Homework: Theme 8/7/2013

In class today, we discussed the fact that a theme is the author's message about life in a story.  We usually have a message or a lesson learned from a story, and that is the story's theme.  Stories can have one or several themes, but most stories have one main theme.  Also, the theme is rarely stated, but you, as the reader, must use the details and events of the story to infer the theme.

For your homework, follow the steps below:

1.  Go to the following link
http://www.ereadingworksheets.com/reading-worksheets/theme-lesson.htm

2.  Read through each of the tabs or links about theme.  Just click on each white title on the left of the screen, and it will open a slide like a power point on the right of the screen.

3.  Read the three practice stories at the end of the links, "Once there was a mean", "Angie loved to draw", and "Jenny hated reading class."

4.  Choose the profile anonymous before you click "publish"

4.  Post the theme to one of the three stories that your read.  You only need to choose ONE to post about on the blog.

5.  Feel free to respond to other's posts as well.  

*Remember to include your name with your post!!!

Perspective / Point of View

Consider the stories that we read today about the Three Little Pigs.  We read a story from the pigs point of view, and we read the wolf's point of view.  You then had to think about the different point of views or perspectives that people had who experienced the sinking of the Lusitania during WWI.  We discussed three possible point of views in class today.  Respond by telling me which point of view you chose to write from.  Be sure to include why you chose it in your post, and make sure to include your name.  I also challenge you to respond to a classmate who chose a different perspective than you did.

WWI - German U Boat

Click on the link below to watch an eyewitness account of an actual German U-boat sink an Italian ship in 1917 during WWI.

http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/himu-boat.htm


Watch this clip of an actual U-boat attack.  How do you feel after watching this?  Why?  Why were the use of u-boats a great war tactic during WWI?  Why were they effective?

Dramatic Literature

Watch this reader's theater performed by Mrs. Foster's class.  I want you to think about the elements of dramatic literature while you watch this play.  Do you notice any scenes, acts, cast of characters, or stage directions?  What is the play about?  What is the tone of the play?  Does this play have a theme or message about life, and what do you think is the author's purpose for writing this play?

Post a comment with your thoughts to one or some of these questions.

Political Cartoon

This is a political cartoon of the Panama Canal.  Please post a comment with anything that you observe in this cartoon.  Tell me what you see.

To begin...

I want to start this blog for fifth grade students in my reading and social studies class at Abney.  I am excited that we can work together and have discussion on this site about what we do in class.  I am looking forward to see what we can do.