📖

Identifying Theme: Friendship in Because of Winn-Dixie

Loneliness and Friendship

Day 19of 180
Week 4of 36
35Minutes
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🖨️ Download Worksheet (PDF)
🎯 What You'll Learn

Learning Objectives

1

Identify friendship as a theme in the novel

2

Analyze how characters form connections

3

Create a visual representation of friendship themes

📖 Scripture Connection

Proverbs 17:17

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”

— Proverbs 17:17 (WEB)

Illustrates how true friendship supports people through difficult times, just like Winn-Dixie supports Opal

📦 Materials Needed

  • Because of Winn-Dixie book
  • Large poster paper
  • Colored markers
  • Sticky notes
📚 Step-by-Step

Lesson Plan

1Opening (5 min)

Gather students in a circle and ask them to share about a time a friend helped them feel less lonely

💭 Review Question: How does having friends make life better?
2Teaching (10 min)

Explore how Winn-Dixie brings people together in the story, creating unexpected friendships

📌 Key Talking Points:
  • Winn-Dixie connects Opal with new friends
  • Different characters find healing through friendship
  • Friendship can happen in surprising ways
💬 Discussion Questions:
  • Who are the key friendships in the book?
  • How does Winn-Dixie help characters connect?
  • What makes a good friend?
3Activity: Friendship Web (15 min)
graphic organizer

Create a visual map showing how characters are connected through friendship

📝 Instructions:
  1. Draw Winn-Dixie in the center of a large poster
  2. Use different colored strings/lines to connect characters
  3. Write how each character helps another near the connection lines
  4. Decorate with symbols representing friendship
🔄 Variations:

Simpler: Pre-draw connections for students to label

Challenge: Add quotes that show friendship moments

4Closing (5 min)

Share friendship webs and discuss how God creates community

📝 Review Questions:
  • What did you learn about friendship today?
  • How can we be good friends to others?
🙏 Prayer:

Dear God, thank you for giving us friends who support and love us, just like you love us.

Coming up: Tomorrow we'll explore how multiple themes work together in stories

💎 Memory Verse

Proverbs 17:17

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”

— Proverbs 17:17 (WEB)

🎯 Activity: Friendship Chain: Write each word of the verse on a paper link, create a chain students can recite together

👨‍👩‍👧 For Parents

Teaching Notes

📚 Background:

Students are learning to analyze theme development in literature

💡 Teaching Tips:
  • Encourage discussion about real-life friendships
  • Help children see connections between story and their experiences
🤔 Common Struggles:

Understanding abstract concept of theme

👀 Signs of Understanding:

Ability to connect story events to friendship theme

🚀 Want More?

Extension Activities

  • Write a short story about an unexpected friendship
  • Interview a grandparent about a lifelong friend
  • Create a friendship journal tracking kind acts

Ready for Tomorrow?

Great job completing today's lesson!

Continue to Day 20 →Back to Literature