Standard: 6.RL.2 – Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments.
Grade level: Grade 6
Subject: English Language Arts
Domain: Reading: Literature
Teacher Overview
This standard focuses on helping students identify the theme or central idea of a text and understand how it is conveyed through specific details. It’s important because recognizing themes enhances comprehension and critical thinking skills, which are essential for deeper literary analysis and appreciation. Students should already know how to identify story elements and summarize a text. They should be familiar with distinguishing between main ideas and supporting details.
After mastering this standard, students will be able to analyze and compare themes across different texts, understand how themes develop over the course of a text, and evaluate the effectiveness of an author’s use of details to convey a theme.
Common Misconception 1
A common misconception is that students might confuse the theme with the main idea or plot. The theme is the underlying message or lesson, while the main idea is what the story is about. The plot is the sequence of events in the story.
Intervention 1
Use graphic organizers to help students map out the differences between theme, main idea, and plot. Provide examples and non-examples to reinforce the distinctions.
Common Misconception 2
Another misconception is that students might think their personal opinions should be included in a summary. Summaries should be objective and based on the text, not influenced by personal feelings or judgments.
Intervention 2
Practice writing objective summaries with students. Compare and contrast objective summaries with personal responses to highlight the differences. Use peer review to help students identify and correct subjective statements.
Prerequisite Knowledge
Students should have a basic understanding of story elements such as plot, character, setting, and conflict. They should also be able to identify key details in a text and summarize a story in their own words.
Subsequent Knowledge
Students will develop the ability to compare and contrast themes across different texts, analyze how themes are developed over the course of a text, and evaluate the effectiveness of an author’s use of details to convey a theme.
Instructional Activities
- Read a short story and identify the theme using a graphic organizer.
- Write a summary of a story, focusing on the theme and key details.
- Create a visual representation (e.g., poster or storyboard) of the theme of a story.
- Compare themes across two different stories and discuss similarities and differences.
- Participate in a group discussion about the theme of a recently read text.
