Learning Objective: Determine the
theme of a poem using details
from the text and how the speaker
in a poem reflects upon the topic.
RL 5.2: Determine a theme of a
poem from details in the text
including characters or how the
speaker in a poem reflects on the
poem
What will we determine
today?
We will determine the theme of a
poem using details from the text
and how the speaker reflects upon
the topic.
Share with your partner what you
think the message/theme of the story
The Three Little Pigs and the Big Bad
Wolf is? What is your evidence?
Theme: the lesson, moral, or message about life or human
nature the author wants to convey.
Example: What is the theme in the movie Finding
Nemo?
Theme: Friendship and getting along with everyone.
Non Example:
Nemo’s dad seeking for
Nemo.
The Road Not Taken – Robert Frost
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear,
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Step 1 : Read the text carefully (line by line)
Step 2: Use details, from the text to
determine the theme.
Step 3: Choose the best response that
describes the theme of the poem.
The theme of the poem
that best fits is…
a. Become a hunter
b. Traveling alone in a road
c. Making choices
d. Making life easier
CFU- What is your evidence?
A Poison Tree by William Blake
I was angry with my friend;
I told my wrath, my wrath did end.
I was angry with my foe:
I told it not, my wrath did grow.
Step 1 : Read the text carefully (line by line)
Step 2: Use details, poetry devices from the
text to determine the theme.
Step 3: Choose the best response that
describes the theme of the poem.
And I watered it in fears,
Night & morning with my tears:
And I sunned it with smiles,
And with soft deceitful wiles.
And it grew both day and night.
Till it bore an apple bright.
And my foe beheld it shine,
And he knew that it was mine.
And into my garden stole,
When the night had veiled the pole;
In the morning glad I see;
My foe outstretched beneath the tree.
The theme of the poem is…
a. Friendship with the tree
b. Being angry and not
expressing yourself
c. Having anger and expressing
it to others
d. All of the above
*Wrath- extreme anger; chiefly used for humorous effects
CFU- What is your evidence?
synonyms: anger, rage, fury, outrage, spleen, vexation, (high)
dudgeon, crossness, displeasure, annoyance, irritation;
It is important to understand the
theme in poetry because:
•
•
•
•
You can understand the author’s message
You can understand the main idea
You can visualize the big picture (mind-movie)
It keeps us interested in what we are reading
Closure
What did we learn today?
To determine the theme of a poem using details from the text and how the speaker in a poem reflects
upon the topic.
Step 1 : Read the text carefully (line by line)
Step 2: Use details, poetry devices from the
text to determine the theme.
Step 3: Choose the best response that
describes the theme of the poem.
Winter is Coming
Winter is coming! The wind that blows
Hard from the north, from the land of
snows,
Nips the fingers and reddens the nose,
Whips the branches and tugs the clothes
And strips the tree,
Till nothing is left of her yellow attire;
And hoar frost streaks the chocolatey mire,
And crows string like crotchets along the
wire,
And wanderers think of home and fire,
And so do we.
--Shirley Hughes
The theme of the poem is…
A. The harshness and bitterness
of winter
B. Winter is coming
C. The joys of winter
my evidence is______________
Academic Vocabulary
Hoar- frost
Mire- mud
Crochets- needle work
Attire- outfit
Let’s Practice Determining the Theme
of the poem
Independently!
Measuring Up
Pg. 93-97