English Language Arts and Reading.K.7.A

The student is expected to

discuss topics and determine the basic theme using text evidence with adult assistance;

multiple genres TEKS talk image

Knowledge and Skills Statement

Multiple genres: listening, speaking, reading, writing, and thinking using multiple texts--literary elements. The student recognizes and analyzes literary elements within and across increasingly complex traditional, contemporary, classical, and diverse literary texts.

One option for assessing this SE is through observation and anecdotal notes of student responses to texts during small-group or one-on-one reading conferences. Ask questions to help students identify the theme.

Example Questions:

  • What important decisions did the characters make?
  • Did the characters grow or change in the story? How?
  • What did the characters learn?
  • What message might the author want us to take away?
  • Did this story teach us anything?

Student responses can be scored on based on their ability to name the theme and articulate how they came to that conclusion.

Sample Rubric:
1) The student is unable to identify the basic theme of a text or discuss topics of a text.
2) The student identifies the topics of a text but is unable to identify the basic theme.
3) The student identifies the topics and basic theme of a text but is unable to use text evidence to support a response.
4) The student identifies the topics and basic theme of a text and uses text evidence to support the response with adult assistance.

Note:
Kindergarteners are beginning readers and may need adult assistance with reading text.

Students are expected to use information taken directly from texts to justify their responses. It is important that students understand that their responses must be based on actual ideas presented in a reading piece and not on their personal opinions about the topic being discussed. In kindergarten, text evidence may involve a student pointing to the part of the text that reinforces a response or it may be paraphrasing a part in the story that supports their thinking.
Themes are universal ideas presented in a text that speak to a common human experience. Themes are often focused on abstract concepts and the author’s thoughts about them. Examples of themes presented in a text include "Always help others" and "Be kind to everyone." Students should be able to determine the implied theme represented by a character, group of characters, and/or event in a literary work.
a word or phrase that identifies the subject matter of a text or speech