Spooky Tales of 5th Grade-Part 2: Theme and Personification
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Phase:
During/Explore/Explain
Activity:
1. Review the definition of theme (the moral or lesson of a story). Tell students they are going to view a video. They will identify the theme of the story. View the YouTube video "The Ant and the Grasshopper." After the video, students will write down the theme of the story. They will also give evidence as to why they think this is the theme. Discuss student responses.
2. Students will open the Google Slide viewed previously from Spooky Tales of 5th Grade-Part 1: Personification. Tell students that they are going to write a spooky fictional story. Students will go to slide 2 and 3. Yesterday, they wrote examples of personification. Give students time to write additional examples of personification. Students will highlight two examples they wrote to include in their story. Discuss with students how using personification will add more detail to their story.
3 Students will go to slide 4. Go over the themes listed on this slide. Tell the students that they are going to write a spooky fictional story that incorporates one of the themes listed on the slide. Students may select a theme that is not on the slide, but it must be approved by the teacher.
4. Students will go to slide 5. On this slide, students will brainstorm ideas for their story. Before students complete the graphic organizer independently, the teacher will model how to complete the graphic organizer using one of the themes on slide 4. The teacher will select a theme and then complete the graphic organizer by thinking aloud: "Since this is the theme of my story, what could happen in my story to clearly show the theme?" The teacher will fill in each part-characters, setting, beginning, middle, and end.
5. Students will complete their graphic organizer. While students work, the teacher will check in with students to answer questions and ensure understanding. Students will submit their completed slides.
Assessment Strategies:
The teacher will review the students' responses to the theme and evidence of the "The Ant and the Grasshopper." The teacher is looking to see if:
the students identified a theme that makes sense for video.
the student supported their answer with evidence from the video.
The teacher will review the graphic organizer the students completed. The teacher is looking to see if:
The students completed each part of the graphic organizer.
The students have a clear theme for their story.
The events help develop the theme of the story.
The teacher will review slides 2 and 3. The teacher is looking to see if:
students highlighted examples of personification they will use in their fictional narrative.
the examples highlighted are correct examples of personification.
Advanced Preparation:
Students will have previously submitted the Google Slides in Spooky Tales of 5th Grade-Part 1: Personification. The teacher will need to unsubmit the slides and return them so the students can have access to the Google Slides for this lesson.
The teacher will preview the YouTube video, "The Ant and the Grasshopper."