Teacher: Kristen Miro

Lesson number: 2
Lesson Title: Finding theme in a text (THE MEssage)
Grade/Subject: Grade 4/ English Language Arts
Learning Segment Essential Question: How can we find the main theme or message of a text?

(If this is a literacy-based lesson, please complete this box)

Central focus: Comprehension
Essential literacy strategy: Identifying theme using evidence from a text.
Requisite skills: Spelling, grammar, punctuation
Reading and Writing connections: While reading, students will fill out an anchor chart to help them find
common words of ideas within a text.

Con Content/Common Core Standard(s):

Reading Standards for Literature:
Key Ideas and Details:
4.1-Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from
a text.
4.2-Determine the theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; summarize the text.
Craft and Structure:
4.4- Determine the meaning of general academic and domain-specific words or phrases in a text relevant to a grade 4 topic
or subject area.

Integration of Knowledge and Ideas:

4.7- Interpret information presented visually, orally, or quantitatively (e.g., in charts, graphs, diagrams, time lines,
animations, or interactive elements on Web pages) and explain how the information contributes to an understanding of the
text in which it appears.
4.9- Compare and contrast the treatment of similar themes and topics (e.g. opposition of good and evil) in stories, myths,
and traditional literature from different cultures.

Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity:

4.11- Recognize, interpret, and make connections in narratives, poetry, and drama to other texts, ideas, cultural
perspective, personal events and situations.

Speaking and Listening Standards:

4.1- Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher lead) with diverse
partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on each others ideas and expressing their own clearly.
a. Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation and other
information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.
b. Follow agreed upon rules for discussion and carry out assigned roles.
c. Pose and respond to specific questions to clarify or follow up on information, and make comments that contribute to the
discussion and link to the remarks of others.
d. Review the key ideas expressed and explain their own ideas and understanding in light of the conversation.
e. Seek to understand and communicate with individuals from different perspectives and cultural backgrounds.

Learning Objectives associated with the content standards:

Students will be able to determine the theme of a story using an anchor chart.
Students will be able to identify the meaning of words, phrases, or ideas to help determine the theme in a text.
Students will be able to identify theme using a graphic organizer.

Academic Language Demands

Academic Language Supports

Vocabulary: theme, message, evidence, determine, Vocabulary: Frayer Model

identify
Language function: The teacher will create an anchor
Language function: Identifying theme using words, chart on finding theme or the message of a story.
The anchor chart will demonstrate how theme is
phrases, and key ideas.
either stated in the story or implied. The anchor chart
Discourse or Syntax: Students will be encouraged to
will provide common examples of themes such as
participate in making a theme anchor chart. The
friendship. The class will use the movie Frozen as
teacher will use the movie Frozen as an example in
an example for the anchor chart.
order to identify theme. Students will model the anchor
Students will have individual practice using a graphic
chart using a graphic organizer in the read aloud of
organizer during the read aloud of Stone Soup.
Stone Soup.
Discourse or Syntax: Students engage in a think,
pair, share activity in which they will list the repeated
ideas in the movie frozen. Students will be provided
with graphic organizers and will write the information
from the anchor chart onto their graphic organizers.
After the read aloud of Stone Soup, students will
work in groups to find the theme of stone soup.
Student Friendly Daily Learning Targets
I can identify theme in a given text.
I can identify key words or phrases in order to determine a theme in a story.
I can use an anchor chart to determine the theme in Stone Soup.

Monitoring Student Learning: Formal and Informal Assessments prior to, during & after learning
segment
Throughout the course of the lesson, student progress will be assessed through a series of informal
assessments. Students will be assessed on their ability to collaborate with one another to find the message or
theme of a story. Students will be assessed on their ability to identify key words or phrases that might allude to
the theme of a text. Throughout the lesson, students will be required to demonstrate their knowledge and skills
by collaborating with one another and completing an anchor chart. Students will use the movie Frozen as an
example in identifying theme. Students will be provided with a graphic organizer in order to copy the information
from the anchor chart.
Students will be provided with a separate graphic organizer. The teacher will engage the class in a read aloud
of the book Stone Soup. Students will be divided into groups. The students will be encouraged to collaborate
with one another in order to identify the theme in the story. The teacher will monitor student progress by
listening in on group conversations. The teacher will ask questions to help guide students throughout the read
aloud.

