Students will learn about the theme in this lesson. At the end of the lesson, students are able to:
- Clarify the theme.
- Analyze the text's details to ascertain its theme.

- How can literary and factual texts become meaningful to strategic readers?
- In what ways can read aloud from a text prompt reflection and action?
- What is the true purpose of this text?

- Theme: A topic of discussion or writing; a major idea broad enough to cover the entire scope of a literary work. 
- Cite: To refer to the text or author in order to support the reader’s thinking about the text. 
- Relevant: Connected to the text or idea. 
- Explicit: Clearly expressed through words in the text. 
- Summarize: To provide a short, concise explanation of a text’s major ideas.

- a variety of symbols such as a wedding ring, a picture of the U.S. flag, a pink ribbon
- poster board
- markers
- Highlights
- Cricket
- Safari
- Storyworks
- Spider
- copies of short stories from magazines that use special language or the author’s craft, symbols, or feelings to get the theme across. Examples of magazines include the following:
- Godden, R. (2006, November). The Mousewife, 34:3, 33–40. 
-Jacobs Altman, L. (1995). Amelia’s Road. Lee & Low Books Inc.
Teachers may substitute other books to provide a range of reading and level of text complexity. Alternative books should include language, symbols, or feelings that provide evidence for identifying the theme.
- index cards (used as exit cards for brief student responses to indicate if re-teaching is necessary)

- Emphasize the importance of recognizing the theme in a tale during the class to demonstrate comprehension. Ask students if they comprehend the meaning of a theme and the methods used by authors to make it clear through symbols and the words, thoughts, deeds, and emotions of characters.
- By analyzing their conversations with other students, your anecdotal observations, and your notes, you can informally determine whether or not students can detect themes in texts.
Have students read a chosen work of fiction and determine the story's topic before the end of the lesson. Ask them to describe the method the author employed to make the theme clear. Utilize the checklist below to assess pupils' comprehension:
+ Student exhibits the capacity to recognize a text's theme.
+ Student correctly identifies the method the author employed to make the text's theme clear.

Explicit instruction, modeling, scaffolding, and active engagement
W: Go over the definition of theme and discuss the various ways the author can express the topic through the words, ideas, deeds, and emotions of the characters. Then, assist students in using these hints to properly identify the theme and substantiate their responses with passage-specific evidence. 
H: Incorporate students into the lesson by having them identify symbols and explain what they mean. Then, utilize group reading to demonstrate how to determine the subject. 
E: Give students practice recognizing the author's style and theme. 
R: Suggest that students get together with a companion to talk about their tale, reconsider their choice of theme, and edit and polish their work. 
E: Determine whether more practice or reteaching is required by using exit cards. 
T: Make use of a range of texts and peer interaction to help students understand and apply the concept of theme at the conceptual level. 
O: The structure of this lesson is to give students an overview of theme terminology and its definition, to assist them in identifying the theme and providing evidence for their selection, and to allow them to practice recognizing the theme and providing evidence for their replies. 

Major inquiries: What is the theme? In what way can a reader ascertain a text's theme?

The majority of fourth graders arrange their lives without realizing it. They might own clothing, accessories, and posters with themes related to sports or entertainment shows they enjoy. "Is there anything I could see in your bedroom that would tell me what your favorite thing or activity is? How could I find out?" (from the wall posters; perhaps the clothes, bedding, or trinkets on the dresser) Start the lecture while everyone is paying attention.

Part 1

Raise a pink ribbon, an image of the American flag, and a wedding band. Inquire, "What are these? What do they symbolize?" (marriage ring: dedication/marriage; American flag: freedom or a fresh start; pink ribbon: hope) Make a point of pointing out that symbols represent a larger idea than just the object's literal meaning.

Describe how a theme is a text's main subject. Examining the writer's style, such as their use of symbols or repeated language, can help one determine the theme of a work. To assist the reader in identifying the theme, the author includes information in the text.

Read Rumer Godden's "The Mousewife" aloud. "What is the story's theme?" What makes you think that? "How did the author guide you to that theme?" Assist pupils in recognizing the following:

Theme: It is cruel to keep wild creatures in captivity. Good friends take chances to help their friends.
Technique: The author gradually gives you the impression that keeping the turtledove was unfair. When the author revealed that the dove was unable to extend his wings, there was a feeling of loss. The dove did not eat and hung his head. The turtledove's confinement in the cage infuriated the mousewife. She voiced her frustration that the dove could not be free and her inability to sleep. Her chest throbbed with her heart.

Put "Literary Themes" on the poster. This will be used as the room's anchor chart for Lesson 2. List the literary topics that the pupils come across in bullet points. The next classes will cover various literary topics in addition to the definition of theme. Start the list with "taking risks" to correspond with "The Mousewife."

Part 2

Say, "I'm going to read a story by Linda Jacobs Altman called Amelia's Road. There is a sign in this tale. See if you can identify the sign and understand the author's meaning as I read." Tell the story out loud. Find out if the pupils can recognize the symbol and its significance. As Amelia visits the tree, assist the pupils in identifying the sign. The author is implying that Amelia simply wants to "set down roots" and remain in one location because she and her family move about a lot. Ask the pupils to recognize and evaluate Amelia's actions. After that, ask them to identify the topic. The concept associated with the tree's symbol can be "love of family" or "overcoming adversity." Include the theme on the poster.

Part 3

Peruse a brief narrative with each student. As they read the story, have the students identify the topic and the device(s) used by the author to portray it, such as a symbol, feeling, or repeated wording used by the character.

Students should meet with a partner after completing the aforementioned task. Ask them to give their companion an explanation of the storyline, the theme, the author's techniques, and the character actions that influenced the theme's development.

Discuss themes as a group and write down any fresh ideas on the poster board.

Give each pupil an index card to use in the exit-card exercise. On the upper right corner of the card, instruct students to write their names. On the front of the card, ask pupils to respond to the following questions:

What does the word "theme" mean? (The significant topic the story relies on; the lesson the author wants us to learn in life)
In what ways does the author intend to make the theme clear to the reader? (Symbols and the words, ideas, deeds, or emotions of characters)

Gather the exit cards and utilize them to determine whether more practice or reteaching is required.

Extension:

Texts with themes and symbolism ranging from simple to sophisticated might be used to provide additional practice at different text complexity levels.
Pupils who are prepared to go above and beyond the requirements can create a list of symbols and describe how they might relate to a certain theme.