There are many themes, symbols and motifs present throughout the novel Other Words for Home. In this activity, students will identify themes, symbols, and motifs in Other Words for Home 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!
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Due Date:
Objective: Create a storyboard that identifies recurring themes, symbols, or motifs found in Other Words for Home. Illustrate each and write a short description below each cell.
Student Instructions:
Encourage active participation by setting clear discussion norms and inviting every student to share their ideas. Build trust so students feel comfortable expressing different viewpoints about the text’s themes and symbols.
Develop questions that prompt students to analyze and connect the themes and symbols with their own experiences or current events. This guides students to think more deeply.
Designate discussion leaders, summarizers, and note-takers to keep everyone involved. Rotating roles helps all students build confidence speaking and listening.
Show how to cite specific passages when discussing themes or symbols. Use think-alouds to demonstrate strong text-based reasoning.
Teach students to disagree thoughtfully and expand on classmates’ comments. This creates a richer, more collaborative exploration of the novel.
Other Words for Home explores themes like home, empathy, family, coming of age, friendship, courage, perseverance, and the refugee experience. These themes help readers connect with the characters and understand their journeys.
Use activities like spider maps or an envelope activity where students track assigned symbols or motifs while reading. Encourage them to illustrate examples and write brief descriptions to deepen understanding.
An envelope activity involves giving students specific themes, symbols, or motifs in envelopes to track as they read. This focused approach helps students pay attention to recurring ideas and discuss their significance.
The hijab in Other Words for Home symbolizes identity, faith, and belonging. It represents the protagonist's cultural pride and her journey navigating a new environment while staying true to herself.
Have students create storyboards or spider maps that visually represent themes and motifs, using scenes and characters from the novel. This visual approach makes abstract ideas more concrete and memorable.