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 2 of the themes in When You Trap a Tiger. Teachers may want the students to identify and illustrate 2 themes, one for each cell, or identify one theme and show two examples of it, one example per cell.
Lily, her mother, and her sister move to Washington to take care of Halmoni. Family is a very big part of Lily’s life. Lily will do anything to save her halmoni’s life.
The theme of Korean culture is prevalent throughout the book. One example of this is when Halmoni does a “kosa”, which is the laying out of plates and foods for their ancestors, so that they may eat before the living.
The entire novel is based around the stories of Halmoni’s past and the stories that she stole from the tigers. Lily learns that stories can bring up very strong emotions.
At the beginning of the story, Lily is quiet and often feels invisible. Her sister calls her a stereotypical “QAG”, or Quiet Asian Girl. Lily wants to be more outgoing and brave, and does not want to be invisible anymore.
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Due Date:
Objective: Create a storyboard that identifies recurring themes in When You Trap a Tiger. Illustrate instances of each theme and write a short description below each cell.
Student Instructions:
Encourage students to look for specific sentences or scenes that show the theme in action. Text evidence helps students prove why they chose a theme and supports their thinking with concrete examples from the story.
Show students how to use sticky notes, highlighters, or digital tools to mark moments that relate to major themes. Modeling this process makes it easier for students to spot and remember evidence as they read.
Pair up students to share the evidence they've found and explain how it connects to a theme. Discussion deepens understanding and allows students to learn from each other's perspectives.
Build a visual chart together listing key themes and supporting evidence found by students. Anchor charts serve as a helpful reference during writing or storyboard creation.
Recognize students who find unique examples or explain their reasoning clearly. Positive feedback boosts confidence and motivates all students to engage with text evidence.
When You Trap a Tiger explores several key themes, including family, Korean culture, storytelling, and identity. These themes help drive the characters’ growth and the story’s message about heritage, courage, and connection.
Students can identify themes by looking for recurring ideas, messages, or issues that appear throughout the story. Noticing how characters act, what challenges they face, and the lessons they learn can help reveal the book’s main themes.
One example is when Halmoni performs a kosa, a traditional Korean ritual where food is set out for ancestors before the living eat. This shows the importance of honoring family heritage in the story.
Storytelling is central to the novel. Halmoni’s stories connect Lily to her family’s past, teach lessons, and evoke strong emotions. Stories help Lily understand herself and her culture.
Teachers can have students create a storyboard that identifies and illustrates two major themes from the book. Students can draw scenes and write short descriptions to show understanding.