Determining Theme War of the Wall

Determining Theme

By Kaylor Matthews

Open Ended

Describe a time when your first impression of someone was wrong.

In your journal response, consider the following questions:

What was your first interaction with this person, how did it affect your impression of them? 

How did you learn that your impression was wrong? What happened?

What lesson did you learn from this experience?

7RL2:

Main Focus: Using Key details to determine theme.

​ Determine a theme and/or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text;

Language Arts

1. You will learn how to determine the theme to any story.

2. ​You will write a strong theme statement for The War of the Wall.

​

​Main Focus: Using Key details to determine theme.

Learning Goals

Today I want to teach you how to use key details in a text to determine theme.

​

Using Key Details to determine theme.

Teaching Point

​

Multiple Choice

According to the previous slide, What is the definition of a theme?

• A personal Message to a specific person.

• The most important topic in a text.

• The universal message that is a complete thought.

• A message in a story, poem, or text that applies to no one.

Multiple Select

Review the example. What are two things to remember when writing theme statements?

• Are written how ever the author wants them to be written.

• Theme statements are complete thoughts, never one word.

• They don't use character names or plat details.

• Themes are universal.

Open Ended

Determine if the underlined sentence is a theme. Explain why or why not.

Roger Learns from his mistake after Ms. Jones forgives him.

This is not a theme because it uses characters' names and describes the plot when it says forgives him.

​Using key details to determine theme.

​Roger Learns from his mistake after Ms. Jones forgives him.

​

Open Ended

Determine if the underlined sentence is a theme. Explain why or why not.

Forgiving someone can help them learn from their mistakes.

This is a theme because it is a universal message.

​Using key details to determine theme.

Forgiving someone can help them learn from their mistakes.

​

Open Ended

Determine if the underlined sentence is a theme. Explain why or why not.

Kindness and Forgiveness

This is not a theme because it is not a complete thought.

​Using key details to determine theme.

Kindness and Forgiveness

​

• Through characterization (especially character change)

• Through the conflict and resolution.

• Through literary devices (symbols, metaphors, repetition). ​

Consider the ways authors often reveal theme:

​Step 1: Review Key details from the text

How to determine theme?

Using key details to determine theme.

• Big ideas are the larger topics that a story is about.

• Identify at least two big ideas found in the text. ​

​Step 2: Identify Big Ideas

How to determine theme?

Using key details to determine theme.

• Ask yourself, "What is the author's message about the big ideas?"

• Combining more than one bug idea often makes a stronger more complex theme statement.

​Step 3: Write the theme statement

How to determine theme?

Using key details to determine theme.

Open Ended

Step 1: Review Key Details from the story.

Did any characters change in "The War of The Wall"? How?

Open Ended

Step 1: Review Key Details from the story.

How was the conflict in "The War of The Wall" resolved?

Draw

Step 2: Identify the big idea(s)

Open Ended

Step 3: Write the theme statement.

What is the author's message about the big ideas? Try combining more than 1 big idea in your theme statement.

Before you go!

​Answer the prompt pn the next slide.

Some text here about the topic of discussion

Open Ended

 How did the author use character change or resolution to reveal theme in “The War of the Wall”? Support your answer with evidence. [RL.5]

In your response be sure to:

Choose one of your Key Details from Part 3: character change or resolution

Include the theme statement you drafted in Part 3.

Poll

How do you feel about your ability to find and write the theme of a story?

• I'm an expert and could teach this!

• I can do it, but need more practice.

• I can find the theme but don't know how to write it.

• I don't understand what theme is or how to find it.