Classroom Resource

Lorraine Hansberry: "A Raisin in the Sun" | Analyzing Theme

Subject Area

English Language Arts

Grade(s)

6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Overview

In this interactive lesson, discover how literary techniques like setting, characterization, and conflict contribute to the overarching theme of a text. Through analysis of Lorraine Hansberry's iconic play A Raisin in the Sun, explore the importance of these different elements individually, then learn how each piece comes together to establish a theme.

English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 6

ELA21.6.1

Identify and explain an author’s rhetorical choices, including point of view, purpose, anecdotes, and figurative, connotative, and technical word meanings, to develop central and supporting ideas.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.6.1

Vocabulary

  • Rhetorical choices
  • Point of view
  • Purpose
  • Anecdotes
  • Figurative word meaning
  • Connotative word meaning
  • Technical word meaning
  • Central idea
  • Supporting idea

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Authors make specific rhetorical choices in their writing to convey meaning.
  • Rhetorical devices include point of view, purpose, personal anecdotes, and word choice.
  • Authors develop the main idea of the text by including supporting details to further elaborate on the text's central meaning.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify an author's rhetorical choices related to point of view, purpose, anecdotes, and figurative, connotative, and technical word meanings.
  • Explain why an author made particular rhetorical choices related to point of view, purpose, anecdotes, and figurative, connotative, and technical word meanings.
  • Explain how an author's rhetorical choices developed the central and supporting ideas of the text.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • When writing a text, authors make specific decisions about the structure, format, and vocabulary to accurately convey their central idea.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 6

ELA21.6.3

Explain how authors use setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view to contribute to the meaning and purpose of prose and poetry, using textual evidence from the writing.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.6.3

Vocabulary

  • Setting
  • Plot
  • Characters
  • Theme
  • Conflict
  • Dialogue
  • Point of view
  • Prose
  • Poetry
  • Textual evidence

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Authors of prose and poetry use literary elements, such as setting, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view, throughout a text to develop and drive the plot.
  • Poetry is a genre of text that uses distinctive style and rhythm to aid in the expression of feelings, while prose is written in ordinary language.
  • Analysis of a text should be supported with text evidence from the writing.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify the setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view in prose and poetry.
  • Explain how literary elements contribute to the meaning and purpose of prose and poetry.
  • Support their explanations of literary elements with textual evidence.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Prose and poetry contain common literary elements, such as setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view.
  • Literary elements contribute to the meaning of poetry and prose.
  • When they analyze a text, they should include text evidence to support their claims.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 7

ELA21.7.3

Explain how the author’s choice of setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view contribute to and/or enhance the meaning and purpose of prose and poetry, using textual evidence from the writing.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.7.3

Vocabulary

  • Setting
  • Plot
  • Characters
  • Theme
  • Conflict
  • Dialogue
  • Point of view
  • Author's purpose
  • Prose
  • Poetry
  • Textual evidence

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Authors of prose and poetry use literary elements, such as setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view, throughout a text to develop and/or enhance the meaning of the text.
  • An author's use of literary elements can indicate the author's purpose for writing the text.
  • Poetry is a genre of text that uses distinctive style and rhythm to aid in the expression of feelings, while prose is written in ordinary language.
  • Analysis of a text should be supported with text evidence from the writing.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify the setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view in prose and poetry.
  • Explain how literary elements contribute to and/or enhance the meaning and purpose of prose and poetry.
  • Support their explanations of literary elements with textual evidence.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Prose and poetry contain common literary elements, such as setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view.
  • Literary elements contribute to and/or enhance the meaning and purpose of poetry and prose.
  • When they analyze a text, they should include text evidence to support their claims.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 8

ELA21.8.3

Analyze how authors use key literary elements, including setting, plot, theme, characters, internal and external conflict, dialogue, and point of view, to contribute to the meaning and purpose of a text, using text evidence as support.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.8.3

Vocabulary

  • Literary elements
  • Setting
  • Plot
  • Theme
  • Characters
  • Internal conflict
  • External conflict
  • Dialogue
  • Points of view
  • Text evidence

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Authors of prose and poetry use literary elements, such as setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view, throughout a text to develop and/or enhance the meaning of the text.
  • An author's use of literary elements can indicate the author's purpose for writing the text.
  • Analysis of a text should be supported with text evidence from the writing.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify the setting, plot, characters, theme, internal and external conflict, dialogue, and point of view in literary text.
  • Analyze how literary elements contribute to the meaning and purpose of literary text.
  • Support their analysis of literary elements with textual evidence.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Prose and poetry contain common literary elements, such as setting, plot, characters, theme, conflict, dialogue, and point of view.
  • Literary elements contribute to the meaning and purpose of literary text.
  • When they analyze a text, they should include text evidence to support their claims.
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

