R21.2 Short Answer Exercise: Explain Specific Theme of Current Title
Literary Core Skill:
Rhetoric Level 21: Consider various titles with respect to a specific universal idea.
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Elements of Fiction:
Biblioscopic Dialogue
Theme
Worldview
Assignment Type:
Description:
This worksheet asks for a paragraph- or page-length explanation of specific theme of the current title.
As with all other facets of literary reading, students apply the techniques they have previously learned on children’s stories to works at their own reading level, putting the general and specific themes of the current title in the context of an ongoing human conversation about universal ideas.
The “general theme” of a story is the universal idea, topic, or question that the story addresses; the subject toward which the author wishes to turn the conversation. It is distinct from the “specific theme” of a story, which is the case, point, or argument that the author is making about that topic.
Grading Rubric:
Equal parts credit for a) clean grammar/syntax/punctuation, b) plausibility, and c) reference to the text. Paragraph- and page-length answers may also be graded on the 5-fold rubric, which is explained at www.centerforlitschools.com/5fold-grading-rubric.
Completed Example Assignments:
