Module 11: Theme - Course Guide

Module Overview:

In this module students will learn how to describe the characters in a story by identifying their character traits. Students will learn how to describe the characters in a story and how to develop characters for their own short stories. Students will practice describing the characters in novels. They will also learn how to improve their stories using more precise verbs.

Module Materials:

Lesson # Lesson Title Material(s)
1 Spelling 4: Practice 2 None
2 What Is Theme? independent reading book
pen or pencil
3 Time to Write! independent reading book
pen or pencil

Module Objectives:

Lesson # Lesson Title Objective(s)
1 Spelling 4: Practice 2
2 What Is Theme?
  1. Define theme.
  2. Explain the difference between theme and plot.
3 Time to Write!
  1. Write a story based on ideas generated for prewriting activities.
  2. Apply strategies for deciding if a sentence is complete.

Module Key Words:

Key Words Spelling Words
theme
folk tale
fragment
subject
predicate
 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 Time to Write! 6 Short Story Writing Assignment

Learning Coach Notes:

Lesson # Lesson Title Notes
1 Spelling 4: Practice 2 To prepare for the Spelling 4: Spelling Test, have your student practice their spelling words over the coming weeks.
2 What Is Theme?
3 Time to Write!

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
What Is Theme?
  1. What is the theme of a story?
  2. How is the theme different from the plot?
Time to Write!
  1. What are the rules you follow when writing a draft of a story?
  2. What are the steps that can help you write a good conclusion to a story?

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
What Is Theme? Great Snake
  1. What is the message from this story?
  2. What clues in the story lead you to the message?
Time to Write! Drafting
  1. What do you do when you start drafting a story?

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 Magic Trash: A Story of Tyree Guyton and His Art J. H. Shapiro AD650L
2 Rosie Revere, Engineer Andrea Beaty AD780L
3 The Paper Bag Princess Robert Munsch 550L
4 Ramona's World Beverly Cleary 750L

Module Outing:

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

# Outing