| Full lesson | Create for a teacher a set of content for giving a lesson, beginning with the lesson plan. Each new block of materials must begin with an H1 heading (other subheaders must be H2, H3, etc). When you describe required pictures, write those descriptions in curly brackets, for example: {A picture of a triangle} |
| Which subject | English |
| What topic | |
| What length (min) | 90 |
| What age group | Year or Grade 6 |
| Class size | 31 |
| What curriculum | wit and wisdom |
| Include full script | |
| Check previous homework | |
| Ask some students to presents their homework | |
| Add a physical break | |
| Add group activities | |
| Include homework | |
| Show correct answers | |
| Prepare slide templates | |
| Number of slides | 10 |
| Create fill-in cards for students | |
| Create creative backup tasks for unexpected moments |
Exploring Themes in Literature
Grade 6
English Language Arts
31 Students
Aligned with Wit and Wisdom curriculum standards for literature analysis and creative expression.
| Step Number | Step Title | Length (Minutes) | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction | 10 | Briefly introduce the lesson topic and objectives. Explain what themes are and their importance in literature. |
| 2 | Reading Session | 20 | Have students read the selected piece of literature silently. Encourage them to annotate important passages related to potential themes. |
| 3 | Small Group Discussion | 15 | Divide students into small groups to discuss their annotations and share ideas about the themes they identified. Provide guiding questions. |
| 4 | Whole Class Sharing | 15 | Regroup for a whole-class discussion. Have each group share one theme they discussed, encouraging comparisons among themes. |
| 5 | Theme Chart Activity | 15 | Distribute theme chart handouts. Instruct students to work individually or in pairs to fill out the chart, identifying examples from the text that support their chosen themes. |
| 6 | Creative Project Introduction | 10 | Explain the creative project where students will create a visual representation of one theme from the literature. Provide examples and guidelines. |
| 7 | Work Time | 10 | Allow students time to begin their creative projects using art supplies, helping them as needed. |
| 8 | Closing Discussion | 5 | Wrap up the lesson by sharing how themes enhance our understanding of stories. Remind students of the homework assignment. |
Students will complete their creative projects at home and submit them in the next class. Provide a clear rubric for evaluation and state that projects should not be presented in front of the class to reduce anxiety.
End of the lesson teacher reflection on student understanding and engagement to inform future planning. Consider any adaptations needed for diverse learners.
"Good morning, everyone! Today, we are going to explore an exciting topic in literature: themes! Our objectives for this lesson are to identify and analyze key themes in a piece of literature, discuss how these themes relate to characters and settings, and apply our understanding through a creative project.
Now, can anyone tell me what a theme is? That’s right! A theme is an underlying message or idea that a story conveys. Themes are important because they help us connect the story to our own lives and experiences. Understanding themes allows us to delve deeper into the literature we read."
"Now, let’s dive into our reading! I have provided you with a short story/excerpt that we will read silently together. As you read, I want you to annotate any important passages that you think relate to possible themes. Take about 20 minutes, and I encourage you to keep an eye out for character motivations, settings, and any messages that stand out to you."
Allow 20 minutes for silent reading.
"Great job, everyone! Now that we've finished reading, I’d like you to turn to the person next to you and form small groups of 4 or 5. In your groups, discuss the annotations you made and share the themes you identified. I have placed some guiding questions on the board to help spark your discussions:
You have 15 minutes for these discussions. Let's get started!"
Allow 15 minutes for group discussions.
"Alright, let’s come back together as a whole class! I’d like each group to share one theme that you discussed, along with any supporting details you found. We’ll use this time to encourage comparisons among the different themes. Who would like to go first?"
Facilitate the sharing of themes and encourage discussion.
"Fantastic insights, everyone! Now, I’m going to give each of you a theme chart handout. I want you to fill this out based on the themes we discussed. You can work individually or in pairs if you'd like. Please identify examples from the text that support your chosen themes. You have 15 minutes to work on this!"
Distribute theme chart handouts and allow 15 minutes for completion.
"Now that we have explored themes in-depth, it’s time for our creative project! You will create a visual representation of one theme from the literature we read.
Think about how you can express this theme through art. I’ll give you a few examples for inspiration: you could create a collage, a poster, or even a storyboard. Be sure to think about the elements that best express the theme you have chosen. You have 10 minutes to ask me questions about this project."
Allow time for questions and clarify the guidelines for the creative project.
"Okay, now it’s time to begin working on your projects! You can choose your art supplies from the table and start creating. I’ll be walking around to help you as needed. Remember, take your time and express your understanding of the theme creatively. You have 10 minutes."
Circulate around the room, assisting students as they work.
"Let’s gather back together for a final discussion. Before we finish up today’s lesson, I want to remind you of the importance of themes in enhancing our understanding of stories. They can provide us deeper insights and make us think critically about what we read.
As a reminder, you need to complete your creative projects at home and submit them during our next class. I’ll provide a rubric so you know how your projects will be evaluated. Remember, you will not need to present your projects in front of the class, which should help reduce any anxiety."
Wrap up, address questions, and provide necessary materials for homework.
| Slide Number | Image | Slide Content |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | {Image: A classroom setting with students} | - Introduction to the lesson: Exploring themes in literature |
| - Objective: Identify and analyze key themes | ||
| - Importance of themes: Connecting stories to our lives | ||
| 2 | {Image: A book with a pen for annotation} | - Reading session: Silent reading of a short story/excerpt |
| - Instructions: Annotate important passages related to possible themes | ||
| - Focus on character motivations, settings, and messages | ||
| 3 | {Image: Students in small groups discussing} | - Small group discussion: Share annotations and identified themes |
| - Guiding questions: | ||
| 1. What themes did you notice? | ||
| 2. How do these themes connect to characters or setting? | ||
| 3. Find textual evidence to support your ideas | ||
| 4 | {Image: A teacher facilitating a class} | - Whole class sharing: Groups present one theme discussed |
| - Encourage comparisons among different themes | ||
| - Facilitate discussion and engagement | ||
| 5 | {Image: A theme chart handout} | - Theme chart activity: Fill out the handout based on discussed themes |
| - Identify text examples that support chosen themes | ||
| - Duration: 15 minutes for completion | ||
| 6 | {Image: Art supplies and creative projects} | - Creative project introduction: Create a visual representation of a chosen theme |
| - Consider expression through art (collage, poster, storyboard) | ||
| - Time for questions about the project process | ||
| 7 | {Image: Students working on projects} | - Work time: Begin creating your art project |
| - Choose supplies and express understanding creatively | ||
| - Teacher will assist during this time | ||
| 8 | {Image: A gathering for discussion} | - Closing discussion: Importance of themes in stories |
| - Themes provide deeper insights and critical thinking | ||
| - Reminder to complete projects at home and submit next class | ||
| 9 | {Image: A rubric for project evaluation} | - Provide rubric for project evaluation |
| - No presentation of projects in class to reduce anxiety | ||
| 10 | {Image: A thank you card or message} | - Thank you for participating! |
| - Reminder of key points covered in the lesson | ||
| - Looking forward to seeing your creative projects! |
Can you think of a time in your life where you experienced a theme similar to what we discussed today? How did that impact you?
If you were to choose a different character from the story, which one would you pick to analyze their perspective on the theme? Why?
How might the story change if it were set in a different time period or location? What themes do you think would still resonate?
If you could create an alternate ending that highlights a different theme, what would it be? Describe how you would change the story.
Which theme from today’s reading do you believe is the most relevant to our society today? Can you provide an example from real life that connects to that theme?