This mini unit includes resources to introduce or review theme to your 4th and 5th graders. Teaching theme is crucial because it fosters critical thinking, deepens reading comprehension, and helps children make connections between literature and their own lives. This unit includes book recommendations, graphic organizers, reading comprehension passages & questions, exit slips, and activities. All activities are available in a print and digital format.
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What is included?
1. Google Slides/PowerPoint: This is an interactive teaching presentation to teach theme. The Google Slides and PowerPoints help you teach or review the skill. There are three versions included in both PowerPoint & Google Slides. The slide presentation is organized so that you can use the I Do, We Do, You Do method:
- Model the Skill
- Let's Try It! (Active Engagement)
- Independent Practice (Exit Slip)
Version 1: (Teaching Slides) These slides include transitions so that you can discuss the answers before they appear. The answers are also in the notes section of the slideshow.
Version 2: (Student Slides) These slides can be used if you are teaching virtually or if you want to use this as a review and have students complete on their own.
Version 3: (Answer Key) This slide has all the answers.
2. Tips for choosing books to teach theme
3. Book Recommendations: chapter books & picture books
4. Graphic Organizers: common themes, multiple themes, themes across stories, theme: finding evidence, step-by-step theme, thinking about theme, revealing the theme
5. Theme Posters: The following theme posters are included: theme, theme topics vs. statements, revealing the theme, common themes. The posters come in different colors: red, teal, black and white)
6. Reading Comprehension Passages & Questions: total of 5 with a focus on theme
7. Exit Slips: There are 5 exit slips with a variety of questioning about theme in multiple choice or short response format. They print 2 per page and are also available in Google Forms.
8. Reading Activities:
- Best Friends Forever? (step-by-step theme)
- Theme: true or false?
- Could it be a theme?
- Theme or Main Idea?
- Theme: Find the Evidence x 2
- Writing about Theme
- Thinking about Theme
- Theme Practice
- Theme Quote Match
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