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 Where the Red Fern Grows. 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.
Billy is so determined to buy himself two hunting dogs that he works odd jobs for two years to earn the money.
Billy’s dogs are extremely loyal to him and to each other. One example of this is when Little Ann falls in the ice and Billy and Old Dan don’t give up until they rescue her.
Billy and his family are very close and would do anything for one another. Billy’s relationship with his grandpa is very strong, and Billy learns all about perseverance and hunting from him.
Billy and his family are extremely religious and spiritual. They often talk to and about God, and Billy thinks about his prayers frequently.
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Due Date:
Objective: Create a storyboard that identifies recurring themes in Where the Red Fern Grows. Illustrate instances of each theme and write a short description below each cell.
Student Instructions:
Invite students to ask and answer questions about the themes in Where the Red Fern Grows to spark deeper thinking and richer classroom conversations. This helps students connect personally with the story and understand its messages more fully.
Demonstrate how to turn theme statements into thoughtful questions, such as 'How does Billy show determination in challenging situations?' This encourages critical thinking and lets students explore multiple perspectives.
Organize students into small groups to share and discuss their theme questions. This collaborative approach gives everyone a chance to speak and helps students build on each other's ideas.
Remind students to back up their responses with examples from the book, such as quoting dialogue or describing scenes. This practice strengthens reading comprehension and supports clear reasoning.
Bring the class together to share key takeaways from their group discussions. Highlight common themes, unique perspectives, and how the story’s messages relate to real life.
Where the Red Fern Grows features several important themes, including determination, loyalty, family, and faith. These central ideas shape the characters’ actions and the overall message of the story.
Encourage students to look for recurring ideas, character actions, and key events that highlight themes. Ask them to support their choices with examples from the text and create illustrations or short descriptions for each theme they find.
An example of loyalty is when Billy’s dogs, Old Dan and Little Ann, refuse to leave each other behind, especially shown when they work together to rescue Little Ann from the ice.
Determination is important because it shows how Billy works tirelessly for two years to save enough money to buy his hunting dogs, demonstrating perseverance and hard work.
Activities like storyboarding, identifying and illustrating themes, and writing descriptions for each example help students understand and engage with the book’s key messages.