A theme is a central idea, subject, or message in a story. Many stories have more than one important theme. For this activity, students will identify and illustrate two of the themes in Fish in a Tree. Teachers may want the students to identify and illustrate two themes, one for each cell, or identify one theme and show two examples of it, one example per cell.
The three main characters in the story all have their own unique identity. Ally struggles with her learning disability and does not want it to become the only thing that people know her for. Keisha is one of the only African American kids in the class, and Albert is brainy and considered weird by the mean kids.
Ally struggles with her self-esteem throughout most of the novel, while Albert and Keisha seemingly have a great deal of confidence and don’t let things bother them.
The theme of friendship is evident throughout the whole story. One example of the importance of friendship is when Albert fights the bullies who have hurt his friends.
Ally acted out and constantly got into trouble until Mr. Daniels arrived and showed her that he cares and believes in her. She wanted to make him proud and truly respected him. Mr. Daniels saw Ally for who she was and gave her the confidence to succeed in life, and taught her that people learn in many different ways.
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Due Date:
Objective: Create a storyboard that identifies recurring themes in Fish in a Tree. Illustrate instances of each theme and write a short description below each cell.
Student Instructions:
Storyboards are powerful tools for visualizing how characters change over time. Encourage students to track key moments that reveal shifts in attitude, confidence, or relationships. This helps readers connect deeper with the characters and understand the story’s themes.
When students focus on one character, they can notice details that might otherwise be missed. Ask students to jot down important actions, decisions, and feelings for their assigned character as they read.
Have students identify two or three key scenes where their character changes, faces a challenge, or learns something new. This keeps the analysis focused and meaningful.
Encourage creativity! Students can draw, use digital images, or collage to represent the character’s journey visually. This makes abstract changes more concrete and understandable.
Students should describe what is happening in the scene and explain how it shows the character’s development. This builds evidence-based writing skills and deepens comprehension.
Fish in a Tree explores themes such as identity, self-esteem, friendship, and the importance of teaching. The novel highlights how each character's unique challenges and strengths shape their experiences and relationships.
Students can identify themes by looking for recurring ideas, challenges, or messages throughout the story. They should pay attention to character actions, growth, and how problems are solved, then illustrate or describe examples from the text to support their chosen themes.
The theme of identity is shown when Ally struggles with her learning disability and fears being defined by it, while Keisha and Albert each navigate being different in their own ways. Their journeys reflect the importance of embracing who you are.
Friendship provides support and encouragement for the main characters. For example, Albert stands up for his friends against bullies, showing that true friends help each other through difficult times and boost each other's confidence.
Mr. Daniels, Ally’s teacher, recognizes her potential and believes in her. His support helps Ally gain confidence, realize her unique strengths, and understand that people learn in many different ways.