Reading Class Interactive Notebook Theme Notes Page 12

Page 12: Theme—the truth or central idea a story reveals about life; expressed as a statement (not just a phrase or in a few words) • It is a moral, life lesson, message, or meaning. • It is a debatable opinion. • It is implied, not stated. • ANY theme can be considered valid IF you can support it with text evidence! 2

Theme Notes • Theme — the truth or central idea a story reveals about life; expressed as a statement (not just a phrase or in a few words) - Examples: 1. Friends are not always trustworthy. 2. Gossip can cause serious damage to a person’s reputation. 3. Courage allows people to attempt difficult tasks in their lives even when there is a chance of failing. 3

Notes – Record these on the left hand side of the page. • Text Evidence - information from a text which supports a thesis. A quote from a text which supports a thesis. A paraphrase of a quote. Something that is very clearly stated in a text. - There are three main ways to use evidence or examples from a text to illustrate your own points in an essay: 1. Making a reference to the author or the text 2. Paraphrasing the author by telling about the ideas or story in your own words 3. Directly quoting from the text 4

Iditarod: A Tough Journey for Dogs Watch this video from Discovery After the video: • Brainstorm the topics (big ideas) covered in the video clip. (ex: LOVE, FRIENDSHIP) • Record these on the trunk of your tree 5

Iditarod: A Tough Journey for Dogs Watch the video a second time and pay close attention to what the central idea is of the clip On your tree branches: • Record as a statement theme of the clip. On your tree leaves: • Record text evidence that supports your theme. 6