Central message

Teaching kids to identify the central message is not an easy task. Most central messages are implied and it takes some inferencing to piece it together. Once students get it though, it is truly like a lightbulb has turned on and they will start seeing central messages in every story, whether you’re focusing on that […]

Central Message: Keep a few sticky notes blank when you laminate the anchor chart. You can then add more messages with your students after you read a book.

The Central Message in a story is usually not directly stated, so students really have to use their inference skills. This means it’s one of the trickier reading skills for students to master. Because central message can be so tough to grasp, it’s super important to choose strong mentor texts, and give students a ton […]

Central message anchor chart first grade

The central message of a story is super important for students to be able to identify, but unfortunately can be a tricky concept for kids to grasp. Sometimes called the moral or lesson, the central message is the main thing that the author wants you to learn from the story. It can be about friendship, […]

Learn how to help your 1st grade students identify the central message or lesson of a story through lots of modeling in the classroom. One way is through author studies. As you read the books with your first graders, talk about what message the author is sharing & what lesson they want you to learn. Then you can list a lesson or central message for each book on a poster. Determining the Central Message (RL 1.2) Plus a FREE download! (freebie)

Teaching kids to identify the central message is not an easy task. Most central messages are implied and it takes some inferencing to piece it together. Once students get it though, it is truly like a lightbulb has turned on and they will start seeing central messages in every story, whether you’re focusing on that […]

Common Core requires third graders to begin to find the central message of their fictional texts. This means the theme or message will be written in a short sentence. Instead of “Friendship” students will have to choose a phrase like...

This Central Message Traditional Literature Reading Center includes three formats (print, Google Forms, and Interactive PDFs) to help your students practice identifying the central message in a fun game format. This reading activity is engaging for students while reinforcing reading strategies too. The reading centers also work well for whole-class games, partner practice, test prep, spiral review, reading intervention, and more!