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Read the poems and complete the Student Packet Worksheets for “The Bonfire,” “The Wild Swans at Coole,” and “Birds’ Nests.”

Play two songs for the class that have the same theme but are different types of music. For example, you might choose a rap song about love and a country song about love.

will explain that just like songs have themes (for example, that it is better to be happy and alone, than unhappily in love), so do poems. The theme of a poem is the poet’s message to readers. I can find the theme of a poem by examining its main idea and voice. For example, if a song’s main idea is about a person who just broke up with his love and the voice or tone is excited and joyful, a theme of the song is that we might be happier being alone than in a relationship. Finding a poem’s theme works the same way. By figuring out what the poem is about (Main Idea) and how the author feels about the subject of the poem (Voice) readers can figure out the theme, or message in the poem. Note: You may want to discuss as you go through the poem the difference between main idea and theme as students often confuse these concepts. Main idea is the big idea in a text that tells what it is mostly about, while theme is the message that an author is trying to share with the reader. Usually a theme can be applied to other texts, but the main idea is very specific to the text.

I will read aloud the poem “Birds’ Nests” and will follow the steps to figure out the main idea of the poem. (Model the steps used in Lesson 2 to identify the main idea.) I think the Main Idea of this poem is that many birds’ nests are now visible due to the change in the season. I will write this on Theme Chart 1. Note:You may want to write the poem on chart paper or the board before the lesson so students can refer to the lines of the poem. See Example Theme Chart 1 for specific examples.

Next, I will identify the poem’s voice. After reading the poem aloud, I feel somber or somewhat sad. Phrases such as: “hang like a mark,” “I cannot help but a little shame,” and “made the seeing no game,” give me a feeling of sadness. I will write this feeling on Theme Chart 1 and I will record the words that lead me to feel this way.

I will reread the poem aloud in a somber voice to get a better understanding of the poem’s meaning. I can now answer the question: What message does the poem have for the reader? Gathering the information about the poem’s main idea and voice can help to identify the message or theme. I think the theme of this poem is to take time to notice nature’s beauty before it is too late. I will record the theme on Theme Chart 1.

Ask: "How can I identify the theme in a poem?" Students should answer that you can identify the theme by first identifying the main idea and voice to gather information. Then you can use information about the poem’s main idea and voice to draw a conclusion about the poem’s theme.

will determine the theme of “City Autumn.” We will first identify the main idea of the poem. (Read the poem aloud and encourage your class to brainstorm about the poem’s main idea.) We could say that the poem’s main idea is that the changing of the seasons affects nature, animals, and the people in a city. We will record the main idea on Theme Chart 2. Note: You may want to write the poem on chart paper or the board before the lesson so students can refer to the lines of the poem. See Example Theme Chart 2 for specific examples.

We will then look for words, phrases or images that tell us about the voice of the poem. The voice of “City Autumn” is somber and reflective. The words the poet uses to describe the actions, such as “Thin wind beats old dust,” “a vagabond draws his cloak together,” and “an old man totters past . . .” give us a somber feeling. We will record the voice on Theme Chart 2.

We will reread the poem in a somber voice to get a deeper understanding of the poem. Finally, we will use the information we have gathered about the main idea and the voice to answer the question: What message does the poet have for the reader? We might say that the message or theme of “City Autumn” is to enjoy life because you never know if you will be around to see another season. We will record the theme on Theme Chart 2. (Encourage students to brainstorm other themes.)

will read the poem “Something Childish, But Very Natural.” You will identify the poem’s main idea and voice, recording this information on the Theme Worksheet. You will then read the poem aloud in the voice you have identified. Finally, you will answer the question What is the poem’s message or theme? You will record the poem’s theme on your Theme Worksheet and you will prepare to share your theme.

will each share the theme we have identified for “Something Childish, But Very Natural.” We will write differing themes on chart paper or the board. We will discuss the question: Is the theme relevant for our lives today?