Module 12: Finding Themes - Course Guide

Module Overview:

In this unit students will learn how authors use direct and indirect characterization to develop characters. They will also explore the role of word endings in forming the meaning of a word. Students will use what they've learned about characterization to develop a character in their own story. They will also review what dialogue is and learn how dialogue should be punctuated. Students will learn how the endings of words can help them discover a word's meaning.

Module Materials:

Lesson # Lesson Title Material(s)
1 Spelling 4: Practice 3 None
2 How to Find Themes independent reading book
pen or pencil
3 Describing Themes independent reading book
pen or pencil
4 Themes and Titles independent reading book
pen or pencil
5 Discussion Questions independent reading book
pen or pencil

Module Objectives:

Lesson # Lesson Title Objective(s)
1 Spelling 4: Practice 3
2 How to Find Themes
  1. Identify the themes in a story, based on events and details.
3 Describing Themes
  1. Describe or explain the theme of a story.
  2. Identify the elements of a story that support its theme.
4 Themes and Titles
  1. Explain how a story's title and theme are sometimes related.
5 Discussion Questions
  1. Identify questions that help a discussion by clarifying what others have said.

Module Key Words:

Key Words Spelling Words
story
theme
novel
evidence
discussion
clarify
 omniscient
fragment
clarify
analyze
equivalent
quotient
fraction
satellite
telescope
conservation
constellation
nebula
document
constitution
amendment
pledge
surrender
confederate
general
reconstruction

Module Assignments:

Lesson # Lesson Title Page # Assignment Title
3 Describing Themes 1 Finding Themes in Novels Assignment
3 Describing Themes 3 Writing Themes Assignment

Learning Coach Notes:

Lesson # Lesson Title Notes
1 Spelling 4: Practice 3 To prepare for the Spelling 4: Spelling Test, have your student practice their spelling words over the coming weeks.
2 How to Find Themes
3 Describing Themes
4 Themes and Titles
5 Discussion Questions

Module Guiding Questions:

When a student starts a lesson ask them questions to check for prior knowledge and understanding and to review concepts being taught. At the end of the lesson ask the questions again to see if their answer changes.

Lesson Title Question
How to Find Themes
  1. How can you figure out the themes in a story?
Describing Themes
  1. What do themes look like in novels?
Themes and Titles
  1. How can the title of a story help you figure out its themes?
Discussion Questions
  1. What is the purpose of a clarifying question?

Module Video Questions:

When a student watches a video take time to ask them questions about what they watched. Suggested questions for the videos in this module are listed here. Suggestion: Have the student watch the entire video first all the way through. Then have them watch the video a second time, as they watch it pause the video and ask the questions.

Lesson Title Video Question
How to Find Themes The Mice and the Elephants 1
  1. What is the theme of this story?
  2. What evidence from the story led you to the theme?
How to Find Themes The Mice and the Elephants 2
  1. What is the story's main problem?
  2. How is the problem solved?
  3. What do the characters learn?
  4. How do the characters change?
  5. What does the story's ending say about what it takes to stay alive and be happy?

Module Suggested Read Aloud Books:

Take time to read to your student or have them read aloud to you. Read a different book each day. While reading the book point out concepts being taught. You may purchase these books or find them at your local library. Suggested things to discuss while reading the book:

  • What is the main idea?
  • What are three things new you learned?
  • How does this book relate to what you are learning about?

# Book Author Lexile Level
1 Elephant and Piggie Books (Any kind) Mo Willems
2 Pigeon Books (Any Kind) Mo Willems
3 Happy Endings: A Story about Suffixes Robin Pulver AD430L

Module Outing:

Take some time to apply what your student is learning to the real world. Suggested outings are below.

# Outing