What is a theme of a story?

A theme is an important idea or message that is woven throughout a story and can be applied to your own life.

How is a theme different from the main idea of a story?

The main idea is what the story is mostly about, while the theme is a lesson or message that you can take away from the story.

The video mentions asking big questions to help uncover the theme. List two of those questions.

Possible answers include: What did the characters learn? How did they grow and change? Why did characters act the way they acted? What's different at the end of the story? What stays with you after the story is over?

In the story of Anansi, the spider, what did Anansi learn?

Anansi learned that even if he had all the wisdom in the world, a child could still have a better idea than him.

What was Anansi trying to do with all the wisdom in the world?

Anansi wanted to gather all the wisdom in the world and keep it to himself inside a clay pot.

Discovering Theme

4th GradeELA40 min

aligned to Ccss Ccss.ela-literacy.rl.4.2

Learning Objective

I can determine a theme of a story, poem, or drama from details in the text.

Lesson Flow

Watch Video

7 min

Understanding theme | Reading | Khan Academy

Khan Academy

Guided Notes

8 min

Key concepts students will learn:

•
A theme is an important idea that is woven throughout a story and links a big idea about our world with the action of a text.
•
The theme of the story about Anansi could be that anyone can have a good idea or that wisdom is inside all of us.
•
To help uncover the theme of a story, ask yourself: What did the characters learn? How did they grow and change? Why did the characters act the way they did?

Practice

12 min

7 questions • Multiple choice & Short answer

Exit Ticket

5 min

“Complete pg. 130 in your binder. You will choose a theme for "Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening" and "Dog".”

Teacher Guide

Get the complete package:

Answer keys for all questions
Differentiation strategies
Extension activities
Printable student handouts

Discovering Theme

Learning Objective

Lesson Flow

Watch Video

Guided Notes

Practice

Exit Ticket

Teacher Guide

New to Insta~Lesson?

About Insta~Lesson

How Insta~Lesson Helps Teachers Plan

How Insta~Lesson Supports Instruction Schoolwide