Theme is one of the hardest skills for students to learn and retain. I have found that kids who have theme down pat will suddenly be confused all over again when we shift to an informational unit because they then conflate main idea and theme. The result is that we have to spiral back to theme often throughout the year. To do that, it is important to have a few quick ways to reteach and review theme regularly in the middle grade classroom.
How to teach and reteach theme in your middle grades classroom.
Teach theme with picture books
Picture books are quick, inspiring, and powerful for teaching theme. I’m always impressed how even the surliest middle schooler becomes a kid again when I’m reading a picture book to the class. Beyond the community benefits though, picture books are also incredibly effective to teach theme.
Students are engaged with the stories in picture books, so they remember them, at least long enough to have a discussion about them. As I read, I do some thinking aloud to note things that are repeating or changing. I also invite students to share what they predict at key inflection points where the character may learn a lesson. Inviting students to make inferences from pictures also engages students who might otherwise not participate as often in lessons.
Logistically, I try to use at least some books where I can find a pdf of the text online to print (just enter book name + pdf in your search engine) or where I can get multiple copies from a local library to have a book per table group. This is useful for students to follow along, but more important when I ask them to look for text evidence later.
After reading, I work with students to come up with a list of topics that were in the book (love, family, differences, etc) and then challenge them to write a message the author was giving us about one of those topics. Voila! They have just identified a theme.
I also have a worksheet they can complete independently that allows them to similarly pick a topic, turn it into a theme, and then write about their evidence. This activity is a standard in all of my picture book lesson plans and activities in my TPT store.
Picture books are also great for comparing themes and author studies, read more about all the reasons picture books belong in your middle grade classroom. Set yourself up to have a fresh picture book to practice theme each month of the year with a diverse mentor text mega-bundle.
Teach theme with animated shorts
“Pixar Week” is a student favorite in my classroom. Each day we watch a different animated short (ok, to be honest, not all my favorites are from Pixar), and identify the theme. We use the same topic to theme approach here that I outlined above for picture books.
I love “Pixar Week” because it is super quick and y’all know I love a good routine. Students are excited to get to class on time because they want to see that that day’s “feature film” will be. Students also feel very successful during Pixar week because they have scaffolds and honestly, these shorts make themes pretty clear to identify.
The rigor comes at the end of the week when all students are challenged to write a paragraph about the development of the theme or outline a literary essay about their favorite of the shorts. Still, high engagement from the week seeps in and student choice greases the wheels for all students to be successful with this writing follow-up.
My favorite shorts to use are:
“Snack Attack” (also great for teaching perspective)
“One Small Step” (warning- this one requires tissues)
Teach theme with music
I’ll take any excuse to blast a little Beyonce in the classroom, and students are grateful for the break too. When teaching theme using music in my ELA class, sometimes I used printed lyrics but I almost always also include a music video.
It is important to choose a song with a clear theme and to be intentional about the music videos. The “If I Were a Boy” music video has some mature themes but it also requires a level of inferencing that only my 8th graders can be relied upon for. “What Else Can I Do” from Encanto is a great choice where the video adds engagement but not distraction. “Youth” by Shawn Mendes is a longer video but incredibly powerful. “Reflection” by Christina Aguilar is a great example of one to listen to/ read the lyrics before analyzing and THEN watch the music video for.
What is unique about using music, is not just that it is unexpected for kids. Students love music, and quickly form connections to songs, which helps us as teachers engage them in the lessons. I also love that when I ask them to “mark up” the lyrics to a song, they don’t react the way that they do when I tell them we are annotating text or a short story, but they ARE still getting the same type of skill practice.
Identifying theme is a reading skill that students will spiral with into high school. These ways of reviewing just might stay with them for all of those years and beyond.
Another excellent blog that is applicable in many other professional spheres. Meaningful engagement is key.