Say, “Students, all authors who write books discover as they’re writing that there is a message behind their story. Some writers know the message they want to get across before they even start writing, other authors figure it out as they go and still others realize it when they are done! Readers are always questioning, why did the author write this book? It is usually not stated directly. Rather we have to infer what the message or the fancy, literary word for it is, theme.” Show the video below, have students write down strategies for determining theme. Practice determining the theme of well known stories like Snow White and the Seven Dwarves and Goldilocks or even popular movies like Moana or Frozen.