Summary
In this lesson, students learn to effectively identify and analyze themes in both fiction and nonfiction texts. Students evaluate universal theme sets then find examples of these themes in articles and passages from literature. Finally, students demonstrate their understanding of theme statements by creating their own theme statement that can be applied to both fiction and nonfiction texts.
Essential Question(s)
What universal themes are found within and across various genres?
Snapshot
Engage
Students assess dichotomous theme statements in a Walking Vote activity.
Explore
Students create theme statements related to two pairs of theme words.
Explain
Students use Why-Lighting to identify examples of theme words in The Outsiders.
Extend
Students identify themes in nonfiction articles and compare the themes to those found in The Outsiders.
Evaluate
Students reflect on themes found in The Outsiders and the nonfiction article and create a theme statement applicable to both texts.
Materials
Lesson Slides (attached)
Theme Flowers Guide document (attached; one per teacher)
Theme Flowers Blank Petals handout (attached; one per student)
The Outsiders Passages handout (attached; one per student)
Crafting a Theme Statement handout (attached; one per student)
News articles (linked in the Engage section; print or give students digital access)
Highlighters (sets of four different colors; one set per student)
Writing utensils and paper
Engage
15 Minute(s)
Display slides 2-4 and introduce the title, essential question, and objectives of the lesson.
Display slide 5 and introduce the Walking Vote activity. Tell students that they will be introduced to a series of statements. Tell students that they must decide whether each statement represents courage, fear, or both. They will then walk to one side of the room to illustrate what they believe the statement represents. Notify students that each slide will have arrows that direct them where to move based on what they think of the statement.
Display slide 6 and read aloud the quote “A spark can start a great fire” by Emmet Fox. Direct students to walk to one side if they believe the quote symbolizes courage, or the other side of the room if they believe it represents fear. If students believe the quote symbolizes both, tell them to stand in the middle of the room.
Once students have all moved to their chosen part of the room, ask them to discuss the reasoning for their choice with those around them. Invite each cluster of students to share out why they believe the quote symbolizes courage, fear, or both. Repeat this process for slides 7–11, which contain the following quotes:
"Fear makes the wolf bigger than he is."—German Proverb (slide 7)
"If you are afraid of something, you give it power over you."—Unknown (slide 8)
"It is easy to be brave from a distance."—Aesop (slide 9)
"A bully is always a coward."—Unknown (slide 10)
"Courage is not the absence of fear, it is the conquest of it."—William Danforth (slide 11)
Once all quotes have been discussed, display slide 12. Initiate another round of the game and tell students that most of the rules will remain the same. Tell them that now they must decide whether each quote represents acceptance, isolation, or a combination of both. Read aloud the following quotes and direct students to move to the area of the room that aligns with their perspective of each quote.
“Tolerance is giving to every other human being, every right which you claim for yourself.”—Ingersoll (slide 13)
“People who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones.”—Unknown (slide 14)
"Happiness can exists only in acceptance."—George Orwell (slide 15)
"A man is known by the company he keeps."—Aesop (slide 16)
"The worst loneliness is not being comfortable with yourself."—Mark Twain (slide 17)
"No man is an island."—John Donne (slide 18)
Explore
20 Minute(s)
Have students return to their seats. Pass out one copy of the Theme Flowers Blank Petals handout to each student. Display slide 19 and introduce two theme statements, one that represents love, and another that represents hate. Invite students to share out any statements or quotes they can think of that represent love or hate.
Draw students’ attention to the flower labeled “Love & Hate” on their handouts. Instruct students to create three additional theme statements that represent love and three more that represent hate. Ask them to write one theme statement in each petal to fill out the flower. Tell students that they may create their own statements, use familiar quotes, or write down a theme from a popular story.