Description of formal/ informal assessments:

Students will be informally assessed through their ability to identify the message or/theme of a story. Students
will be assessed through group discussions and on their ability to collaborate with peers in order to complete the
anchor chart. Students will be assessed on their ability to use the anchor chart demonstrated in class in order
determine the theme of Stone Soup.
Students will hand in their anchor charts at the closure of the lesson.
Students will fill out an exit ticket to show what they have learned throughout the lesson.
What is being assessed:
Students will be assessed on their ability to demonstrate knowledge of finding the theme of a story. Students
will be assessed on their ability in to use the anchor chart provided in class to determine the theme of Stone
Soup.
Assessment accommodations:
Students will be provided with the Frayer model in order to help define unfamiliar words in a given text.
Students will be enabled to work with peers in order to determine the theme of a text. Throughout the lesson,
students can refer to the theme anchor chart and their graphic organizers in order to identify the theme.
Type of feedback that will be given to students:
Students will be provided with oral feedback on their ability to work with peers in order to complete the anchor
chart.
What students will do with the feedback:
Students will be enabled to use the feedback by the teacher in order to reflect on their own understanding of
theme and how it can be found in a given text.

Instructional Resources and Materials:

Anchor Chart
Markers/Pencils
Graphic Organizers
Frayer Model Worksheet

Connection to prior academic learning and prerequisite skills:

Prior to this lesson, students would have learned to find the main idea of a paragraph. Students would have
demonstrated this knowledge by underlining the sentence in a paragraph that shows what the text was mostly
about. Students will build upon such knowledge by circling or highlighting key words, phrases, or repeated
ideas in order to identify theme in a text.
Connections to cultural/personal/community assets:
Students will be enabled to make personal connections to the lesson by using their current knowledge on the
concept of team work (the theme found in Stone Soup). Students will be asked how team work can be used in
order to help end child hunger. Students will be asked how they can work together in order to help their school
and local communities.

Motivation/Hook/Anticipatory Set: ( 10 min)

For the motivation of this lesson, students will engage in a whole group discussion about the importance of
finding the purpose of a story (i.e. why do you think the author wrote this story). The teacher will present the
acronym THE MEssage; which explains that the theme of a story is another way of finding the message the
author was trying to convey. The teacher will then use the movie Frozen as an example with identifying theme.
Students will engage in a think, pair, share activity on the possible themes in Frozen. The teacher will ask
students if the theme or message in the movie is a lesson that they want the audience to learn. The students
will be asked if the theme is a personal lesson or a lesson that should be put into action.

Procedure:
Time

Teacher Action

Student Action

20

After the class has engaged in a whole

group discussion about finding the
authors message in a story, the teacher
will create an anchor chart with the class
to help students identify theme. The
anchor chart will show how theme is
either stated or implied. If the theme is
implied, the reader will have to use key
words, phrases, and the repetition of
ideas in order to find the theme. The
other side of the anchor chart will show
students common themes that are used
in a story. Using the movie Frozen, the
teacher will ask the class if the theme is
stated in the movie or implied. The
students will be asked if the theme is a
personal lesson or a lesson that requires
action.

While the teacher uses an anchor chart to model theme,

students will be provided with a graphic organizer in order
to help them identify theme.
Using the movie Frozen as an example, students will be
encouraged to engage in a think, pair, share activity to
decide if the theme is stated or implied. Students will
be asked to list key ideas the movie has presented in
order to find the theme.
Students will discuss in pairs if the theme in Frozen is a
personal lesson or a lesson that requires action from the
audience.

During this process, the teacher will

provide students will a graphic organizer.
Students will be able to copy the
information on the anchor chart.

