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Readers retell &
SUMMARIZE LITERATURE

Summarize Literature - Main Page

Think beyond the text’s plot to infer lesson

Start by
defining “lesson.”

Theme Emoji Icons
Me | Others | Life

Problem Emoji Icons
Me | Others | Life

Build background on recurring lessons, themes, and archetypes.

Where do I start when teaching theme?

Grades K-3 |
3 types of lessons

Grades 4-6 |
3 categories of themes

Grades 7-12 | 3 categories of archetypal themes

Simple summaries of popular picture books & fairytales.
Google Sheets

Simple and sophisticated summaries of short stories & video shorts. Google Sheets

Identify character change as evidence of a lesson learned.

Expect retells to include the
lesson jotted in the palm.
PDF | Jamboard

Note character actions
at the beginning v. the end.
PDF | Jamboard

Infer a broad lesson based on character change.

Character Change | Template | Bad Case of Stripes |  Bridge to Terebithia

Advance from lesson topics to theme statements

Generate a theme in 4 steps.

Differentiate between broad topics and universal theme statements.

Provide students with their
own Theme foldables.

Practice writing & supporting themes with the snowball activity.

Using the same animated video short, click buttons to view the 4-step process.

Analyze theme development within novels.

Teacher Resource | Evidence of theme can be found in all story elements. (Grades 7-12)

Teacher Resource | There is no single one theme per text. (Grades 7-12)

Students practice matching archetypal themes to well-known literature.