Lesson 3 Activity 3.1 A Common Man- A Common or Uncommon Theme

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Theme is defined as a main idea or an underlying meaning of a literary work which may be stated directly or indirectly.^[2] 

Summary: A theme is a common message that shows up in many stories, across many genres, and across many cultures. There are themes that run both at and below the surface of this American Voice. Different people often use different words, different languages and different emotions to express the same ideas and the same feelings.

Benchmark:         

11.4.9.9 Demonstrate knowledge of eighteenth-, nineteenth- and early-twentieth-century foundational works of American literature, including American Indian and other diverse cultures’ texts and how two or more texts from the same period treat similar themes or topics.

Learning Target:

I can find a common theme among several different pieces of literature.

Essential Question:        

How do different authors with different perspectives treat similar themes or issues?

You will need:        

• 2 class periods
• Access to the excerpts/text selections from the unit
• Socratic Seminar process (pdf)

STEP 1: 

Review the literary device of theme and also review the excerpted texts/selections from this time period.

• Patrick Henry- “Give me Liberty or Give Me Death” speech
• Thomas Paine- quotes from Common Sense, 1776
• Ben Franklin- Selections from Poor Richard’s Almanac with a brief sketch of his life
• Thomas Jefferson- The Declaration of Independence
• Phyllis Wheatley The Project Gutenberg EBook of Religious and Moral Poems
• Abigail Adams- "Remember the Ladies" Letter
• Elias Boudinot An Address to the Whites 

STEP 2:  

Review the Socratic Seminar process (pdf) handout and using a selected text, follow the protocol in the process as a whole class. Choose one of the recording questions sheets and complete for the selected text so you know how to complete the protocol

STEP 3:

In small groups of 4-5 students, divide the remaining texts and make sure your group has two- the class should be covering them all. Each group apply the discussion techniques in the small groups to the two chose texts. After small group discussion of the two assigned texts- have a spokesperson share the findings with the whole class.

Step 4: 

After hearing the groups report out, multiple perspectives on similar issues from the time period will have been discussed. Choose a theme that can be defended in a two different texts. Define the theme and compare/contrast the evidence of the theme in two different texts. Cite the title and author, compare/contrast the two author’s interpretations of the theme with evidence from the text.

Step 5: Submit your Theme and two different author perspectives.