Showing posts with label about themes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label about themes. Show all posts

Monday, February 6, 2012

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

1. Self-Starter: In your composition book, under "Quick-Writes and Notes," write a half page or more about your own experience with the topic or opinion found in ONE (only one) of these quotations or themes from Words By HeartSelf-Starter Journal Themes.docx


a.  Topic: Loss    
Theme: “Something always comes to fill the empty places.  Something comes to take the place of what you lose.” --Papa,  page 30
b.  Topic: Forgiveness    
Theme: It is better to be understanding and forgiving of others than it is to blame and to seek revenge.  

c. Topic: Forgiveness

Theme: Forgiving is not an easy thing to do.

 

d.  Topic: Self-Worth  

"Rewards don't prove you're somebody.  You need to know that within yourself." -- Papa in Words By Heart

 

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 2. Mini-Lesson on  Theme and watching for  themes in the video of Words By Heart. 

theme worksheet.docx

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For next time:  You should have finished reading your book by February 9th, and should have taken notes on character, conflict, and theme. 
Bring your book or the information about your book (title, author, number of pages) and bring your notes on character, conflict, and theme in your book.  
 We will take the Book-of-the-Month Assessment on February 9.
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Notes and Links for THEME

The Theme or Message:
What  does this book teach about how life could or should be lived?
--- about what is of value in life?

Links about theme:

Words By Heart: Topics and Themes

Topic and Theme
  
More About Theme

Another example of Theme

Examples of Theme from Movies

Student Examples for Themes

More Examples of Theme from Students

 Student Example for Essay about Theme

Additional Themes in Literature

 

Originally published on Friday,  January 3, 2012

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

Additional Themes in Literature

You might find these themes in your distopian book: 

Becoming beautiful does not fix everything.
A seemingly perfect world is never perfect.
You should be true to yourself and not blindly follow everyone and what they think.
http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_is_the_theme_of_the_book_Uglies#ixzz1ft9WIR2s

The natural inclination of man toward greed and power makes it unlikely that there could ever be a utopia.

Change may be uncomfortable, but it is necessary.
Ambition destroys.
We create our own destruction as we create our technology.

People are destroying nature and themselves with uncontrolled technology.
Just when you think life is finally going to be easy, 
something bad happens to balance it all out. 
Death is just a part of life.
Sacrifices bring reward.
We all have more in common than we have differences.  
Ignorance can be bliss.
Knowledge can be dangerous.





(Also see the list on the back of your handout from December 7.)  supporting Themes Chart.doc

Some of the other themes found in literature:

We need to treat others the way we would like to be treated.
Crime does not pay. 
Friendship depends on sacrifice.
The greatest beauty is found in simplicity.
Racism is an evil that harms everyone it touches.
Things are not always as they seem.  or You can't judge a book by its cover.
The pen can be mightier than the sword.
The names we call ourselves or each other can have great power.
Pride leads to a downfall.
"Spirit can defeat physical strength." 
 
Themes for Freak the Mighty
Through teamwork we can be much more than we could be on our own.
Sometimes fantasy opens our eyes to a truer reality than we could see before.
Friendship can make both our lives and ourselves better.
You can't tell what's on the inside of a person by looking just at the outside. 
 
"One must live the way one thinks or end up
thinking the way one has lived" ~ Paul Bourget
 
  
  • "Every man loves what he is good at."
About the quote: A True Widow by Thomas Shadwell.
What it means: People like to do things that they are good at.
Found on http://simple.wikiquote.org/wiki/Memory 
  • "Not the power to remember, but its very opposite, the power to forget, is a necessary condition for our existence." - Sholem Asch
Simple: The power to forget, not remember, is important for humans to exist.
Found on http://simple.wikiquote.org/wiki/Memory
What is a theme?
 
·     A theme is a big idea about life revealed in a piece of literature.

·     A theme is an idea or message about life, society, or human nature.
·     Novels will usually express several themes.
·     A theme in literature is stated as a complete sentence.
·     It will not be a question.
·     The theme of a book will be expressed in at least several different places in the book.
·     A theme will not necessarily be directly stated.  More often it is implied from the story – from what happens and how the characters act and react.  



Some Themes You Might Find in Historical Fiction
No matter how different we are, we have more similarities than differences. Family can provide purpose and strength to individuals. The quest for freedom is a costly thing. The quest for freedom is worth any cost. When cultures clash, both are damaged. When cultures can come together peacefully, both are enriched. Strong families build a strong society. Those who create war (or conflict) seldom consider the human cost. Building a new world builds the people who do it. We fear what we don't understand.  or We fear those we don't understand. An individual can change the future. Handicaps challenge us to achieve. Kindness can be found in unexpected places. Good things happen to good people. Bad things happen to good people. Perseverance pays. True friendship is priceless. Friendship (or kindness) can bring light in the midst of darkness. Self-sacrifice for the sake of others is a noble thing. The things you seek are already inside you. Happiness comes not from seeking something more, but from appreciating what you already have. Pride leads to pain. True friendship knows no boundaries. Honesty is the best policy. Purpose promotes survival. Working together we can survive better than we could alone.

 
 Extra Credit Opportunity:  

Examples of Theme from Movies

 
 

Saturday, April 16, 2011

April 22, 2011

Happy Birthday tomorrow to William Shakespeare!   

Bell-ringer:  Part 3 of the Contemporary Realistic Fiction Novel -- about themes.   Theme Assessment 7th grade.doc

If you don't quite get theme, study these helps:


More About Theme


Topic and Theme

Another example of Theme

Examples of Theme from Movies

Student Examples for Themes

More Examples of Theme from Students

 Student Example for Essay about Theme

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Apostrophes and More 
In your composition book, copy the first sentence, then number one through four and tell what is different for each other sentence.


How'd They Do It?
 Model Sentence:
It's  so dark you can't see your hand in front of your face, let alone the other men around you.  You're loaded down with nearly 100 pounds of weapons, food, and equipment.
   -- Simone Payment, Navy Seals: Special Operations for the U.S. Navy (Inside Special Operations)  (2003)
What is the difference in each of these sentences that is ALMOST like the one above?
1. Its  so dark you can't see your hand in front of your face, let alone the other men around you.  You're loaded down with nearly 100 pounds of weapons, food, and equipment.

2. It's  dark.   You're  loaded down with nearly 100 pounds of weapons, food, and equipment.

3. It's  so dark you can't see your hand in front of your face, let alone the other men around you.  Your loaded down with nearly 100 pounds of weapons, food, and equipment.

4. It's  so dark you can't see your hand in front of your face, let alone the other men around you.  You're loaded down with nearly 100 pounds of weapons food, and equipment.
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 Core Test  Practice
Reading passages -- nonfiction and fiction
Poetry
Etc.

Special Note:  "Omit" means "leave out."
A3 answered some questions about poetry.

Retake the SRI -- Scholastic Reading Inventory Test
Computer Lab: SRI Test -- Lab 223 -- Do not print.


Reminder:  Next week we will be taking the State Core Language Arts Test.  Please come to school rested and having eaten a nutritious breakfast, and bring a clear water bottle -- all of which you should do everyday anyway!

Thursday, January 21, 2010

More about Themes in Past Posts

More Examples of Theme from Students

 

Topic and Theme

 Example from a graphic novel: 

American Born Chinese  by  Gene Yang
Themes: there is no better feeling than being comfortable in your own skin.