One quick activity that can teach 8 and 9-year-olds about theme is the “Theme Hunt” game. Here’s how you can conduct this activity:
Materials needed: - Index cards or small pieces of paper - Writing utensils - Timer or stopwatch
Instructions: 1. Explain to the children that theme is the underlying message or lesson in a story. It is what the author wants the readers to learn or understand. 2. Divide the children into pairs or small groups. 3. Give each group a set of index cards or small pieces of paper. 4. Instruct the children to work together to come up with a list of popular children’s books or stories they are familiar with. 5. On each index card or piece of paper, have the children write down the title of a book or story they chose. 6. Once they have a list of titles, tell them that their task is to identify the theme of each story. 7. Set a timer for a specific amount of time (e.g., 5 minutes) and have the children work together to determine the theme of each story on their list. 8. After the time is up, gather the groups together and have them share the themes they identified for each story. 9. Discuss the themes as a group, asking questions to help the children understand why they chose those themes and how they relate to the stories. 10. Finally, summarize the activity by emphasizing that themes can vary from story to story, and it’s important to look for clues within the text to identify the underlying message.
This activity allows children to practice identifying themes in familiar stories while also promoting teamwork and critical thinking skills.