1. Learning Standards:
I can define & identify the theme of a text.

2. Today’s objectives: Copy the following notes on to page 32
Review the mini practices
Complete a independent practice

3. Theme is the life lesson of a story or the author’s message.
Theme in Literature 32
Theme is the life lesson of a story or the author’s message.
The author will not tell you the theme; readers have to figure it out by looking at implicit information. .
Theme is a SENTENCE- NOT just one word!
In a theme statement, do not use character names or specifics related to the plot
Common themes are known as : Universal Themes
For example:
Don’t judge a book by its cover.
Hard work pays off.
Treat others as you would like to be treated.
They come up again and again in literature all over the world
Try to use your own words!
Readers find theme by asking…
What is the subject?
And what is the author saying about it?
Is the main character trying to tell me something?
What is the story beginning to really be about?
Am I learning? What am I learning?
Is the main character learning something?

4. Practice
Read the following mini-stories. Identify the theme without sounding cliché. Then, justify your answers.

5. Scenario 1
All Victor ever wanted to do with his life was be a singer. He didn’t pay attention in school and he spent all of his time at home watching music videos online and impersonating his idols. His mother tried to teach him the value of getting an education and having a backup plan, but Victor would respond the same way every time, “Mom, I won’t need to know any of that boring old stuff when I’m famous. You’ll see.” But there was one major problem with Victor’s plan: he wasn’t any good at singing. Victor wanted to be a singer so badly, that he didn’t notice the pained look on the faces of those who endured his singing. Because he wanted to be a singer so badly, when honest people told him to find something else to do with his life, he accused them of being “jealous haters” and ignored their advice. After Victor dropped out of high school to focus on his music career, the years passed and the doors never opened.

6. What is the theme? Always have a back up plan OR don’t rely on one thing; OR sometimes you should listen to other’s advice
What happens in the story that leads you to believe this? Victor puts all his energy into becoming a singer even though he’s terrible.

7. Scenario 2
The little grey mouse that lived in my wall prospered for many days on nibbles of my lunch. I’d pack a meal before bed and, while I slept, he would take small bites of my lunch, which I left on the counter. He’d take a cracker crumble here, and a bread crumb there, but he wouldn’t take too much and he’d always clean up after himself. Things were going quite well for him and I didn’t even know he existed, until he got sloppy. One night while I slept, he ate all of my chips and left behind a big mess. When I awoke to this sight, I knew what had happened to my chips. So the next night when he returned for another snack, he found a nice, delicious piece of cheese… lightly balanced on a mouse trap. Now I don’t have to share my chips anymore.

8. What is the theme? Don’t be greedy OR don’t be messy; OR clean up after yourself; don’t eat other people‘s food without permission
What happens in the story that leads you to believe this? The mouse lives a happy life in the shadows until he act too bold.

9. Practice! Now…it’s your turn to practice.
Grab the independent practice sheet on the handout table.
Read through the cheezy mini-stories and answer the same two questions that were in the practice.
Homework if you don’