UP:ELA21.9.R2

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

ELA21.9.4

Analyze how authors use characterization, connotation, denotation, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view to create and convey meaning in a variety of texts.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.9.4

Vocabulary

  • Characterization
  • Connotation
  • Denotation
  • Figurative language
  • Literary elements
  • Point of view

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Authors choose to write from a particular point of view and use specific literary elements and vocabulary words to convey their intended meaning.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify characterization, connotation, denotation, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view in a variety of texts.
  • Analyze how characterization, connotation, denotation, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view creates and conveys meaning in a variety of texts.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Authors select particular literary elements and devices to create and convey meaning within their written work.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 10

ELA21.10.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

UP:ELA21.10.R2

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): 10

ELA21.10.4

Interpret an author’s use of characterization, connotation, denotation, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view to create and convey meaning in a variety of texts.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.10.4

Vocabulary

  • Characterization
  • Connotation
  • Denotation
  • Figurative language
  • Literary elements
  • Point of view

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Authors choose to write from a particular point of view and use specific literary elements and vocabulary words to convey their intended meaning.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify characterization, connotation, denotation, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view in a variety of texts.
  • Interpret how characterization, connotation, denotation, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view creates and conveys meaning in a variety of texts.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Authors select particular literary elements and devices to create and convey meaning within their written work.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 11

ELA21.11.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

UP:ELA21.11.R2

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): 11

ELA21.11.4

Analyze how an author uses characterization, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view to create and convey meaning.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.11.4

Vocabulary

  • Analyze
  • Characterization
  • Figurative language
  • Literary elements
  • Point of view
  • Create
  • Convey

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Authors choose to write from a particular point of view and use specific literary elements and vocabulary words to convey their intended meaning.
  • Methods to analyze characterization, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify characterization, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view in a variety of texts.
  • Analyze how characterization, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view creates and conveys meaning in a variety of texts.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Authors select particular literary elements and devices to create and convey meaning within their written work.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 11

ELA21.11.6

Analyze a text’s explicit and implicit meanings to make inferences about its theme and determine the author’s purpose.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.11.6

Vocabulary

  • Analyze
  • Explicit
  • Implicit
  • Inferences
  • Theme
  • Author's purpose

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Strategies to comprehend explicit and implicit text meaning.
  • Inference skills.
  • Methods to identify the theme and purpose of a text.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Making inferences about the theme and purpose of a text by analyzing a text's explicit and implicit meanings.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Text often has an explicitly stated meaning and an implied meaning.
  • They can combine their explicit and implicit understanding to infer the theme and the author's purpose for writing the text.
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

UP:ELA21.12.R2

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

ELA21.12.4

Evaluate an author’s use of characterization, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view to create and convey meaning.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.12.4

Vocabulary

  • Evaluate
  • Characterization
  • Figurative language
  • Literary elements
  • Point of view
  • Create
  • Convey

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Authors choose to write from a particular point of view and use specific literary elements and vocabulary words to convey their intended meaning.
  • Methods to evaluate characterization, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Identify characterization, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view in a variety of texts.
  • Evaluate how characterization, figurative language, literary elements, and point of view creates and conveys meaning in a variety of texts.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Authors select particular literary elements and devices to create and convey meaning within their written work.
English Language Arts (2021) Grade(s): 12

ELA21.12.6

Analyze a text’s explicit and implicit meanings to make inferences about its theme and determine the author’s purpose.

Unpacked Content

UP:ELA21.12.6

Vocabulary

  • Analyze
  • Explicit
  • Implicit
  • Inferences
  • Theme
  • Author's purpose

Knowledge

Students know:
  • Strategies to comprehend explicit and implicit text meaning.
  • Inference skills.
  • Methods to identify the theme and purpose of a text.

Skills

Students are able to:
  • Making inferences about the theme and purpose of a text by analyzing a text's explicit and implicit meanings.

Understanding

Students understand that:
  • Text often has an explicitly stated meaning and an implied meaning.
  • They can combine their explicit and implicit understanding to infer the theme and the author's purpose for writing the text.
Link to Resource
https://aptv.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/hans17-ela-analyzing-theme/analyzing…

CR Resource Type

Learning Activity

Resource Provider

PBS
Accessibility
License

License Type

Custom

Custom License Type (URL)

https://aptv.pbslearningmedia.org/help/terms-of-use/#restrictions

Comments or Notes

This interactive activity includes videos, open-ended questions, and an extended writing activity.

Approved Date

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