Subject: Reading
Grade/Year: 4th grade (age 8-9)
Duration: 30 minutes
Objective
Students will be able to determine the theme of a story.
Materials
- One copy of a children's storybook for each student
- Whiteboard and markers
- Chart paper and markers
- Story Map worksheet for each student
- Exit ticket
Procedure
Introduction
- Greet the students, introduce the lesson's objective and provide them with materials.
- Ask students if they know what a theme of a story is or if they ever had to identify a theme before.
- Provide simple definition of the theme - "The theme is what the story is mostly about. The lesson learned.".
Model Point of View
- Explain Point of View: the perspective from which a story is told.
- Examples of point of view include: first person (the character "I" tells the story), third person ("he", "she", or "they" tell the story), and second person (the reader is addressed as "you").
- Model how point of view can influence the theme of a story.
Identifying the Theme
- Divide students into small groups.
- Provide students with a storybook, story map worksheet, and a chart paper with headings for each group- 'Title', 'Characters', 'Setting', 'Plot', 'Theme'.
- In small groups, students should read their designated storybook.
- Once finished, help them to complete their story map worksheet focusing on key elements of the story.
- Each group should discuss and come up with the theme of their storybook.
- Each group will create a chart poster with headings and other information gathered from their discussion with the theme as the main focus.
- Each group will present their poster before the class sharing their storybook, story map worksheet, and theme.
Closure
- Finally, conclude the lesson by reviewing the objective, and asking for questions.
- Distribute the exit ticket, collect and grade them.
Assessment
The teacher will assess the students' knowledge by checking their ability to identify the theme of a story, participating in group discussions, and creating the chart poster. The exit ticket will also be reviewed.