This lesson gives you practice in figuring out how characters relate to the theme. At the end of the lesson, students are able to: 
- Define the term "theme." 
- Determine the story's theme. 
- Elucidate the relationship between a character and the story's theme.

- How can literary and informational texts make sense to strategically-minded readers? 
- What is the actual topic of this text?

- Theme: The message or life lesson the author wants readers to get from a story.

Pairs of stories with similar themes. Examples include the following:
- Anne Rockwell. (2006). They Called Her Molly Pitcher. Dragonfly Books.
- Nikki Grimes. (2002). Talkin’ About Bessie: The Story of Aviator Elizabeth Coleman. Orchard Books.
- Antonio Skarmeta. (2003). The Composition. Groundwood Books.
- Eve Bunting. (2005). Gleam and Glow. Sandpiper.
Teachers may substitute other books with similar themes to provide a range of reading and level of text complexity.
- student copies of the Venn diagram (L-3-3-3_Venn Diagram
- student copies of the Analyzing Characters and Theme worksheet (L-3-3-3_Analyzing Characters and Theme)

This lesson aims to deepen and broaden students' comprehension of the theme and the connection between a story's concept and its characters. To evaluate your students' development, use the following checklist: 
- Students are able to recognize a story's topic. 
- Students are able to name the main character's attributes. 
- Students are able to explain how theme and character attributes relate to one another.

Guidance and Clear Instruction 
W: Explain what is meant by "theme" and discuss how a story's characters relate to it by describing their supporting characteristics. 
H: Get pupils interested by asking them to pinpoint a well-known story's subject. 
E: Assign students to compare the personality qualities of two characters from unrelated literature by working in pairs. 
R: Give students the chance to present their research, defend it, and edit or add to their answers in front of the class. 
E: Watch as pupils put what they've learned into practice. Encourage students to participate in both small and big groups to show that they grasp the connection between the theme and the characters. 
T: Give students access to a range of resources so they can comprehend at various conceptual levels. 
O: This lesson's learning exercises include large-group instruction and discussion, small-group inquiry, pair work, and individual application of the material. 

Focus Question: How do characters relate to a story's theme?

Tell a well-known tale, like "Cinderella," one more time. Ask, " What is the true purpose of this story? What lesson does the writer want us to learn from the narrative?" (Potential responses: nice things happen to nice people. Have faith in your goals. Remember to treat others how you want to be treated.)

Part 1

Say, "The theme of a narrative is the message or life lesson the author wants us to learn from it. The themes of the Cinderella story are the lessons you recognized. Which other story motifs are there that you are aware of?" (Examples: Show your buddies your loyalty. Stay loyal to yourself. The best policy is to be honest.)

Review the process of identifying a story's theme. Put the following advice on the interactive whiteboard or board:

Once you have read the story, summarize it in one word.
Expand that word to create a lesson or a message.

Retell stories you have already read in your reading series to give pupils the chance to develop this ability. Ask them to create a theme using the previous two steps. Contrast themes in one story with those in another.

Say, "A story's theme is supported by its character traits. What qualities does Cinderella possess?" (For instance, being polite, considerate, and diligent) "How do these qualities support the story's theme?"( Cinderella gets rewarded for her hard work with good things in her life. Cinderella's dreams come true because she has faith in them. Cinderella gets rewarded because she is kind.)

Consider this question: "If Cinderella treated her stepsisters and stepmother the same way they treated her, how would the story change? If the stepsisters and stepmother had shown kindness and compassion, how might the tale have changed?" Before sharing their responses with the class, have students discuss in small groups.

Part 2

Distribute copies of Talkin' About Bessie to some small groups and They Call Her Molly Pitcher to other small groups. (Alternatively, you might use different book pairs with related topics.) Give the pupils the assignment to read the book and find the theme. Once they're done, ask them, "What is the theme of the book you read?" (For instance, bravery has the power to alter history.) Encourage the discussion of the theme and the read story in each group.

Assign pupils to read books with a major character (Molly in They Call Her Molly Pitcher and Bessie in Talkin' About Bessie) and have them describe the attributes of each character. Next, assign each student to a partner who has also read the other book in class. Assist the partners in completing the L-3-3-3_Venn Diagram. Show children how to list contrasts in the outer circles and similarities in the overlapping section of the circles if they are not familiar with Venn diagrams. After that, assign students to read the other book. Ask students to go back and edit or add to their Venn diagrams.

Talk about the character's distinctions and similarities. "How do the main characters' similarities with each other connect the main character to the story's theme?", you ask your students. (Every character exhibits bravery. The deeds of the character impact history.)

Extension:

When they're ready to go beyond the basic curriculum, students can read two stories that have a similar theme (refer to the list of ideas under Related Resources) and work alone on the Analyzing Characters and Theme worksheet (L-3-3-3_Analyzing Characters and Theme).
If students require more experience, they might work with you to determine the subject and qualities of a character in one of Aesop's stories. As they enact the story, students should demonstrate how the character traits relate to the theme. Under Related Resources, there is a source on fables.