Activity Overview
Themes, symbols, and motifs come alive when you use a storyboard. In this activity, students will identify themes and symbols from the poem, and support their choices with details from the text.
As a classroom activity, students can track the rich thematic and symbolic writing Alice Walker uses in her poetry. In the example storyboard above, the creator has focused on the following themes in the poem.
The Strength of Women and their Sacrifices
The poem focuses on the women of the narrator’s mother’s generation who made sacrifices and broke down barriers, much like warriors, in order to make sure that their children had a chance to receive an education. The imagery Walker uses is very militant, including comparing women to “headragged generals” leading armies across “mined fields”.
A Mother’s Hope for her Children
The ultimate goal of these women warriors is to ensure that the children would receive an education. Education leads to more opportunities. In looking at Walker’s own biographical information, her mother was a maid and her father was a sharecropper. Both of her parents didn’t make much money, which didn’t allow them many opportunities; however, their parents refused to make their children work in the fields and drop out of school to help work. To them, they hoped for a better life for their children, spurred on by their chance at a good education.
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 recurring themes in “Women”. Illustrate instances of each theme and write a short description below each cell.
- Click "Start Assignment".
- Identify the theme(s) from “Women” you wish to include and replace the "Theme 1" text.
- Create an image for examples that represents this theme.
- Write a description of each of the examples.
Lesson Plan Reference
- [ELA-Literacy/RL/11-12/1] Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain
- [ELA-Literacy/RL/11-12/2] Determine two or more themes or central ideas of a text and analyze their development over the course of the text, including how they interact and build on one another to produce a complex account; provide an objective summary of the text
- [ELA-Literacy/SL/11-12/2] Integrate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., visually, quantitatively, orally) in order to make informed decisions and solve problems, evaluating the credibility and accuracy of each source and noting any discrepancies among the data
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient | Emerging | Beginning | Needs Improvement | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Identification of Theme(s), Symbol(s), and/or Motif(s) | All themes are correctly identified as important recurring topics or messages in the story. Symbols are correctly identified as objects that represent something else at a higher level in the story. Motifs are correctly identified as important recurring features or ideas in the story. | Most themes are correctly identified, but others are missing or incomplete. Most symbols are correctly identified, but some objects are missing or incomplete. Some motifs are correctly identified, but others are missing or incomplete. | Most themes are missing, incomplete, or incorrect. Most symbols are missing, incomplete, or incorrect. Most motifs are missing, incomplete, or incorrect. | No themes, symbols, or motifs are correctly identified. |
| Examples and Descriptions | Quotes and examples are accurate to the theme(s), symbol(s), and/or motif(s) that are being identified. Descriptions accurately explain the theme(s), symbol(s), and/or motif(s) and highlight their significance to the story. | Most quotes and examples are accurate to the theme(s), symbol(s), and/or motifs that are being identified. Descriptions mostly accurately explain the theme(s), symbol(s), and/or motif(s), and highlight their significance to the story. | Most quotes and examples are minimal, incorrect, or unrelated to the theme(s), symbol(s), and/or motif(s) that are being identified. Descriptions contain inaccuracies in their explanations, or do not highlight their significance to the story. | Examples and descriptions are missing or too minimal to score. |
| Depiction | Depictions chosen for theme(s), symbol(s), and/or motif(s) are accurate to the story and reflect time, effort, thought, and care with regard to placement and creation of the scenes. | Depictions chosen for theme(s), symbol(s), and/or motif(s) are mostly accurate to the story. They reflect time and effort put into placement and creation of the scenes. | Depictions chosen for theme(s), symbol(s), and/or motif(s) are inaccurate to the story. The depictions may be rushed or show minimal effort, time, and care put into placement and creation of the scenes. | Most depictions are missing too many elements or are too minimal to score. Little time or effort has been put into placement and creation of the scenes. |
| English Conventions | There are no errors in spelling, grammar, or mechanics throughout the storyboard. All writing portions reflect careful proofreading and accuracy to the story. | There are a few errors in spelling, grammar, and mechanics throughout the storyboard. All writing portions show accuracy to the story and some proofreading. | There are several errors in spelling, grammar, and mechanics throughout the storyboard. Most writing portions do not reflect proofreading or accuracy to the story. | Errors in spelling, grammar, and mechanics in writing portions of the storyboard seriously interfere with communication. |
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