Activity Overview
Novels and poetry often have a variety of themes throughout that students can identify and analyze. Any literary elements can be conveyed through characters, setting, dialogue, plot, or a combination. In this activity, students will identify a theme of The Poet X and illustrate examples from the text. Students can explore by identifying these elements themselves or in an “envelope activity”, where they are given one or more to track throughout their reading. Then, they'll create a spider map illustrating what they found! Teachers may ask students to illustrate multiple examples of a single theme, symbol, or motif, or illustrate one example for each.
Examples of Themes in The Poet X
- Coming of age
- Religion
- Sexuality
- Dysfunctional family life and abuse
- Poetry and the power of words
- Sexist gender roles
- Generation gap
- Sexual harassment
- Body shaming
- Homophobia
- Twins
- Children of immigrant parents
- Mentorship
- First love
- Female empowerment
- Courage and finding one's voice
- Forgiveness and reconciliation
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Create a storyboard that identifies at lest one theme of The Poet X. Illustrate each and write a short description below each cell.
Student Instructions:
- Identify the themes from the story that you wish to include and type them in the title box at the top.
- Create an image for examples that represent each symbol using appropriate scenes, characters and items.
- Write a description of each of the examples in the black text box.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient | Emerging | Beginning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identify Symbol(s) | All symbols are correctly identified as objects that represent something else at a higher level in the story. | Most symbols are correctly identified, but some objects are missing or are incorrectly identified as significant symbols. | No symbols are correctly identified. |
| Examples | All examples support the identified symbols. Descriptions clearly say why examples are significant. | Most examples fit the identified symbols. Descriptions say why examples are significant. | Most examples do not fit the identified symbols. Descriptions are unclear. |
| Depiction | Storyboard cells clearly show connection with the symbols and help with understanding. | Most storyboard cells help to show the symbols but some storyboard cells are difficult to understand. | Storyboard cells do not help in understanding the symbols. |
How To Teach Theme Using Storyboards
Discuss a Prevalent Theme
Lead students in a discussion of a prevalent theme in The Poet X. Students need to find a lesson that the story teaches that they see played out throughout the book.
Help Students Find Examples
Students will need varying degrees of help in finding examples of the theme, and you can assist them by pointing out characters, setting, plot, and dialogue elements that will aid their awareness of theme.
Create a Storyboard
Frequently Asked Questions about Themes in the Poet X
Why is understanding theme important?
The theme of a story is what you learn about life after reading a story. Understanding theme is important, therefore, because it makes the connection between the story and the real life lessons for students.
What is the relationship between theme and motif?
A theme is the life lesson learned from reading a story, and a motif is a symbol that is used throughout a story that often illuminates the theme. Authors use motifs to make the point they are trying to make.
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