Theme Unit - School Library Media Portfolio



Theme UnitFor description of teaching theme: Objective: 4th Grade students will be able to identify and explain similar themes across multiple texts by retelling and inferring meaning. (Curriculum chart)DayLesson1 Introduce theme by reviewing what readers do when they infer (using prior knowledge and clues from the book…). Preview Brain Pop jr. video on inferring: Explain to students that finding the theme in a story is focusing on the lesson that the author wants to teach us. The author will not tell you what the theme or lesson in the story is, you have to infer this using your prior knowledge and the book clues (both text and pictures)Read the short Aesop’s Fable from The McElderry Book of Aesop’s Fables: The Tortis and the HareDiscuss the story elements to retell (character, setting)Talk about what the problem is and why this was a problem (infer)Discuss that the theme of the story, or lesson is fast isn’t always best!Go back in the story and find proof of this themeShare with students the Shape Go! Map. Explain that today you want them to retell the story in their own words (pre-assessment). This pre-assessment will determine if students include the story elements, important events, and theme. 2Review themeRead the short Aesop’s Fable: The Lion and the MouseDiscuss the theme (theme/lesson:)Treat others the way you want to be treated and find clues in the short tale with this in mind.Verbally retell the story with theme in mindWE DO: written response (think, pair, share)…write ideas on Shape Go! MapInclude the theme as the last event3Continue above steps to discuss themePrior knowledge: What do you know about the fairy tale Cinderella? Share the American version of Cinderella by Barbara McClintockRetell the story and discuss theme: “do good, receive good”WE DO: written response (think, pair, share)…write ideas on Shape Go! MapInclude the theme as the last eventShare with students on Monday they will be visiting the computer lab/media center to retell their story using Kidspiration 4MS Day (see lesson plan)Prior Knowledge: Share with me what you read and retold on Friday (American version of Cinderella)What was the theme of this story?Today we will take our written retellings (Shape Go! Map) and convert them to a Kidspiration template to help us retell. 5Continue discussion about themeRecap Cinderella from the previous daysRead The Irish CinderladDiscuss story elementsInfer the theme: “do good, receive good”Complete Kidspiration story map and print6Continue above stepsRead The Persian CinderellaDiscuss story elementsInfer the theme: “do good, receive good”Students should start to recognize that the stories they are reading have a similar theme!Complete Kidspiration story map and print7Continue above stepsRead Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal: a Worldwide CinderellaDiscuss story elementsInfer the theme and point out clues from story that reveal thisComplete Kidspiration story map and print (post assessment8Discuss the topic of the previous days lessonsWhat did these stories have in common? (Theme, etc.)What was different about these stories? (Setting, etc.) Today we will compare the Cinderella stories by comparing and contrasting using a table. Students will help retell important parts and notice that all Cinderella stories have similar traits (i.e. theme, lost item, good person, bad person, magic)If time, students may write to tell their favorite Cinderella story and include reasons why, using the table to help them explain. ................
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