good morning, Samantha! Did you have a nice weekend?.... Good morning, Bob! Did you do
anything over the weekends?
II.

Hook/ bridge/ opening to lesson

[Students will spend the first 20 or so minutes in class engaged in the usual Monday Do Now
logging any homework they did over the weekend, gluing/writing their homework into their
agendas, and reading. Some students will do fluency.]
Morgan: Give me five! *waits a few seconds for students to give me their attention * Everyone, return
to your seats. Today were going to be looking at theme And were going to start off by having a
little read aloud.
Depending on whether or not Ill be able to show pictures using the projector (the pages may be too
big), I may in the back of the room (by the projector), or in the front. Ill figure this out before class on
Monday. Once everyone is seated and quiet (I may need to get their attention again), I will read The
Velveteen Rabbit, by Margery Williams, out loud to the class. If I have the projector I will show them
the pictures.
III.

Instructional steps

I will introduce theme to the class, and explain what it is. I will start off by assessing the
general prior knowledge of the class, by asking them what they know about theme.
Morgan: Everyone, open up to the next blank page in the reading section of your notebook. Thats the
first section of your notebook. *waits for everyone to open up their notebooks, probably needs to
repeats several times what section to open up to* Okay, were going to be studying theme today. Who
here has studied or heard about theme before? Raise your hand if you know what theme is. *a few
students raise their hands* Okay. Would anyone like to tell us what they know about theme?... Yes,
Billy Bob?
Billy Bob: Its it has to do with books. Stories and stuff have it. Its what its what its about.
Morgan: Right. Anyone else want to add on to Billy Bobs definition? Sally Sue?
Sally Sue: I think its like a message or something.
Morgan: Okay, you both make some good points. A theme is an important message that the text is
making. Come common themes would be, love conquers all, love is painful hard work pays off,
slow and steady wins the race, war changes people, and so on. A theme is often the most
important part of a text, since it can make you think differently about important ideas. A text will
often have multiple themes, some bigger than others. What were some themes in The Velveteen
Rabbit? Who can think of some themes from that story? Yes, Melanie?

This lesson is just

meant to introduce
students to theme,
and get them to
start interacting with
themes. I start by g
asking the students
to access their prior
knowledge.

Melanie: Love?
Morgan: Love is definitely important in that story. Now a theme is an actual message what do you
think the story is saying about love?
Melanie: I dont know.
Morgan: Does anyone want to build off of Melanies idea? What is The Velveteen Rabbit saying
about love?
Jake: Love is good?
Morgan: Okay, love is good. I think that would work. I might also say, love is painful but
rewarding, or love can change you. I can think of evidence for all of those themes. *writes down
those three themes under the heading, Themes in The Velveteen Rabbit* You should all copy these
down into your notebooks. What are some other themes from the story? *students think of a few
more themes, I write them down, they copy them into their notebooks*
I will brainstorm a big list of themes (that arent connected to the story) with the class.
Morgan: I think you guys have a good idea about the themes that are in that story. Now, lets think
about some other themes. Lets make a big list of themes that might exist in other stories. *draws a
new heading, Big List of Themes* Copy this down into your notebooks. Ill go ahead and get you
started. *I write four or five themes down*. What are some other themes that I can add to this list?...
Yes, Persephone. *I throw our plastic pink ball at her*
Persephone: *catches the ball* bullying is bad.
Morgan: Thats definitely a theme. *copies it down*. You can go ahead and throw the ball to another
student. Ill be busy writing, so you guys dont need to throw the ball to me. You can pick who will go
next.
Persephone: *throws the ball to Juliet*
Juliet: Time.
Morgan: What about time? Whats a message about time that says something about people?
Juliet: Oh. I dont know.
Morgan: Maybe, time changes everyone?
Juliet: Okay.
*this continues for a little while*

The brainstorming
would help students
get a broader
understanding of what
a theme is.

The students will pick a single theme for the next activity.
Morgan: For this next activity you guys will need to pick on a theme together. Lets see I like the
themes, love is hard, time changes everyone, and bullying is wrong. Lets vote on which theme
we should use. Who likes, love is hard? *voting continues*
Morgan: Okay, it looks like bullying is wrong is our winner!... Now, before we move on, I have a
question for you guys. Do you think that books are the only things that have themes? *a couple
students call out opinions.* There are definitely other texts that have themes! What are some
other texts? *students call suggestions* I hear poems, short stories Those definitely have
themes. What about movies? *silence for a little while; a few people call out yes, someone says no*.
Movies definitely have themes! A lot of movies do have important messages. What about video
games? *students say no* Actually, some video games do have themes! Mostly videogames that have
a story, like Final Fantasy and Kingdom Hearts. *I write the theme the students picked on the board,
then draw six boxes (entitled books/short stories, plays, songs, movies/tv shows, video
games, and miscellaneous).
Morgan: Were going to try and think of some examples of different texts books, plays, songs,

I want students to
understand that
theme extends into
texts with which they
may be more familiar this should encourage
them to make broader
connections between
theme and the real
world, and with their
own interests. Some of
them may start thinkin
about theme when
engaging with these

movies, video games, etc. that have the theme bullying is wrong. *holds up two markers* Who has
an idea? *some kids raise their hands* Ophelia, Mark Anthony! Come on up. *hands them the
markers* once youve down your examples, pass your markers off to another student who wants to
come up! And make sure youre all copying this into your notebooks!

other, more modern

texts.

Most of the rest of the class is spent thinking of examples for the theme. I may need to add some
myself.
IV. Closing
I will ask everyone to write think of a theme like the ones that we brainstormed and write
it down on a postie note. It cannot be one that weve already mentioned. I will collect their
posties. I will also ask a couple students to collect all of the notebooks and put them away.
Morgan: Before you leave, theres one last thing I want you to do. Think of a theme that we havent
talked about yet, and that isnt on your brainstorm list. Write your theme down on a postie note Im
going to collect them. Can I get a couple of students to collect the notebooks and put them away?...
Thank you, Mary, Drew.
Materials:
-

Copy of The Velveteen Rabbit

computer and projector
paper, postie notes, pens/pencils
white board with eraser and markers
Their Three-Subject Notebooks (which live in the class)

Attention to Individual Student Needs: Detail specific actions/materials you will use to meet
individual needs in this lesson.
I will be able to assess individual student progress (as well as whole class comprehension) after
class, when reviewing their posties.
I will be able to respond to some individuals as they participate during the lesson.
(Most of the individualization will come when we do the second part of the lesson, on Friday. At that
time, students will individually pick a theme that they are interested in and do some writing that
incorporates it. In that activity they will have choice in the theme they pick, what to write about, and
what format (story/poem/etc.) to use. I will also circulate continuously during that lesson, checking
for understanding and addressing problems in comprehension.
Technology Use: Detail specific technology being used in the lesson with explanation for why
it is being used.
I will use an elmo/projector so that I can effectively model activities. I may also using it during the
read aloud so that the students can see the pictures.

This activity would be

a quick way of assessin
whether students
know what theme is/
know how to create
examples of themes.