10

After the teacher models how theme is

found in a story, students will engage in
a group read aloud of the book Stone
Soup by Jon J. Muth. During this time,
students will be provided with a separate
graphic organizer. Students will be
encouraged to participate by listening to
the story before filling out the graphic
organizer.

25
After reading the book Stone Soup,
students will be divided into groups of
four. Using the graphic organizers,
students will have to identify the theme.
Students will be asked if the theme was
stated or implied. Teacher will ask
students if the theme is a personal
lesson or a lesson that requires action.
Students will be asked to discuss their
ideas with their group members.
During this process, the teacher will
monitor student progress by working
with each group individually.

During the read aloud, students will be encouraged to sit

in a circle on the carpet in the back of the room. Students
will be asked to listen carefully for the theme in the story.
Students will not fill out the graphic organizer during the
story.

Using the graphic organizers, students will be asked to

work with their group members in order to identify the
theme. Students will determine if the theme was stated
throughout the text or implied. If the theme was implied,
students will be asked to write down key events or
repeated ideas or phrases in order to help identify the
theme.
Students will work together in determining the authors
purpose of writing the story.

Teacher: Kristen Miro

Lesson number: 3

Closure (5-7 min)

Lesson Title: Using Evidence to support a theme/idea

During the closure of the lesson, students will be re-directed into a whole group discussion. The teacher will ask
theGrade/Subject:
students to identifyGrade
the theme
or message
of Stone Soup
4/ English
Language
Arts and why they think the author wrote the story.
Students will be asked if the message or lesson in a story requires any action from the audience. The teacher
Segment
Essential
Question:
Howcan
canbewe
useto
evidence
in child
a texthunger
in order
support
given
willLearning
ask how the
theme of
team work
in the book
used
help fight
in to
their
local a
school
theme or idea?
community.

(If students
this is a literacy-based
please
complete this box)
How
will reflect on lesson,
their own
learning
Central
Composition
Students
willfocus:
be asked
to complete an exit ticket in their writing journals. Students will be asked to list one thing
they learned, if they agree with what they have learned, and any additional questions they might have about
Essential
literacy
strategy:
Identifying
theme
usingtoevidence
from a thoughts
text.
their
understanding
of theme.
Students
will be
enabled
write additional
about the lesson
Requisite skills: Spelling, grammar,
punctuation. in IEPs and 504 plans
Accommodations/Modifications
to requirements
Reading
Writing to
connections:
While
students will
be provided
a graphic
Students
willand
be enabled
work in groups
withreading,
varied learners.
Students
will bewith
provided
withorganizer
enlarged intexts
order
to
help
them
identify
key
events
or
key
ideas
by
providing
page
numbers.
and Frayer Models in order to help define unfamiliar words.

Differentiation
Students will be provided with Frayer Models to help decode unfamiliar words. Students will be provided with
an anchor chart to help determine the meaning of theme in a story. Students will be provided with graphic
organizers to help identify the theme in a given text. Students will have the opportunity to work in groups with
varied leveled learners and share opinions and ideas.
Students will also have the opportunity to walk around and discuss with other groups about their ideas and
opinions.
Content/Common Core Standard(s):
Reading Standards for Informational texts:
Key Ideas and
Details: to Support Learning
Technology
Integration
4.1-Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing
inferences
from
a text. with smart board technology in order to help determine theme and how it is used in a
Students
will be
provided
4.2- Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.
text.
Writing Standards:
4.1-Write opinion pieces on topics of texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.
a. Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which related
ideas are grouped to support the writers purpose.
b. Support reasons that are supported by facts and details.
c. Link opinions and reasons using words and phrases (e.g. for instance, in order to, in addition to).
d. Provide a concluding statement or sections related to the opinion presented.
Speaking and Listening Standards:
4.1- Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions (one-on-one, in groups, and teacher lead)
with diverse partners on grade 4 topics and texts, building on each others ideas and expressing their own
clearly.
a. Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that
preparation and other information known about the topic to explore ideas under discussion.

Teacher: Kristen Miro

Lesson number: 4
Lesson Title: Using Evidence in Writing
Grade/Subject: Grade 4/ English Language Arts
Learning Segment Essential Question: How can we use evidence in our writing?

