Themes, symbols, and motifs come alive when you use a storyboard. In this activity, students will identify a theme of “Zlateh the Goat”, and support it with evidence from the text. One theme is “trust”. Zlateh puts all of her trust in humans.
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Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that identifies a theme in "Zlateh the Goat". Illustrate examples and write a short description below each cell.
Engage your students in a guided discussion about trust by asking open-ended questions that connect the story to their own experiences. Encourage participation and build understanding together.
Write questions such as, “Why do you think Zlateh trusted Aaron?” or “Have you ever had to trust someone without knowing what would happen?” These questions help students relate personally and analyze the story’s key theme.
Explain that everyone should listen respectfully, take turns, and support their ideas with examples from the story. This builds a safe and respectful classroom environment for sharing thoughts.
Encourage students to reference specific quotes or scenes when sharing their thoughts. Pointing to the text helps deepen understanding and keeps the discussion grounded.
Ask students to share a time when they had to trust someone else, or when someone trusted them. This step personalizes the theme and makes learning meaningful.
The main theme of 'Zlateh the Goat' is trust. The story highlights how Zlateh places her full trust in humans, even in uncertain or difficult situations, reflecting the deep bond and faith between people and animals.
Students can identify themes by creating a storyboard that highlights key moments related to a theme, such as trust. Each cell should include an example from the text, an illustration, and a brief description to visually and textually support their analysis.
Examples of trust in the story include Zlateh trusting humans for food and care, following Aaron without question, and remaining loyal even when feeling unsafe—showing her unwavering confidence in people.
Trust is an accessible and meaningful theme for grades 4–5 because students can relate to its importance in relationships. Exploring trust through Zlateh’s experiences helps build empathy and critical thinking about loyalty and confidence in others.
The best way is to have students create illustrated storyboards that pair direct evidence from the text with artwork. This visual approach supports comprehension and engagement with the story’s key messages.