THEME: The FIVE Elements of a Story Graphic Organizers

This is our THEME section of our Graphic Organizers Series: The FIVE Elements of a Story. In this set, you can enjoy 10 custom graphic organizers for Theme. These graphic organizers can be used in any classroom, for any grade, and with any student.

Use these graphic organizers to help students gain an understanding of Theme in a story. Each graphic organizer comes with instructions on how to use them.

Theme Graphic Organizers:

Inference Clues – Infer the theme and its meaning from the story by using clues the author gives you. Write down clues to the theme in the circles. Then, find the theme based on these clues and write it in the Inference box. Discuss how you were able to come to that conclusion based on the clues from the story.

Theme Prediction – Predict what you think the theme of the story will be based only on the cover art, title, and back cover description. Then, support your prediction. Follow this by writing down evidence from the story as you read along. Finally, write down the actual theme and compare this to your prediction.

Theme Chart – First identify the main characters, main conflict, and theme of the story. Then, breakdown the theme of the story by first writing down the beginning of the theme. Follow this by writing the development of the theme, then the climax of the theme. Finish off with the resolution of the theme.

Theme Comparison – First, write down a list of themes from the story in the first box. Then, compare these themes by writing their differences in the outside circles, and their similarities in the area where the circles overlap. Finally, write down your conclusions based on this information.

Theme Tree – Complete the Theme Tree by first writing the theme on the trunk of the tree. Then, include evidence from the story to support the theme on the branches of the tree. Evidence can be in the form of quotes, paraphrasing, descriptions, and drawings.

Theme Contrast – This graphic organizer helps with identifying the Theme and not getting it confused with the Plot or Main Idea of the story. Contrast the theme with the plot or main idea by comparing them and listing ONLY their differences in the two columns.

Theme Connection – Connect the Theme of the story with Real Life. First, identify the theme of the story and write it in the center triangle. Then, write down examples of the theme from the story in the circles. Finally, write down examples of the theme as they appear in real life in the rectangles.

Changes in Theme – Identify how the Theme changes throughout the story. In the first column, write down the theme in the beginning of the story. In the second column, write down the theme at the end of the story. Compare the two to show how the theme changes. Do this for every theme in the story.

Theme Identifier – Get help identifying the Theme of a story by answering the questions. Start off by describing what happens in the story. Then, identify the most important event in the story. Explore the characters by identifying how they change and what they learn. Finally, determine what the author is trying to tell you.

Theme Analysis – Identify the Theme, analyze its development, and summarize key supporting details. First, write down what you think the author wants you to understand in the triangle. Then, include supporting evidence in the circles. Finally, tell how the author communicates the theme in the rectangles.