Stations

Lesson Topic/Grade Level: Theme, 9th Grade English

Learning Goals:
Understanding Goals:
Students will understand that authors use themes to show deeper meanings behind works.

Skill Goals:
Students will be able to analyze text in order to develop understanding of themes. (Analyze)
Students will be able to investigate overarching themes between works. (Create)
Students will be able to compare and contrast the way in which authors use themes within different genres of literature. (Analyze)

Assessment:
Students’ understanding of theme will be assessed in three different ways. They will find and present the theme of a work on a posterboard, create
lists of topics that relate to the theme of a work, and fill out a graphic organizor that will demonstrate the process of finding the theme of a work.
These three concrete methods of assessment will allow the teacher to analyze the ways in which they understand theme within context and not just as
an isolated concept. The rigor of these assessments will be implemented through the material I give them to analyze. The levels of collaboration and
discussion will also vary between the groups to better suit their needs.

Students Rotate Among the Following Activities: Teacher-led Instruction, Small group instruction, and online instruction.

Launch: I will have prepared a powerpoint that goes over the basic definition of what theme is. This powerpoint will show some basic examples of
theme through some short excerpts of writing and music. I will have the tables arranged into three distinct stations with instructions for each clearly
labeled on colorful construction paper. Students will travel between these stations with their chromebooks. I will divide students into groups based
on random colors, and assign each group to its beginning station. I will ring a bell when it is time to switch stations.

Group Pertinent Rotation 1 Rotation 2 Rotation 3

Assessment Evidence (Time Frame: 26 mins.) (Time Frame: 26 mins.) (Time Frame: 26 mins.)
1 This group does not Students will analyze the poem This group will individually listen to This group will be given the article
fully understand the “Daffodils” by William Wordsworth “Alive” by Sia, “The Climb” by “PROPOSED TREATMENT TO FIX
concept of theme and with the teacher. They will take Miley Cyrus, and “Rise” by Katy GENETIC DISEASES RAISES ETHICAL
 how it interacts with turns reading the poem line by Perry and take notes on what they ISSUES.” Working together, they
other literary line, and they will select words or believe the common theme to be. will write down a list of topics that
elements. They phrases that allude to a larger As a group, they will fill out an relate to the article. They will
provided answers such theme. They will place these words online graphic organizer to help select the most prevalent topics,
as “I don’t know,” or into a word catcher, then analyze them narrow down the theme of and through multiple rounds of
very vague examples them as a group. Once these words these songs. After they are finished brainstorming, they will decide on
that showed little solid have been discussed, then the with this, they will place their a theme that best encapsulates the
connection with the students will work together to findings on a large poster board. article.
material. decide on what the bigger picture
is.
2 This group has This group will individually watch This group will be given the article With the teacher, this group will
foundational the Pixar shortfilm “Lava” and take “PROPOSED TREATMENT TO FIX analyze the poem “The Tyger” by
understandings of notes on what the driving points GENETIC DISEASES RAISES ETHICAL William Blake. They will take turns
theme and other are. They will fill out a graphic ISSUES.” Working together, they reading this poem out loud and
literary elements. organizer that will help them will write down a list of topics that highlighting words or phrases that
They have given develop a concise statement that relate to the article. They will allude to a larger theme. The
simple-sentenced describes the theme of this short select the most prevalent topics, students will choose one word that
answers that touch film. Once they have filled this out, and through multiple rounds of they believe best represents the
lightly on theme, such they will discuss as a group what brainstorming, they will decide on theme, then write a paragraph
as “It’s what guides they believe the theme to be and a theme that best encapsulates the explaining what the theme is and
the book” and “It write their findings on a large article. why this word best represents it.
makes the story a posterboard.
certain way.” These
students have a grasp
on what these
concepts could be and
need context in order
to fully apply and
strengthen their
understanding.

3 These students have a This group will be given the article With the teacher, the students will This group will individually watch
solid understanding of “PROPOSED TREATMENT TO FIX read the poem “Ozymandias” by the shortfilm “Hair Love” and take
theme and how it GENETIC DISEASES RAISES ETHICAL Percy Shelley while listening to a notes on the important themes
interacts with other ISSUES.” Working together, they reading of this poem by the within the video. As a group, they
literary elements. will write down a list of topics that “Breaking Bad” character Walter will fill out a graphic organizor that
 They gave answers relate to the article. Each person White. They will engage in a differentiates between and
such as “Theme is the will be assigned one of these discussion about how the different explains each intersecting theme.
main idea that topics, and they must provide elements of the poem create This group will then place their
happens throughout textual evidence as to why their different aspects of the theme. findings on a large poster board.
the story.” These topic is the most important theme They will then answer a prompt in
students most likely in a miniature debate. This their journals about how theme
developed a strong evidence will be recorded in a can be portrayed in different types
understanding in Jamboard. of works.
previous English
classes and are ready
for more challenging
contexts.

Closure: When each group has finished their last station, I will ask each group to share their poster board. Each group will give a brief summary of
what they watched and will explain the theme that they came up with for each work. This will create a class discussion surrounding how each group
discovered the themes of their different works.