21 Finding Themes (21/23) -- Open ELA

21 Finding Themes Learning Objectives - Practice strategies for finding themes and identifying main ideas in narratives and informational texts. - Use metacognitive reading strategies before, during and after reading fiction, non-fiction and graphics. Chapter & Discussion This chapter includes a presentation that can be navigated in a classroom setting or independently. You can access the presentation via the link below. Work through the different sections of the chapter and discuss ideas and topics as they arise. If you’re working independently, take notes instead. Notes and active discussion will be helpful in navigating this week’s assignments. Overview Our next strategy is to look for main ideas or themes as you read. We write because we have something to say. Every thing you read is trying to communicate big ideas to you. Remember this mantra when you are looking for the main idea or theme. Today, we’ll go over three strategies to help you sift out relevant and useful information, and hopefully identify main ideas and themes: - Knowing the difference between main ideas and supporting details - Using the topic strategy - Using logic to add up the conclusion to the premises that the author introduces Idea vs Detail Every sentence you read in a paragraph is either going to: - Be the main idea of that paragraph - Support the main idea of that paragraph When you read, try to determine what each sentence is trying to accomplish. For example: - Topic sentence in an article (main idea) - An argument for why an idea is true (support) - A character reflecting on what they learned (main idea) - Evidence to back up an idea (support) Practice: Main Idea vs Supporting Details In this paragraph, identify each sentence as a main idea or a supporting detail. Humane Society of Southern Arizona CEO Steve Farley and Chief Programs Officer Christian Gonzalez were suspended by the group’s board of directors following the launch of an investigation into an incident involving the whereabouts of 254 small pets. The board said in a press release Saturday that it “understands 254 of the animals at issue were placed in adoptive homes,” and “is aware of no evidence to the contrary.” In the almost two months since more than 300 rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, and rats were transferred from the San Diego Humane Society to the Humane Society of Southern Arizona, the board has refused to offer any evidence on the whereabouts or wellbeing of the animals, and continued to refused to answer questions on Monday about what evidence they had to assert that they had an understanding that the animals were placed in adoptive homes. -Danyelle Khmara, AZPM, September 2023 Topic Strategy This strategy is especially useful in literature. When you read, try to determine the topic that the author is exploring. You can find this by: - Looking for repeated ideas, images, or motifs - Looking for background information Once you identify the topic, ask yourself, “What does the author have to s