Central Message

CCSS 3rd Grade English Language Arts Objectives

RL3.2 - Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse
cultures; determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is
conveyed through key details in the text.
RL3.7 - Use information gained from illustrations (e.g., maps, photographs) and the
words in a text to demonstrate understanding of the text (e.g., where, when, why,
and how key events occur).
SL.3.2 - Determine the main ideas and supporting details of a text read aloud or
information presented in diverse media and formats, including visually,
quantitatively, and orally.
Objectives
Students will read fables and determine the central lesson or theme of the
fable.
Students will identify textual evidence and explain how it conveys the theme.
Time Estimation: 40 minutes
Introduction 5 minutes
Read Aloud 5 minutes
made)
Guided Practice 10 minutes
Partner Practice 15 minutes
student pairs
Conclusion 5 minutes

Materials
The Miller, His Son, and the Donkey
Theme anchor chart (previously
Textual Evidence Theme sheet
The Apple Dumpling copied for
Highlighters, pencils, etc.

Introduction
Review theme as the central message, lesson, or moral to a story. Refer to the
previously made and discussed anchor chart with short example paragraphs and
themes. Inform students that today, we will once again be identifying theme but we
will work today to support our claims with evidence from the text.
Read Aloud
Read aloud and display The Miller, His Son, and the Donkey on the ELMO projector.
Throughout reading the short fable, think aloud and model metacognition
strategies. Pause after each time the Miller meets another person and think aloud
about possible lessons or themes.
Guided Practice
Model charting the elements of the story, including characters, plot, and then begin
discussing theme.
Possible questions to ask:
Based on evidence from the text, what is the central message of the story?

Central Message

What evidence supports the theme? (Miller rode the donkey after a passerbys comment; Son and Miller rode the donkey after another persons
comment; Miller and son carried the donkey after he gave out from
exhaustion)
Is there other evidence to support the theme? (See above for possible
evidence).
Throughout this guided practice time, model and have students root their thinking
in the text. Highlight parts of the story that support the theme. Complete the
charting theme sheet together (students will be working in a moment to complete
with a partner). Remind students that in order to prove their thinking, they must
find textual evidence to support theme.
Partner Practice
After the guided practice phase of this lesson, students will work in partners to read
another folk tale, The Apple Dumpling. Student pairs will read together, highlight
and provide evidence for their claims about the theme or central message of the
text.
Assessment
Students will be informally assessed during the partner practice. Teacher will take
anecdotal records of what individual students are doing with the support of their
partners. These anecdotal records will be formative assessments to determine how
to proceed with subsequent lessons on theme and central message.
Conclusion
After student pairs have completed the activity, regroup and discuss. Explain that
while we have been focusing on theme and central messages strictly in fables and
folk tales, they can be found in other works of literature. Explain in future lessons
that we will be using picture books to further learn about theme.

Central Message

What the text says

Theme or Central
Message of the text