Classroom Resource

A 'Brief, Urgent Message': Theme in Slaughterhouse-Five

Subject Area

English Language Arts

Grade(s)

9, 10, 12

Overview

In Slaughterhouse-Five, author Kurt Vonnegut describes Tralfamadorian literature as "brief, urgent message[s]—describing a situation, a scene"; when seen all at once, they produce an image of life that is beautiful and surprising and deep" (111-112). Students use this literary perspective to analyze passages from Slaughterhouse-Five and then apply that perspective by creating a compilation album, CD cover, and liner notes that demonstrate their interpretation, understanding, and evaluation of the themes and ideas in the novel.

Content Standards

English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 9

ELA21.9.R2
Read and comprehend a variety of literary texts to develop a literal and figurative understanding as appropriate to the type of text, purpose, and situation.

Unpacked Content

Vocabulary

Literary texts
Literal understanding
Figurative understanding
Text
Purpose
Situation

Knowledge

Students know:

Necessary skills to read and comprehend a variety of literary texts.
Strategies to analyze literary text to develop a literal and figurative understanding.
Literary texts have different intended meanings depending on the genre, purpose, and situation.

Skills

Students are able to:

Read and comprehend a variety of literary texts.
Develop literal and figurative understanding of literary texts appropriate to the text, purpose, and situation.

Understanding

Students understand that:

Literary texts can be understood on both a literal and figurative level.

English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 9

ELA21.9.5
Analyze the impact of context and organizational structures on theme, tone, and the meaning of the work as a whole.

Unpacked Content

Vocabulary

Context
Organizational structure
Tone
Theme

Knowledge

Students know:

The context and organizational structure of a text will impact the theme, tone, and meaning of the work.
Strategies to identify the theme, tone, and meaning of written work.

Skills

Students are able to:

Identify the theme, tone, and meaning of written work.
Analyze the impact of context and organizational structure on the theme, tone, and meaning of written work.

Understanding

Students understand that:

A text's context and structure can affect the tone, theme, and meaning of a work as a whole.

English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 10

ELA21.10.5
Analyze context and organizational structures to determine theme, tone, and the meaning of the work as a whole.

Unpacked Content

Vocabulary

Context
Organizational structure
Tone
Theme

Knowledge

Students know:

The context and organizational structure of a text will impact the theme, tone, and meaning of the work.
Strategies to identify the theme, tone, and meaning of written work.

Skills

Students are able to:

Identify the theme, tone, and meaning of written work.
Analyze the impact of context and organizational structure on the theme, tone, and meaning of written work.

Understanding

Students understand that:

A text's context and structure can affect the tone, theme, and meaning of a work as a whole.

English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 12

ELA21.12.R2
Read and comprehend a variety of literary texts to develop a literal and figurative understanding as appropriate to the type of text, purpose, and situation.

Unpacked Content

Vocabulary

Literary texts
Literal understanding
Figurative understanding
Text
Purpose
Situation

Knowledge

Students know:

Necessary skills to read and comprehend a variety of literary texts.
Strategies to analyze literary text to develop a literal and figurative understanding.
Literary texts have different intended meanings depending on the genre, purpose, and situation.

Skills

Students are able to:

Read and comprehend a variety of literary texts.
Develop literal and figurative understanding of literary texts appropriate to the text, purpose, and situation.

Understanding

Students understand that:

Literary texts can be understood on both a literal and figurative level.

English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 12

ELA21.12.5
Evaluate structural and organizational details in texts to determine the author’s purpose, including cases in which the meaning is ironic or satirical.

Unpacked Content

Vocabulary

Evaluate
Structural details
Organizational details
Purpose
Ironic
Satirical

Knowledge

Students know:

Strategies to evaluate the structure and organization of various texts.
Authors choose to write in different genres to support their purpose for writing.

Skills

Students are able to:

Identify and evaluate structural and organizational details in texts from multiple genres.
Determine how the genre of a text supports the author's purpose.
Identify irony and satire in text.

Understanding

Students understand that:

There are a variety of genres of text, and authors choose to write in a particular genre to support their purpose for writing.
Different genres of text have different structures and organizations.
Authors may choose to include implicit messages within their text, such as irony or satire.

Interdisciplinary Connection(s)

Link to Resource

http://readwritethink.org/classroom-resources/lesson-plans/brief-urgent-message…

Content Type / Source

CR Resource Type

Lesson/Unit Plan

Resource Provider

ReadWriteThink

Accessibility

License

License Type

Custom

Custom License Type (URL)

http://www.readwritethink.org/util/legal.html

Approved Date

2019-06-05

Curated by

raulstoncg

Learning Resource Type

A 'Brief, Urgent Message': Theme in Slaughterhouse-Five

Subject Area

Grade(s)

Overview

ELA21.9.R2 Read and comprehend a variety of literary texts to develop a literal and figurative understanding as appropriate to the type of text, purpose, and situation.

Vocabulary

Knowledge

Skills

Understanding

ELA21.9.5 Analyze the impact of context and organizational structures on theme, tone, and the meaning of the work as a whole.

Vocabulary

Knowledge

Skills

Understanding

ELA21.10.5 Analyze context and organizational structures to determine theme, tone, and the meaning of the work as a whole.

Vocabulary

Knowledge

Skills

Understanding

ELA21.12.R2 Read and comprehend a variety of literary texts to develop a literal and figurative understanding as appropriate to the type of text, purpose, and situation.

Vocabulary

Knowledge

Skills

Understanding

ELA21.12.5 Evaluate structural and organizational details in texts to determine the author’s purpose, including cases in which the meaning is ironic or satirical.

Vocabulary

Knowledge

Skills

Understanding

URL (web address)

CR Resource Type

Resource Provider

License Type

Custom License Type (URL)

Approved Date

ELA21.9.R2
Read and comprehend a variety of literary texts to develop a literal and figurative understanding as appropriate to the type of text, purpose, and situation.

ELA21.9.5
Analyze the impact of context and organizational structures on theme, tone, and the meaning of the work as a whole.

ELA21.10.5
Analyze context and organizational structures to determine theme, tone, and the meaning of the work as a whole.

ELA21.12.R2
Read and comprehend a variety of literary texts to develop a literal and figurative understanding as appropriate to the type of text, purpose, and situation.

ELA21.12.5
Evaluate structural and organizational details in texts to determine the author’s purpose, including cases in which the meaning is ironic or satirical.