How can a poem teach you lessons about
life?
In this lesson you will learn how
to determine the theme or
universal lesson of a poem by
reviewing its images, sounds, and
symbols.
Let’s Review
“Twelfth Song of the Thunder”
 Poem from the Navajo people
 Compares the noise of
thunder and grasshoppers to
“voices”
 Says these voices make the
land beautiful
Let’s Review
Imagery- The pictures a poet creates in our minds with
their words
Sounds- What we hear in a poem when it is read
Symbols- Words or things that really stand for
something else. (Figurative- not literal)
= LOVE
A Common Mistake
Thinking that the theme of a poem is what
the poem was about.
“This poem was about thunder.”
“Thunder and grasshoppers have a voice.”
We should respect nature.
A Common Mistake
Theme is a universal
lesson.
This means it’s not just
specific to the poem,
but could apply to life
generally.
Examples:
We should respect nature.
Don’t judge a book by it’s
cover.
What goes around comes
around.
Core Lesson
Lesson
Core
A poem has…
Imagery
• Poem had
images of
thunder, clouds,
grasshoppers
and plants
• Focused on
nature
Symbols
•
•
= LOVE
Sounds
•
Didn’t rhyme but
used a lot of
repetition
“Voice” stood for
communication
and sharing a
message
•
Also stood for
making the land
beautiful
“Voice,”
“beauty,” and
“land” were
important words
Core Lesson
Lesson
Core
What lesson are we learning
through the imagery, sounds,
and symbols of this poem?
We should respect all parts of
nature, no matter how big or small,
because they work together to
make our world more beautiful.
Could this be a
lesson that
works
anywhere in
life?
Core Lesson
Lesson
Core
1
Ask, “How do imagery, sound, and
symbols shape the meaning of this poem?
2
Write what lesson the poem could teach
us based on your notes.
3
Double check that your lesson is
universal.
In this lesson you have learned
how to determine the theme or
universal lesson of a poem by
reviewing the images, sounds, and
symbols from a poem.
Guided Practice
D.C.
D.C.
I’m from PS1 to PS3
to movies to TV shows
I play and I watch
resident evil
I’m from a city that can handle
crime most of the time
to school that is boring by
the way to sometimes
friendly teachers to
lots of homework
to friends
I’m from a home
with mocking brothers
to sarcastic sisters
to a loving mom
to a great dad
I’m from a city where the
people hold the power
white house to pentagon
to president
I’m not from new york or
chicago or baltimore or even
hollywood, no none of these
cities which I would go
see
I’m from D.C.
-Elmer
Read the poem a
write down a universal
lesson that could be
learned from it.
Extension Activities
1) Find another poem and take notes on the
images, sounds, and symbols in it.
2) Look at your notes and come up with a
universal theme or lesson that can be learned
from it.
3) Write a paragraph explaining how the poem
teaches this lesson.
Extension Activities
Write a poem with images, sounds, and symbols
that will come together to teach one of these
themes:
• Never give up
• Love conquers all
• Being prideful can always be your downfall.
Quick Quiz
What is “theme”?
State the theme of “Twelfth Song of the
Thunder” in your own words, and make
connections to the images, sounds, and
symbols in the poem.