(If this is a literacy-based lesson, please complete this box)

Central focus: Composition
Essential literacy strategy: Identifying theme using evidence from a text.
Requisite skills: Spelling, grammar, punctuation, writing a cohesive paragraph with a topic sentence,
supporting details, and conclusion.
Reading and Writing connections: While writing, students will be able to use their graphic organizers in
order to write evidence based paragraphs.
Content/Common Core Standard(s):
Reading Standards for Informational texts:
Key Ideas and Details:
4.1-Refer to details and examples in a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing
inferences from a text.
4.2- Determine the main idea of a text and explain how it is supported by key details; summarize the text.
Range of Reading and Level of Text Complexity:
4.11- Recognize, interpret, and make connections in narratives, poetry, and drama to other texts, ideas,
cultural perspective, personal events and situations.

Writing Standards:
4.1-Write opinion pieces on topics of texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.
a. Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which related
ideas are grouped to support the writers purpose.
b. Support reasons that are supported by facts and details.
c. Link opinions and reasons using words and phrases (e.g. for instance, in order to, in addition to).
d. Provide a concluding statement or sections related to the opinion presented.

Learning Objectives associated with the content standards:

Students will be able to write an evidence based paragraph.
Students will be able to support a theme/idea by citing specific details and examples from the book.
Students will be able to write a cohesive paragraph with a topic sentence, body, and concluding sentence.

Academic Language Demands

Academic Language Supports

Vocabulary: Evidence, determine, conclude, support

Vocabulary: Frayer Model

Language function: Identifying theme using evidence Language function: Using Evidence graphic
organizer/Evidence based writing PowerPoint
from a text.
Discourse or Syntax: The teacher will engage
students in a PowerPoint lesson. The teacher will
provide a sample paragraph entry. During this time,
students will underline, highlight, and circle, the topic
sentence, body with supporting details, and
conclusion sentence.

Discourse or Syntax: During the PowerPoint,

students will have the opportunity to review a
sample paragraph written by a student. The
students will have the chance to determine the
topic sentence, body with supporting details, and
concluding sentences. Students will then be asked
to write their own evidence based paragraphs
supporting the theme team work using their
graphic organizers.

Student Friendly Daily Learning Targets

I can write a paragraph using evidence to support my ideas.
I can support a theme or idea using specific details from the text.
I can write a paragraph with an introduction, body, and conclusion.
Monitoring Student Learning: Formal and Informal Assessments prior to, during & after
learning segment
Student progress will be monitored by a series of informal and formal assessments. Students will be
assessed on their abilities to reflect on the story Stone Soup and the themes associated with the book.
Students will be assessed on their ability to participate in the evidence writing paragraph by circling,
underlining, or highlighting the topic sentence, body with supporting details, and conclusion in the sample
paragraph provided. After a discussion on evidence based writing, students will be expected to
demonstrate their knowledge in paragraph writing. Students will be required to include a topic or
introduction sentence, body, and concluding sentence in their paragraphs. Students will be assessed on
their ability to write a cohesive paragraph using supporting details from the text. Students will hand in their
Using Evidence graphic organizers and evidence based paragraphs.

Description of formal/ informal assessments:

Students will be informally assessed through their knowledge of the book Stone Soup and their ability to
formulate ideas through class discussion. Students will be assessed on their ability to demonstrate their
knowledge in paragraph writing by determining the topic sentence, body with supporting details, and
conclusion of a paragraph.
Students will be formally assessed on their ability to write a cohesive paragraph using their graphic
organizers.
Students will have an opportunity to self-assess my completing an exit ticket at the closure of the lesson.

