Summary
In this lesson, students will critically examine how literary elements contribute to the theme of a text. Students will explore universal theme sets by examining pictures and engaging in the Four Corners strategy. Students will then identify a universal theme within a text by using the Why-Lighting strategy to analyze its setting, imagery, diction, and characterization. Finally, students will create a multi-genre representation of the text's theme before engaging in a Gallery Walk to view other students' creations. This lesson can be used as a companion to the lesson "Growing Themes."
Essential Question(s)
How do literary elements contribute to the theme of a text?
Snapshot
Engage
Students will analyze a variety of pictures to identify theme.
Explore
Students will collaboratively reflect on theme using the Four Corners strategy.
Explain
Students will use Why-Lighting and a graphic organizer to annotate and document literary elements within a text.
Extend
Students will apply their knowledge of literary elements and theme by creating a one-pager visual project.
Evaluate
Students will engage in the Gallery Walk/Carousel strategy to reflect on various visual representations of theme.
Materials
Lesson Slides (attached)
Theme Flower handout (one per student; attached)
Theme Room Labels (one set; print one-sided; attached)
The Outsiders Passages (one per student; attached)
Theme Graphic Organizer (one per student; print two-sided; attached)
Gallery Walk Graphic Organizer (one per student; print two-sided; stapled; attached)
Picture the Theme Rubric (optional; attached)
Highlighters: pink, yellow, blue, green (one of each color per student)
Writing utensils
Art materials including but not limited to plain copy paper in various sizes, magazines, newspapers, markers, colored pencils, scissors, and glue.
Engage
Use the attached Lesson Slides to guide the lesson. Display slide 3 and 4 and go over the essential question and learning objectives.
Display slide 5 and explain to students that they will be shown six individual pictures and that they will be identifying a universal theme set for each one of the pictures. Pass a copy of the Theme Flower handout to each student. Explain that the center of the "Theme Flower" has four universal theme sets to choose from: courage/fear, acceptance/isolation, love/hate, and loyalty/betrayal.
Display slide 6 and give students 15-30 seconds to formulate an opinion as to which universal theme set is depicted and to write that universal theme set on the petal labeled "Picture 1."
Repeat this process for the other five pictures on slides 7-11, making sure that students write the universal themes in the corresponding petals.
Explore
Display slide 12 and introduce the students to the Four Corners instructional strategy. Explain to students that you will be showing each of the pictures from the previous activity again. When each picture is shown, they will move to the side of the room labeled with the same theme set as the one they have written on their "Theme Flower" paper. Once students have moved, they should discuss within their group which details in the picture helped them decide on the theme set. Once each group has had time to discuss, have a spokesperson from each group share with the class.
Display slide 13 and show the first picture and have students move to the correct location in the room. Allow time for students to discuss and share out with the group.
Repeat with slides 14 - 18.
Explain
Display slide 19 and pass out a copy of the The Outsiders Passage and four of each color highlighter to each student. Explain to students that they will be looking for examples of setting, imagery, diction, and characterization within the passage, which help establish a theme of the text. Introduce the Why-Lighting instructional strategy. Inform students they will highlight the following literary elements in the corresponding colors:
Pink: Setting
Yellow: Imagery
Blue: Diction
Green: Characterization
Provide students time to read through the text and highlight descriptive examples of each of the literary elements.
After students have finished annotating the passage, display slide 20 and pass out Theme Graphic Organizer to each student. Inform students they should review each of their highlighted elements, identify which theme is demonstrated, and write each example within the appropriate theme set compartment on their handout.
Display slide 21, and have students identify the theme set compartment with the most entries and examine the entries to determine the overall theme. For example, if the "Courage/Fear" compartment had the most entries, students would read the entries to determine if they were more reflective of a theme of "Courage" or a theme of "Fear."
Extend
Display slide 22 and introduce the One-Pager instructional strategy. Explain to students that they will be constructing a multi-genre visual project that illustrates the theme of their passage and incorporates the literary examples from their graphic organizer. The visuals can be literal depictions or symbols of the literary elements. Students should focus on incorporating a variety of pictures and visual elements rather than written text. Provide students time to work on their projects.
Evaluate
Once students have completed their one-pagers, display them around the room.
Display slide 23, pass out a copy of the Gallery Walk Graphic Organizer to each student and introduce the Gallery Walk instructional strategy. Explain to the students that they will be looking at other students' projects and providing feedback on each. Using their graphic organizer they will identify two literary elements (setting, imagery, diction, or characterization) that they find in the one-pager and make a connection to the theme. Have students move to their starting point by selecting another student's work. Provide time for students to view all or most of their peers' work.
Resources
Hinton, S. E. (1967). The Outsiders. New York: Viking Press. http://nisbah.com/summer_reading/the-outsiders_se_hinton.pdf
K20 Center. (n.d.). Four corners. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/138
K20 Center. (n.d.). Gallery walk. Strategies.https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/118
K20 Center. (n.d.). One-Pager. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/72
K20 center. (n.d.). Why-Lighting. Strategies. https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/strategy/128
K20 learn | Growing themes. (n.d.-a). https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/lesson/337
K20 learn | I need a (super) hero. (n.d.-a). https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/lesson/510
K20 learn | OPTIC: A reading strategy recipe. (n.d.-a). https://learn.k20center.ou.edu/lesson/240