Teaching Theme: THE MEssage

One way you can help your students decipher the difference between a theme and a summary is to start by simply labeling any charts you create for theme as "THE MEssage." This helps students remember that a theme is a message that you can find and apply to your own life. It can be more complicated than the moral explicitly stated at the end of a fable. Also, a story or novel can have multiple themes woven throughout and go far beyond a word such as "friendship," though identifying a key word is a great first step in identifying a theme. Taking the key word of friendship in the novel The Watsons Go to Birmingham—1963, you can develop a theme. Start with the question: "What did the main character, Rufus, learn about friendship?" Exploring this question can help you explore a potential theme.
So, what are some common themes that are found in literature? I am offering a more complex list of common themes found in literature, from young adult literature through the classics, as well as a few graphic organizers, and a PDF version of a SmartBoard lesson.

You can learn more about how I teach theme in the classroom by visiting my blog at:
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/top_teaching/2011/02/helping-students-grasp-themes-in-literature