What is being assessed:

Students will be assessed on their ability to support to theme of team work using specific evidence from the
text.
Students will be assessed on their ability to write a cohesive paragraph that includes an introduction, body,
and concluding sentence.
Assessment accommodations:
Students will be provided with a Frayer model in order to help define specific vocabulary that might be used
in their writing. Students will be provided with graphic organizers to help them organize their ideas and list
the page numbers and key events. Struggling writers will be provided with a Step up to Writing worksheet
which demonstrates how to write a paragraph with a topic sentence, body, and conclusion.
Type of feedback that will be given to students:
Students will be provided with written feedback on their evidence based paragraphs and on their exit tickets
at the completion of the lesson.
What students will do with the feedback:
Students will use the feedback provided by the teacher in order to reflect on the lesson and their ability to
use evidence throughout their writing.
Instructional Resources and Materials:
Using Evidence graphic organizer
PowerPoint
Step Up to Writing worksheet
Pens/Pencils
Connection to prior academic learning and prerequisite skills:
Prior to this lesson, students would have previous learned about writing a cohesive paragraph with five
sentences with proper spelling, grammar, and punctuation. Students will build upon prior knowledge by
learning how to include a topic sentence, body with supporting details, and concluding sentence in order to
support the theme or Stone Soup.

Connections to cultural/personal/community assets:

Students will be able to write how team work is shown throughout the book Stone Soup. Students will be
able to reflect how team work is used in order to help one another. Students will be able to reflect how
team work can be used throughout the school community and environment.

Motivation/Hook/Anticipatory Set: ( 10 min)

At the beginning of this lesson, the teacher will divide students into groups. Each group will be provided
with an envelope that contains different details from the story that is presented as clues. In each group,
the students are the detectives. In order to find the theme team work throughout the story, each group
must piece the evidence or supporting details that supports the theme of the book.

Procedure:
Time

Teacher Action

Student Action

25

30

15

After the group activity, students will

engage in a PowerPoint
presentation. The presentation will
provide steps on how to write a
cohesive evidence based paragraph
with a topic sentence, body with
supporting details, and concluding
sentence. Here, the teacher will
provide a sample evidence based
paragraph on the smartboard. The
teacher will enable students to
underline, highlight, and circle the
parts of an evidence based
paragraph.

After the PowerPoint

presentation, the teacher will
assign a writing prompt for
students to work on
independently. Teacher will ask
students to write the how team
work is displayed throughout the
story Stone Soup using
supporting details from the text.
The students will be enabled to
use their graphic organizers to
provide evidence for their writing.

After the activity, the teacher will

enable students to engage in a
whole group discussion. Students
will be encouraged to share their
paragraphs with the class.

During the PowerPoint presentation, students will be

provided with their own copies. Students will have the
opportunity to take notes. Students will be encouraged
to participate by underlining, circling, and highlighting
the topic sentence, body, and concluding sentence.

During this writing prompt, students will be asked to

write an evidence based paragraph supporting the
concept of team work. Students are asked to use their
graphic organizers to help provide specific details from
the text.
Students will also be provided with the Step Up to
Writing worksheet that will help them write a topic
sentence, body with supporting details, and concluding
sentences.

Students will have the opportunity to engage with their

peers when sharing their paragraphs. Students will be
encouraged to peer edit each others paragraphs.

Closure (5-7 min)

At the closure of this lesson, students will be directed into a whole group discussion. The teacher will ask
the students how team work can be used in order to help their school and local communities. How might
team work help with regards to ending child hunger?
How students will reflect on their own learning
Students will be asked to complete an exit ticket. Students will be asked to demonstrate their knowledge of
evidence based writing and how to use supporting details in a text.

Accommodations/Modifications to requirements in IEPs and 504 plans

Students will be provided with the Frayer Model in order to help define unfamiliar words in their writing.
Students will be enabled to use their graphic organizers to help construct a cohesive paragraph with an
introduction, body, and conclusion.
Struggling writers will be able to use the Step Up to Writing handout in order to organize their paragraphs.

Differentiation

Students will be provided with a Frayer model in order to help them define any vocabulary used
throughout their writing prompt.
Students will be provided with the Step Up to Writing handout.
Students will have the opportunity to peer edit with one another after the writing prompt.
Technology Integration to Support Learning

Smart board technology will be provided for students to help them see examples of evidence
based paragraphs.