In this lesson, students explored how to determine the theme of a fictional text and how to write an effective summary using key story elements. Through a read-aloud of an adapted excerpt from The Secret Garden, students analyzed how characters respond to challenges and how those responses help reveal the story's central message. They practiced identifying themes by examining character changes and supported their ideas with evidence from the text. In addition, students learned how to summarize a passage by focusing on the most important events and ideas while leaving out unnecessary details. The lesson included guided discussion, comprehension checks, and both written and oral response activities.
This lesson introduces students to the skill of quoting and paraphrasing textual evidence in support of both explicit understanding and inferential thinking, in alignment with RL.5.1. Using an excerpt from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis, students will learn to distinguish between direct quotations and paraphrased ideas. Through guided reading, discussion, and interactive activities, they will practice accurately referencing the text and applying those references to explain meaning and draw inferences. The lesson emphasizes precision in language use and critical reading strategies that strengthen comprehension and analytical responses.