Supporting Theme Evidence

Grade: 7th

Duration: 35 minutes

Unit: Discovering Story Themes

Lesson: 3 of 3

Text: War of the Wall

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Learning Objectives / "I Can" Statements

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• I can identify textual evidence that supports a theme in War of the Wall.
• I can explain how my chosen quotes connect to the theme.
• I can write a clear paragraph that ties evidence to the theme using text-based reasoning.

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Common Core State Standards Alignment

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.2
Determine a theme or central idea of a text and analyze its development over the course of the text; provide an objective summary of the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.7.1
Cite several pieces of textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.7.2.B
Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant evidence, using accurate, credible sources and demonstrating an understanding of the topic or text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.7.1
Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions with diverse partners on grade 7 topics and texts, building on others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly.

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Materials Needed

• Copies of War of the Wall excerpts (dyslexia-friendly font versions available)
• Highlighters or colored pencils
• Graphic organizers (Theme-Evidence-Explanation chart)
• Student notebooks or paper
• Projector or smartboard for whole-class modeling
• Sticky notes

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Introduction & Review (5 minutes)

• Begin by reviewing the themes students previously identified from War of the Wall.
• Use "I can" language: “I can remember themes I found in the story.”
• Quickly model with the projected text how to locate evidence (quotes) that support a specific theme.
• Briefly explain the importance of using evidence to back up our ideas.

Teacher Tip: Use a dyslexia-friendly font on the projector (like Open Dyslexic) and maintain clear spacing when modeling.

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2. Guided Practice: Spotting Evidence (10 minutes)

• Distribute theme-evidence-explanation graphic organizers.
• Assign students to small groups (3-4 per group; 23 groups total). Each group will pick one theme from the list previously generated.
• Groups read a short selected passage and highlight or underline two pieces of evidence that support their theme.
• Students write their evidence in the graphic organizer and explain in one sentence how the evidence connects to the theme.

Differentiation:

• Provide sentence starters for EL students and those needing extra support (e.g., “This quote shows _____ because _____.”).
• Provide extra-challenging passages or ask advanced learners to find an implied theme and evidence.

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3. Independent Writing: Evidence-Based Paragraph (12 minutes)

• Individually, students write a concise paragraph connecting their chosen theme with the evidence their group found.
• Prompt: “Use your notes from the graphic organizer to write a paragraph explaining how the quote(s) support the theme you identified.”
• Remind to include a topic sentence, evidence (quote), and an explanation sentence based on text.
• Teacher circulates, offering support, scaffolding where needed.

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4. Sharing & Closure (6 minutes)

• Invite 4-5 volunteers to share their paragraphs out loud or display a few strong examples with projector.
• Facilitate brief peer feedback focused on the strength of the connection between theme and evidence.
• Close with an “I can” self-assessment:

  “I can find evidence that supports a theme in a story.”
  “I can explain why this evidence supports my theme.”

Extension for Advanced Learners:

• Challenge them to compare how evidence supports two different themes and write a short comparative response.

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Assessment

• Formative: Observation during group work and paragraph writing.
• Summative: Completed paragraph demonstrates accurate citation and reasoning.
• Exit ticket: “Write one sentence explaining why evidence is important when explaining a theme.”

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Differentiation & Accessibility Strategies

• Dyslexia-friendly reading: Use font Open Dyslexic or Arial, double spacing, and high contrast printouts.
• Provide sentence frames and graphic organizers for scaffolding.
• Use mixed-ability groups so peer teaching can happen naturally.
• Allow advanced learners to integrate multiple pieces of evidence or analyze implied themes.
• Check in frequently with ELs and reluctant writers; allow verbal responses if needed before writing.

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Teacher Reflection Notes (Post-Lesson)

• Did students successfully link theme to textual evidence?
• Which students struggled to find or explain evidence? Plan targeted support.
• How effective were the small groups? Adjust for more or less teacher support next time.

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This lesson plan ensures active engagement with text while fostering critical thinking, analysis, and clear written expression — all tightly aligned with Common Core standards. The mix of collaboration, modeling, and independent writing supports diverse learners and allows teachers to adjust support fluidly.