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https://www.storyboardthat.com/lesson-plans/sarah--plain-and-tall-by-patricia-maclachlan/themes
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  1. Activity Overview
  2. Template and Class Instructions
  3. Rubric
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Sarah Plain and Tall Theme More options

Activity Overview


Themes, Symbols, and Motifs

Several themes are present in the novel. Students can pick a theme to explore, and should support their choice with specific details or events from the text. One prominent theme is “new beginnings”. The characters in the story are all searching for something new to light their lives.


New Beginnings

Example 1

Sarah is a new beginning for Anna, Caleb, and their father. The family will always miss their mother, but are desperately in need of a new light in their life.



Example 2

Anna, Caleb, and Jacob are a new beginning for Sarah. They are a chance for Sarah to make a new life, now that her family in Maine no longer needs her help.



Other themes that could be used are family, or abandonment.


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Template and Class Instructions

(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)



Student Instructions

Create a storyboard that identifies a theme in Sarah, Plain and Tall. Illustrate examples and write a short description below each cell.


  1. Click "Start Assignment".
  2. Identify a theme in the story and write it on the row.
  3. Find three examples of the theme in the text and describe one in each cell.
  4. Illustrate each example with appropriate characters, scenes, and items.
3 Columns by 2 Rows Storyboard Chart Template with Titles and Descriptions More options

Lesson Plan Reference

Grade Level 3-4

Difficulty Level 3 (Developing to Mastery)

Type of Assignment Individual or Partner

Type of Activity: Themes, Symbols & Motifs

Common Core Standards
  • [ELA-Literacy/RL/2/2] Recount stories, including fables and folktales from diverse cultures, and determine their central message, lesson, or moral.
  • [ELA-Literacy/RL/3/2] Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures; determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text.

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Rubric

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Themes
Create a storyboard that identifies themes in the story. Illustrate examples of each theme and write a short description below each cell.
Proficient Emerging Beginning
Identify Theme(s)
All themes are correctly identified and described.
Some themes are correctly identified.
No themes are correctly identified.
Examples of Theme(s)
All examples support the identified theme(s).
Most examples fit the identified theme(s).
Most examples do not fit the theme(s).
Illustrate Theme
Images clearly show connection with the theme(s).
Some images help to show the theme.
Images do not help in understanding the theme.


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