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English · Grade 4

Themes, Summaries and Character Change

Through two original stories, children work out a theme from details in the text, write short objective summaries, and describe a character in depth using thoughts, words and actions, including how the character changes.

  • 4 lessons
  • About 100 minutes
  • Theme, summary and character check: 8 questions
  • Ways to answer: fill in the blanks, choose an answer, highlight a text, match pairs, put in order and sort into groups
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What learners will discover

  • Tell a topic from a theme and state a theme as a complete sentence.
  • Determine a theme from details such as a character's choices and what the character learns.
  • Summarize a story briefly, in order and without opinions.
  • Describe a character in depth using thoughts, words and actions, and explain how the character changes.

Lessons

  1. Topic or theme? 4 steps2 practiceabout 24 min
  2. Finding theme in the details 3 steps2 practiceabout 24 min
  3. Summarize the story 4 steps3 practiceabout 26 min
  4. Characters in depth and how they change 4 steps3 practiceabout 26 min
  5. Theme, summary and character check 8 questions at the end

Keep exploring

Games to practice with

  • Memory LanternsFlip glowing lanterns to find pairs that belong together.
  • Sentence TheatreYour words direct the show: change a word and the stage changes too.
  • Missing ChapterA page has gone missing. Use the clues to put the right one back.

More 4th grade reading

Guides for grown-ups