Activity Overview
There are many themes, symbols, and motifs present throughout the novel Al Capone Does My Shirts. In this activity, students will identify themes, symbols, and motifs in Al Capone Does My Shirts and illustrate examples from the text. Students can explore by identifying these elements themselves or in an “envelope activity”, where they are given one or more to track throughout their reading. Then, they'll create a spider map illustrating what they found!
Examples of Themes, Symbols and Motifs in Al Capone Does My Shirts
- Family
- Friendship
- Autism
- The Great Depression
- Alcatraz
- Isolation
- Duty
- Love
- Guilt
- Choices
- Rules / Law and Order
- Risk Taking
- Manipulation
- The Button Box
- The Convict Baseball
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Due Date:
Objective: Create a storyboard that identifies recurring themes, symbols, or motifs found in Al Capone Does My Shirts. Illustrate each and write a short description below each cell.
Student Instructions:
- Click "Start Assignment".
- Identify the themes, symbols, or motifs from Al Capone Does My Shirts you wish to include and type them in the title box at the top.
- Create an image for examples that represent each symbol using appropriate scenes, characters and items.
- Write a description of each of the examples in the black text box.
Lesson Plan Reference
- [ELA-Literacy/RL/6/2] Determine a theme or central idea of a text and how it is conveyed through particular details; provide a summary of the text distinct from personal opinions or judgments
- [ELA-Literacy/RL/8/2] Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text, including its relationship to the characters, setting, and plot; provide an objective summary of the text
- [ELA-Literacy/RL/8/4] Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of specific word choices on meaning and tone, including analogies or allusions to other texts
- [ELA-Literacy/W/6/6] Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of three pages in a single sitting.
- [ELA-Literacy/RL/5/1] Quote accurately from a text when explaining what the text says explicitly and when drawing inferences from the text.
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient | Emerging | Beginning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identify Symbol(s) | All symbols are correctly identified as objects that represent something else at a higher level in the story. | Most symbols are correctly identified, but some objects are missing or are incorrectly identified as significant symbols. | No symbols are correctly identified. |
| Examples | All examples support the identified symbols. Descriptions clearly say why examples are significant. | Most examples fit the identified symbols. Descriptions say why examples are significant. | Most examples do not fit the identified symbols. Descriptions are unclear. |
| Depiction | Storyboard cells clearly show connection with the symbols and help with understanding. | Most storyboard cells help to show the symbols but some storyboard cells are difficult to understand. | Storyboard cells do not help in understanding the symbols. |
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