Curated OER
Mc Graw Hill: Part 1 Reading: Literature: Determine Theme
Determine the theme of a story with this reading activity. See the model and then practice identifying the theme.
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Nature's Violet Children [Pdf]
"Nature's Violet Children" is a one page, folktale about violets who were sad because a little girl picked them and took them home. It is followed by open-ended questions which require students to provide evidence from the story; it...
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: The Cloud [Pdf]
"The Cloud" is a one-page, folktale about a cloud who moved closer to the earth, despite warnings that it would die, to save the drought-stricken plants and animals. It is followed by questions which require students to provide evidence...
Education Development Center
Tune in to Learning: Summarizing
Series of interactive activities for practicing skills in summarizing information, in identifying main points and ideas, and in sorting lists into meaningful categories.
Polk Brothers Foundation Center for Urban Education at DePaul University
De Paul University: Center for Urban Education: Training for the Presidency [Pdf]
"Training for the Presidency" is a one-page, fictional, reading passage about Abraham Lincoln as a child. He does chores for a farmer because the book he had borrowed from him had gotten wet when rain came through the cabin walls. It is...
Austin Independent School District
Austin Independent School District:teaching Summarization to Struggling Students
A lesson designed to teach learners how to recognize an effective summary. Following the lesson, several practice fiction and nonfiction texts are available in both English and Spanish for grades 3, 4, and 5. Answer key provided. [PDF]
Tom Richey
Slide Share: How Can I Find the Theme of a Text?
Twenty-four slides explaining what a theme is and how it can be identified in a text.