Activity Overview
Themes, symbols, and motifs come alive when you use a storyboard. In this activity, students will identify a theme of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and support it with evidence from the text.
Poverty
Charlie Bucket lives in extreme poverty. Three examples of textual evidence for this theme are:
- The seven members of the Bucket family live in a two-room house, and all the grandparents sleep in one bed
- Charlie only gets one piece of chocolate a year
- The ultimate reward for Charlie is guaranteed food and shelter for him and his family.
Rules
Three examples of textual evidence for this theme are greedy children being punished for not listening to Willie Wonka’s rules:
- Augustus Gloop drinks from the chocolate river and gets shot through the glass tubes
- Miss Violet Beauregarde chews a piece of a gum and turns into a blueberry
- Veruca Salt demands a squirrel and falls into the garbage chute.
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that identifies themes in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Illustrate instances of each theme and write a short description below each cell.
- Click "Start Assignment".
- Identify the theme(s) from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory you wish to include and replace the "Theme 1" text.
- Create an image for an example that represents this theme.
- Write a description of each of the examples.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient | Emerging | Beginning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identify Theme(s) | All themes are correctly identified and described. | Some themes are correctly identified. | No themes are correctly identified. |
| Examples of Theme(s) | All examples support the identified theme(s). | Most examples fit the identified theme(s). | Most examples do not fit the theme(s). |
| Illustrate Theme | Images clearly show connection with the theme(s). | Some images help to show the theme. | Images do not help in understanding the theme. |
Activity Overview
Themes, symbols, and motifs come alive when you use a storyboard. In this activity, students will identify a theme of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and support it with evidence from the text.
Poverty
Charlie Bucket lives in extreme poverty. Three examples of textual evidence for this theme are:
- The seven members of the Bucket family live in a two-room house, and all the grandparents sleep in one bed
- Charlie only gets one piece of chocolate a year
- The ultimate reward for Charlie is guaranteed food and shelter for him and his family.
Rules
Three examples of textual evidence for this theme are greedy children being punished for not listening to Willie Wonka’s rules:
- Augustus Gloop drinks from the chocolate river and gets shot through the glass tubes
- Miss Violet Beauregarde chews a piece of a gum and turns into a blueberry
- Veruca Salt demands a squirrel and falls into the garbage chute.
Template and Class Instructions
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that identifies themes in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Illustrate instances of each theme and write a short description below each cell.
- Click "Start Assignment".
- Identify the theme(s) from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory you wish to include and replace the "Theme 1" text.
- Create an image for an example that represents this theme.
- Write a description of each of the examples.
Lesson Plan Reference
Rubric
(You can also create your own on Quick Rubric.)
| Proficient | Emerging | Beginning | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Identify Theme(s) | All themes are correctly identified and described. | Some themes are correctly identified. | No themes are correctly identified. |
| Examples of Theme(s) | All examples support the identified theme(s). | Most examples fit the identified theme(s). | Most examples do not fit the theme(s). |
| Illustrate Theme | Images clearly show connection with the theme(s). | Some images help to show the theme. | Images do not help in understanding the theme. |
How Tos about Identifying Themes in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Use Discussion to Deepen Understanding of Themes
Engage your class in a group discussion after reading a chapter. Ask open-ended questions about the characters’ choices and what lessons they might teach. This helps students connect the story’s events to its themes, making abstract ideas more relatable.
Connect Themes to Students’ Real-Life Experiences
Encourage students to share stories from their own lives or community that relate to the book’s themes, such as fairness or kindness. Personal connections deepen understanding and make learning more meaningful.
Guide Students to Find New Evidence in the Text
Challenge students to hunt for additional examples of themes as they read. Have them mark passages with sticky notes or highlight digital text, then share findings with the class. This builds close reading skills and reinforces theme identification.
Incorporate Creative Writing Activities to Reinforce Themes
Assign a short story or diary entry from the perspective of a character. Ask students to show how the theme influences the character’s thoughts or actions. Creative writing helps students internalize and express their understanding of key ideas.
Display Student Work to Celebrate Learning
Showcase storyboards or theme posters around the classroom or share them digitally. This not only recognizes students’ efforts but also reinforces themes every day.
Frequently Asked Questions about Identifying Themes in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
What are the main themes in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory explores key themes like poverty, the consequences of breaking rules, and the importance of kindness and honesty. These themes are illustrated through Charlie's humble background and the fates of children who don't follow Willy Wonka's rules.
How can students identify themes in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?
Students can identify themes by looking for repeated ideas or messages in the story and supporting them with textual evidence. For example, noticing how Charlie's poverty affects his life, or how the other children's actions lead to consequences, helps reveal key themes.
What is an example of poverty as a theme in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?
Poverty is shown through Charlie's family living in a small, crowded house, sharing one bed, and Charlie receiving only one chocolate bar a year. His ultimate reward—a lifetime supply of food and a new home—highlights this theme.
How can I use a storyboard to teach themes in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?
To use a storyboard, have students pick a theme, illustrate scenes from the book that show this theme, and write short descriptions explaining the examples. This visual approach helps students connect evidence from the text to key messages.
What are some rules in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory that characters break?
Several children break Willy Wonka's rules: Augustus drinks from the chocolate river, Violet chews forbidden gum, and Veruca demands a squirrel. Each child faces consequences, reinforcing the theme that breaking rules leads to trouble.
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