Week 01 – Day 2: Exploring Theme and Summary in Fiction

Section outline

• Select section Welcome

  Welcome

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  • Select activity Welcome

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    Hello and welcome! Today, we’ll explore how stories often carry a special message or lesson—this is called the theme. We’ll also learn how to summarize a story by picking out the most important ideas and events.

    Through reading and discussion, you’ll discover how characters grow and change, and how those changes help us understand what the story is really about.

• Select section Objectives

  Objectives

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    By the end of this lesson, you will be able to:​

    1. Identify the theme of a story using details from the text​
    2. Explain how characters respond to challenges​
    3. Summarize the key points of a story​
• Select section Pre-Quiz

  Pre-Quiz

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    Pre-Quiz

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    This short quiz will help us see what you already know about themes and how to summarize a story. You’ll answer a few multiple-choice and true/false questions about what a theme is, what a summary includes, and why they are important when reading fiction.

• Select section Lesson 1

  Lesson 1
• Select section External Source 1

  External Source 1

  • Select activity What is a Theme?

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• Select section External Source 2

  External Source 2

  • Select activity Understanding Theme

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• Select section External Source 3

  External Source 3

  • Select activity Summary vs. Theme

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• Select section External Source 4

  External Source 4

  • Select activity Mary’s Discovery

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    Excerpt: Mary’s Discovery (Adapted for educational use) 

    Mary Lennox was not the kind of girl most people wanted to be around. She had grown up in India, where servants did everything for her, and she was used to giving orders. Mary almost never smiled. She was pale, thin, and cross-looking. When her parents died suddenly, she was sent to live with her uncle in England, at a place called Misselthwaite Manor. 

    The manor was large and cold, full of dark hallways and closed doors. Mary didn’t like it at first. There were no toys, no friends, and the servants didn’t spoil her. She wandered the halls feeling lonely and angry. But soon, the housemaid, Martha, told her something interesting—there was a garden on the grounds that had been locked for ten years. The idea of a secret place stirred something inside Mary. 

    One day, while exploring outside, Mary found a small robin hopping in the grass. She followed it, and to her surprise, it led her to something shiny buried beneath the leaves. It was an old key. Her heart beat quickly. Could this be the key to the hidden garden? She didn’t know for sure, but she felt more excited than she had in a long time. 

    The next day, Mary went walking again. This time, the wind blew the ivy aside on a wall, and she saw a door. Hands shaking, she tried the key. It turned. The door opened, and she stepped inside the locked garden for the very first time. Everything was overgrown, tangled, and wild, but to Mary, it was magical. She felt as if she had found a secret treasure no one else knew about. 

    From then on, Mary visited the garden every day. She started pulling weeds, clearing paths, and breathing in the fresh air. The work made her stronger, and the beauty around her made her feel peaceful. For the first time in her life, Mary smiled just because she was happy. 

    The garden also helped Mary make friends. She met Dickon, Martha’s brother, who loved animals and plants. He showed her how to take care of the garden and listened kindly when she talked. Mary even began talking to people kindly herself, something she had never done before. She no longer felt alone. 

• Select section Quiz 1

  Quiz 1

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    Quiz 1

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    Now that you’ve been introduced to what theme and summary mean, this quiz will help check your understanding of these important ideas. You’ll answer multiple-choice and true/false questions about how to identify a theme, what makes a good summary, and how characters can help us discover the message of a story.

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  Quiz 2

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    Quiz 2

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    Now that we’ve read the excerpt from The Secret Garden, this quiz will help you show what you understood from the story. You’ll answer multiple-choice and true/false questions about the characters, how they respond to challenges, and what theme the story is teaching.

    You’ll also answer questions that ask you to think about the most important events, just like you would when writing a summary. Use clues from the text and your notes to guide your answers!

• Select section Self-Assessment

  Self-Assessment

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    Self-Assessment Quiz

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    With the help of your facilitator, kindly pick the most appropriate choice according to your ability. Think carefully about what you’ve learned in this lesson about theme and summary.

    If you select "With difficulty" or "Unable to perform task", kindly take time to review the lesson materials, ask questions, and practice again to build your confidence.

    This reflection helps us understand how you're progressing and what you might need more help with. Be honest—it’s okay to grow at your own pace.