Teaching students how to identify the theme in literature can be down right difficult. This year I tried something new and it worked great!

In this blog post we are going to dive into what you should look for when choosing a theme mentor text for a theme lesson.

Picture two tall trees, each unique in its own way but still standing tall and proud. Now imagine, as kids, we have the ability to climb to the top of each tree and survey the landscape from different perspectives. That's exactly what comparing and contrasting skills do for our

Most students are pretty familiar with how to complete the task of comparing and contrasting two books on their own accurately. When we do a lesson and activity on theme, students usually have a much harder time completing them independently. Compare and contrast lessons are usually very concrete, and the answers can be found “right […]

Theme is such an important concept when teaching reading. Students are asked to determine the theme of a text over and over again. However, many students struggle with how to identify the theme. That's why I'm sharing some of my favorite ways to teach theme. You'll find theme lesson ideas, theme activities, and theme passage suggestions to help your students finally figure out how to find theme! Sometimes when thinking about theme it is easiest to think about what it is not. Theme is NOT the subject of the text. The subject would be a single word like "childhood" or "friendship." It is NOT a summary. A summary would be several sentences describing the text. Instead, it is the underlying idea of a text. It is what the writer wishes to convey about the subject. Therefore, it is usually written in a phrase or clause. When teaching theme, I find that it's best to introduce the critical components of theme through notes and a class discussion. My favorite kind of notes are theme doodle notes, of course. Since doodles are more engaging, they're a great way to get students focused as you begin teaching about theme. Once students have a general understanding of theme, you might want to have a discussion with students. During the discussion ask students to think of texts that have a theme like "Be careful what you wish for" or "Never give up on your dreams." Then, have students discuss the theme of fairytales or fables like "Beauty and Beast" and "Goldilocks and the Three Bears." The notes and discussion will drive home the idea that the theme is not a single word subject, nor is it a multi-sentence summary. Students will realize that the theme is a truth about life revealed in a phrase or clause. A work's theme can apply to multiple texts. When you teach about theme you'll want to help students realize that themes need to be general enough to apply to many different texts. Take the theme "Be careful what you wish for." That theme can apply to "The Little Mermaid," "Jack and the Beanstalk," and even "Macbeth." It's important for students to realize that themes are universal. You'll also want to expose students to different genres of writing so that students understand that themes are evident in all writing including fiction, nonfiction, prose, and poetry. I've compiled different genres in this theme unit. Since poems are short and compressed, I love using poems to help students develop an understanding of theme. Take a poem like, "Life Doesn't Frighten Me" by Maya Angelou. In Angelou's poem, the speaker is a child. Angelou's message and the poem's theme is to "be brave when faced with your fears." You might share poems like this or some of my other favorites to help students read several texts and practice determining universal themes. The theme is the message that the writer wishes to reveal about its subject. It's what the reader is supposed to learn about life after reading the text. Therefore, it is usually not directly stated in the work. Instead, students will need to think about the plot, conflict, characters, and setting and then make an inference or educated guess. When students consider all the elements of the text, they'll need to infer the theme. One way to help students understand that the story is built around the theme is to have them develop their own stories with a theme in mind. At first, you can have students do this by providing them with themes that they will need to portray in a comic strip or skit. For instance, you might have students doodle a comic for the theme "Two heads are better than one." Or, you could have students work in small groups to come up with a skit that has the theme "Friends always show up when you need them." By writing their own texts, students will begin to see how the theme is infused throughout the work. As students determine the theme of a passage, they'll need to consider a text's plot, characters, conflict, and tone. In other words, they need to think about the entire writing piece and reflect on its message about life. That can be challenging for students. That's why I like to give students many opportunities to practice finding the theme. Task cards and mini-passages work especially great for this. I've taken the idea of theme task cards even further with Learning Take Out activities. Students read fiction and nonfiction passages that they grab from take out containers. The passages are the perfect way for students to develop the ability to identify a text's theme. ------------------------------------------------- As you can tell, there are many ways to teach theme. I think the more chances we can give students to develop their reading skills, the better! If you're looking for some ready-to-teach resources, grab these THEME resources: ⭐--- FINDING THE THEME MINI-UNIT - Doodle Notes and Activities ⭐--- THEME UNIT - 3-Day Theme Unit ⭐--- LEARNING TAKE OUT - Theme Task Cards Thanks for stopping by! Mary Beth P.S. Here's my latest resource for teaching theme!

Read more about 5 of the best classroom transformations I have done in kindergarten using products by Carson Dellosa and Schoolgirl Style...

Sorting objects enables children to see the similarities and differences in the things around them. They can identify these similar attributes and group them. Learning to sort will help children develop attention to detail, patience, and observation skills. Check out these ten great sorting activities filled with fun and excitement. Conclusion Sorting is an essential ... Read more

Whether using compare and contrast worksheets, task cards, or pictures, students will be so focused and engaged in the lessons.

Help kindergarteners compare length & use appropriate vocabulary with this FREE "Shorter and Longer" activity. Great hands on practice for comparing length.

Use this Kindness Cookies Kind or Unkind Sort to help students determine what is kind and what is not during this sel center activity.

