Themes, symbols, and motifs come alive when you use a storyboard. In this activity, students will identify themes from "Amigo Brothers" and support their choices with details from the text.
Felix and Antonio's friendship is based on years of trust and support of each other. Antonio and Felix don't let competition or personal gain get in the way of their friendship.
Antonio and Felix rise to the top through hard work. They work out every chance they get, either going to Boys Club or the pro gym, running, or practicing their jabs on the street.
Felix and Antonio respect each other as boxers. They do not trash talk each other, and they try to follow all the referee's commands. For them, love of the sport is more important than winning.
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Student Instructions
Create a storyboard that identifies themes in "Amigo Brothers". Illustrate instances of each theme and write a short description below each cell.
Lead your class on a discussion of the themes in Amigo Brothers. Help them remember that a theme is the lesson they learn about life after reading a story.
In almost all cases, there will be more than one theme present in a story. Because different readers bring different life experiences when they read, allow each student to choose what they think is the most meaningful theme.
Drawing helps student to flesh out their learning and retain what they have read. For each theme, have students draw two or three illustrations that depict the point in the story where the theme comes alive.
A theme in a story is the lesson you learn after reading the story. This can certainly be an abstract idea for students to grasp. Using manipulatives or hands on activities is the best way to help students identify theme. A storyboard would be the perfect way in.
Students can learn a lot about friendship by reading Amigo Brothers. The two protagonists, Antonio and Felix, put their own dreams aside for the sake of their friendship. Students can learn the importance of putting friends first when they read this story.