What is Your Child Learning?
Seventh graders are learning to compare how different authors develop similar themes. This means looking at two or more texts that share a life lesson or message, then analyzing how each author communicates that idea differently. Students must cite specific evidence from EACH text when making comparisons.
On Florida's FAST assessment, students will read paired passages and answer questions about how themes are developed across both texts.
Key Vocabulary
Theme: A universal message or insight about life conveyed in a literary text
Universal Theme: A theme that appears across multiple texts, cultures, and time periods (like courage, identity, or perseverance)
Theme Development: How an author builds and reveals the theme through characters, plot, and other elements
Genre: The category of literature (poetry, short story, novel, drama) - different genres develop themes differently
Textual Evidence: Specific quotes or details from the text that support analysis
Activities to Try at Home
📺 Movie/Book Comparison Night
Watch a movie adaptation of a book your child has read, then compare how each version develops the same theme:
- "What's the main message or theme of this story?"
- "How did the book show this theme? What scenes or character moments?"
- "How did the movie show the same theme? What did they add or change?"
- "Which version developed the theme more effectively? Why?"
Good pairs: The Giver, Wonder, The Outsiders, Holes
🎵 Song & Story Theme Connection
Find songs that share themes with stories your child is reading:
- If reading a book about perseverance, find a song with a similar message
- Compare: "How does the song express this theme? How is it different from the book?"
- Discuss how music uses repetition, imagery, and emotion differently than prose
- Ask: "Which medium connected with you more? Why?"
📖 Two Stories, One Theme Discussion
When your child finishes a book, find a short story or poem with a similar theme:
- "Both of these are about [courage/identity/friendship]. How does each author show this?"
- "What characters or events develop the theme in each text?"
- "What quote from each text best captures the theme?"
- "If you had to teach someone this lesson, which text would you use? Why?"
🆚 Genre Comparison Challenge
Find the same theme expressed in different genres and discuss how format affects message:
- Read a poem and short story that both address courage or loss
- Ask: "How does poetry express the theme differently than a story?"
- "What can a story do that a poem can't? What can a poem do that a story can't?"
- "Why might an author choose one genre over another for this message?"
Parent Tip: The 7th Grade Shift
In 6th grade, students learned to identify theme in a single text. In 7th grade, they must COMPARE themes across multiple texts. This means:
When helping your child, always ask about TWO texts:
- "How does THIS text show the theme?"
- "How does THAT text show the same theme differently?"
- "What evidence from EACH text supports your analysis?"
The key skill is showing how different authors take different paths to the same universal truth.
Informacion para Padres (Spanish Summary)
Que esta aprendiendo su hijo? Los estudiantes de septimo grado aprenden a COMPARAR como diferentes autores desarrollan temas similares. Esto significa analizar dos o mas textos que comparten una leccion de vida.
Habilidad clave: Los estudiantes deben citar evidencia especifica de CADA texto cuando hacen comparaciones.
Preguntas para hacer:
- "Que leccion de vida comparten estos dos textos?"
- "Como muestra cada autor este mensaje?"
- "Que cita de CADA texto apoya este tema?"
- "Cual enfoque fue mas efectivo? Por que?"
Actividad en casa: Despues de ver una pelicula juntos, encuentre un libro con un tema similar. Compare como cada uno muestra el mensaje de manera diferente.