Theme is such an important concept when teaching reading. Students are asked to determine the theme of a text over and over again. However, many students struggle with how to identify the theme. That's why I'm sharing some of my favorite ways to teach theme. You'll find theme lesson ideas, theme activities, and theme passage suggestions to help your students finally figure out how to find theme! Sometimes when thinking about theme it is easiest to think about what it is not. Theme is NOT the subject of the text. The subject would be a single word like "childhood" or "friendship." It is NOT a summary. A summary would be several sentences describing the text. Instead, it is the underlying idea of a text. It is what the writer wishes to convey about the subject. Therefore, it is usually written in a phrase or clause. When teaching theme, I find that it's best to introduce the critical components of theme through notes and a class discussion. My favorite kind of notes are theme doodle notes, of course. Since doodles are more engaging, they're a great way to get students focused as you begin teaching about theme. Once students have a general understanding of theme, you might want to have a discussion with students. During the discussion ask students to think of texts that have a theme like "Be careful what you wish for" or "Never give up on your dreams." Then, have students discuss the theme of fairytales or fables like "Beauty and Beast" and "Goldilocks and the Three Bears." The notes and discussion will drive home the idea that the theme is not a single word subject, nor is it a multi-sentence summary. Students will realize that the theme is a truth about life revealed in a phrase or clause. A work's theme can apply to multiple texts. When you teach about theme you'll want to help students realize that themes need to be general enough to apply to many different texts. Take the theme "Be careful what you wish for." That theme can apply to "The Little Mermaid," "Jack and the Beanstalk," and even "Macbeth." It's important for students to realize that themes are universal. You'll also want to expose students to different genres of writing so that students understand that themes are evident in all writing including fiction, nonfiction, prose, and poetry. I've compiled different genres in this theme unit. Since poems are short and compressed, I love using poems to help students develop an understanding of theme. Take a poem like, "Life Doesn't Frighten Me" by Maya Angelou. In Angelou's poem, the speaker is a child. Angelou's message and the poem's theme is to "be brave when faced with your fears." You might share poems like this or some of my other favorites to help students read several texts and practice determining universal themes. The theme is the message that the writer wishes to reveal about its subject. It's what the reader is supposed to learn about life after reading the text. Therefore, it is usually not directly stated in the work. Instead, students will need to think about the plot, conflict, characters, and setting and then make an inference or educated guess. When students consider all the elements of the text, they'll need to infer the theme. One way to help students understand that the story is built around the theme is to have them develop their own stories with a theme in mind. At first, you can have students do this by providing them with themes that they will need to portray in a comic strip or skit. For instance, you might have students doodle a comic for the theme "Two heads are better than one." Or, you could have students work in small groups to come up with a skit that has the theme "Friends always show up when you need them." By writing their own texts, students will begin to see how the theme is infused throughout the work. As students determine the theme of a passage, they'll need to consider a text's plot, characters, conflict, and tone. In other words, they need to think about the entire writing piece and reflect on its message about life. That can be challenging for students. That's why I like to give students many opportunities to practice finding the theme. Task cards and mini-passages work especially great for this. I've taken the idea of theme task cards even further with Learning Take Out activities. Students read fiction and nonfiction passages that they grab from take out containers. The passages are the perfect way for students to develop the ability to identify a text's theme. ------------------------------------------------- As you can tell, there are many ways to teach theme. I think the more chances we can give students to develop their reading skills, the better! If you're looking for some ready-to-teach resources, grab these THEME resources: ⭐--- FINDING THE THEME MINI-UNIT - Doodle Notes and Activities ⭐--- THEME UNIT - 3-Day Theme Unit ⭐--- LEARNING TAKE OUT - Theme Task Cards Thanks for stopping by! Mary Beth P.S. Here's my latest resource for teaching theme!

This is a reading anchor chart of who, what, where, when, why, and how in a question mark shape. There are 4 different color themes, one of which is just white with black writing so that you can make it match your room theme.

Sorting by same and different attributes is a must in early childhood classrooms. From storybook lessons to math centers, these activities have it all!

Help your students identify questions & statments. These activities are awesome for teaching the difference between questions and statements.

Get to know your little ones with these All About Me activities for preschool & pre-k. Includes 20+ activities for math, literacy, & more!

Are you teaching upper elementary students how to identify the theme of a piece of literature? This blog post features FREE posters, an anchor chart idea, and five helpful tips!

A set of classroom posters for teaching question types Who, What, Where, Why, When and How. If you like this, check out my When, Who, Why, Where Questions Adapted Books for Students with Autism and Conversation Skills: Visual Supports for students with autism Each poster features the word, a description, sample question and attractive clipart that matches the question type. This listing also includes a chart that can be laminated and referred to when working with individual or small groups of students. Great for Early Childhood Classrooms, Early Intervention and Special Education. ***************************************************************************** I value your feedback greatly as it helps me determine which products are most valuable for your classroom so I can create more for you. ☺ Click here to Follow me and be the first to know about my new discounts, freebies and product launches. *****************************************************************************

A free "What Does Not Below?" worksheet for children in pre-k or kindergarten. Find more fun educational freebies here.

Thanks so much for your interest in this freebie! This activity is a needs/wants sort-great to use as a whole-group interactive activity, or simply to guide your discussion about needs and wants! I laminate all of the pieces of this activity and attach magnets to the backs, then have students come u...

What do you do when students say, "We're not friends anymore!"? Read on for a must-try tip for teaching social-emotional skills that helps!

Posters of the 6 IP PYP Transdisciplinary Themes in a landscape format: - Who we are - Where we are in place and time - How we express ourselves - How the world works - How we organize ourselves - Sharing the planet Brightly coloured with cute graphics that match each theme! Printable in either A4 or A3 size (or you scale them down smaller) These same designs are also available in square, portrait and labels