Unit Plan 19 (Grade 4 ELA): Finding Themes

Focus: Determining theme with evidence; summarizing literature

Grade Level: 4

Subject Area: English Language Arts (Reading Literature)

Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 45–60 minutes per session

I. Introduction

This week readers learn to move beyond “what happened” to “what the story is really about.” Students will distinguish theme vs. topic, track how characters, challenges, and responses point to a message, and cite evidence that supports their thinking. They’ll also practice writing concise literary summaries that include the theme. By Friday, each learner will read a short story independently, state a theme, support it with textual evidence, and write a clear summary that ties events to that theme.

II. Objectives and Standards

Learning Objectives — Students will be able to…

1. Explain the difference between topic and theme; state a theme as a complete message (not one word).
2. Use details and examples about characters, settings, and events to infer and support a theme.
3. Write a literary summary that includes the central events and theme without opinions or minor trivia.
4. Read grade-level literature with appropriate scaffolds and discuss it using evidence.

Standards Alignment — CCSS Grade 4

• RL.4.2 (determine a theme and summarize the text)
• RL.4.1 (refer to details and examples when explaining and inferring)
• RL.4.10 (read and comprehend literature independently and proficiently)

Success Criteria — student language

• I can say the theme as a sentence (e.g., “Friends help each other in hard times”).
• I can prove my theme with two specific lines or moments from the story.
• I can write a 4–5 sentence summary that includes the main events and the theme.
• I can read the text and talk about it using evidence starters (“On page __ it says…,” “The character shows this when…”).