Unit Plan 19 (Grade 5 ELA): Finding Themes in Literature
Grade 5 literature unit: determine themes with text evidence, distinguish topic vs. theme, and write concise, objective summaries that capture key story events accurately.
Focus: Determining theme with evidence; summarizing literature
Grade Level: 5
Subject Area: English Language Arts (Reading Literature)
Total Unit Duration: 5 sessions (one week), 45–60 minutes per session
I. Introduction
Readers zoom out this week to grasp the big ideas of stories—themes—and explain them with text evidence. Students will distinguish topic vs. theme, craft clear theme statements, and write objective summaries that capture key plot points without opinions. By Friday, each learner can determine a theme, prove it with well-chosen quotations or paraphrases, and produce a concise, accurate summary of a grade-appropriate literary text.
II. Objectives and Standards
Learning Objectives — Students will be able to…
- Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text; write an objective summary (RL.5.2).
- Quote accurately and use relevant details to support inferences and theme statements (RL.5.1).
- Read and discuss grade 4–5 band literary texts with stamina and comprehension (RL.5.10).
Standards Alignment — CCSS Grade 5
- RL.5.2, RL.5.1, RL.5.10
Success Criteria — student language
- I can state a theme as a complete idea (not just a topic).
- I can cite lines or paraphrase parts of the text that support my theme.
- I can write an objective summary that tells what happens (who, what problem, important events, resolution) without my opinion.
- I can read today’s story independently and talk about it using text evidence.