Display slide 20 and share the two example theme statements that represent loyalty and betrayal. Invite students to share out any example quotes or statements. Draw students’ attention to the flower on their handouts labeled “Loyalty & Betrayal.” Instruct students to create three theme statements that represent loyalty and three more that represent betrayal, similar to the statements on love and hate. Remind students that they may create their own statements, use familiar quotes, or write down a theme from a popular story.
Once students have finished their statements, invite four to five volunteers to share their responses with the class.
Explain
20 Minute(s)
Display slide 21 and give each student a copy of The Outsiders Passages handout. Introduce the Why-Lighting strategy and explain to students that they will highlight different types of themes using different colors.
Explain to students that they should look for examples of the theme words within the passage. These examples could be a part of the plot or the setting, or they could be something the characters do, say, or think.
Allow students time to annotate the passage.
Display slide 22 and tell students to review their annotations. Explain that now they must invent a theme statement that represents the overall theme of the passage. Tell them that they should form their themes around the theme word that they saw used most often. Encourage them to re-read the phrases they highlighted in that theme’s color to help them create their theme statements.
Extend
20 Minute(s)
Display slide 23. Explain to students that a theme can be found across all genres, including nonfiction texts. Give each student one copy of one of the articles you prepared prior to the lesson. Tell them to read the nonfiction article and Why-Light any examples of the theme words displayed on the slide, then allow them time to do so.
Show slide 24. Organize students into small groups of three or four based on the articles they read, grouping students who read the same article together. Instruct students to discuss the topic of the article, what they highlighted, why they highlighted those sections, and how the article is similar to the excerpt from The Outsiders.
Evaluate
15 Minute(s)
Pass out one copy of the Crafting a Theme Statement handout to each student. Display slide 25 and introduce the modified 4-2-1 activity. Allow students approximately five minutes to choose three theme statements from the flower petals and record them on their handouts.
Transition to slide 26 and tell students to analyze their three chosen themes then select the two that best represent both the passage from The Outsiders and the nonfiction article. Have them record these two statements on their handout.
Display slide 27 and tell students to synthesize the two remaining theme statements into one new theme statement that summarizes both readings from the lesson. Tell them to justify their theme statement by recording evidence from the texts that support the theme.
Resources
Aesop. (1919). The kid and the wolf. In The Aesop for Children.
Blake, W. (1820). Chapter 4. In Jerusalem: The emanation of the giant albion.
Cather, W. (1927). Death comes for the archbishop. Alfred A. Knopf.
Danforth, W. H. (1953). I dare you!. William H. Danforth.
Donne, J. (1624). No man is an island.
Fox, E. (1941). Find and use your inner power. Harper and Row.
Garrison, C. (2016). Going to school as a refugee. CommonLit. https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/going-to-school-as-a-refugee
Gitomer, J. (1998). Customer satisfaction is worthless, customer loyalty is priceless. Bard Press.
Hill, N. (1937). Think and grow rich. Duke Classics.
Hinton, S. E. (1967). The outsiders. Viking Press.
Ingersoll, R. G. (1882). Liberty of man, woman and child: Lecture. C.S. Baldwin.
Kaminsky, M. (2016). Dedicated to the goal. CommonLit. https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/dedicated-to-the-goal
K20 Center. (n.d.). 4-2-1. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/142
K20 Center. (n.d.). Walking vote. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/4126
K20 Center. (n.d.). Why-Lighting. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/128
Oscar, W. (1905). De profundis. Putnam’s Sons.
Puzo, M. (1969). The godfather. G.P. Putnam’s Sons.
Sanders, L. (2013). Fear prompts teens to act impulsively. CommonLit. https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/fear-prompts-teens-to-act-impulsively
Shakespeare, W. (1623). Antony and Cleopatra.
Surendra, S. (2015). How I found true love in an arranged marriage. CommonLit. https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/how-i-found-true-love-in-an-arranged-marriage
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. (2016). Courage in Denmark: Resistance to the Nazis in WWII. CommonLit. https://www.commonlit.org/en/texts/courage-in-denmark-resistance-to-the-nazis-in-wwii