#4691. Themes

Literature, level: Middle
Posted 02/26/2013 by Lillian Samuels (Lillian Samuels).
Materials Required: Sentence strip with definition, video clip of shaggy and Friend's "We Shall Rise"
Activity Time: 1hour 10 minutes
Concepts Taught: Themes in the short story "The Coomacka Tree"

Lesson Plan
Name:
School:
Grade: 1-N
Date: January 28, 2013
Duration: 1hr 10 mins
Subject: Literature
Lesson Topic: The Coomacka Tree - Themes
Objectives:
General
At the end of the lesson students will
a) know what themes are

Specific
Cognitive
a) After listening to Shaggy and Friends' "We shall rise again" and students will identify some central ideas in the song that are common to those in the short story "Coomacka Tree".
Psychomotor
a) After formulating a definition for Themes students will select examples from the short story The Coomacka Tree say how these lines add to the Theme of Community Spirit and Helping.
Affective
a) Students will work in their groups in order to adequately complete the task of highlighting and writing about one other theme found in the short story The Coomacka Tree.


Prerequisite Knowledge
Students should have knowledge of main ideas and figurative devices.

Strategies and Approaches
Discussion
Deductive Approach

Instructional Material
• Lyrics to We Shall Raise by Shaggy and Friends and
• audio clip of song We Shall Rise
• Chart with definition of themes

Key Concepts/Content
The theme of a book is a universal idea or message that stretches through an entire story that reveals insight about human life.
Themes in The Coomacka Tree
• Helping Each other.
Lines that highlight the Theme
"Since there was so much work to do the Caribs divided up the work" pg 8
". . . the men set out to cut down the tree" pg 12
"Let us show what we can do. Our Strength can transform the dull earth into a silver world like our moon" pg 8
"We need help. Perhaps Woodpecker. . . can help us" pg 10

Teaching Learning Activities
Introductory Activity
Step 1 Students will listen to "We Shall Rise Again" and be asked to identify some central ideas about human behavior coming out of the song.
Expected Response Do not be selfish
We should help each other

Step 2 -Students will read the definition of themes for a chart on the board after which they will copy the definition in their books.

Developmental Activity
Activity 1 -- Finding the Theme
Step 1 -Students will be asked if there are any common themes between the song and the short story The Cookmacka Tree.
Expected Response We should help each other.
Caring is sharing. Responses will be written on the board.
Step 2 -- The Theme of Helping each other will be highlighted.
Step 3 -- Students will be asked to read lines from the story which highlights this theme.
Expected response "Since there was so much work to do the Caribs divided up the work" pg 8
". . . the men set out to cut down the tree" pg 12
"Let us show what we can do. Our Strength can transform the dull earth into a silver world like our moon" pg 8
"We need help. Perhaps Woodpecker. . . can help us" pg 10
Activity 2
Step 1 - Students will be asked to formulate statements about the theme of helping each other based on how the theme is depicted in the short story The Coomacka Tree.
Step 2 - Teacher will write an example on the board to shoe students of model of what is expected. Helping each other gets the work done easier.
Expected Response helping each other will allows for unity
Helping each other gives a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day.

Culminating Activity
Students will work in groups to find another theme from the short story The Cookmacka Tree and write a paragraph about how the writer handled the theme.