Universal Themes and Essential Questions for the Gifted

Teachers are often accused of delivering curriculum that is not relevant to today’s students; however, if we teach (or have discussions at home) using universal themes, the material is relevant. Umbrellas are provided under which details become easier to remember. Students are given frameworks of understanding that they can carry with them the rest of their lives.

A universal theme is a timeless, broad, abstract idea that can be used to tie together literary works or to understand broad concepts in history. It is an approach to which all people can relate. It transcends race, gender, and creed.

We learn best when we are able to relate new information to previous experiences and to ideas that are familiar. By teaching universal themes/concepts, we help students better understand their past experiences and form “big ideas” that are transferred to future experiences. Themes give a common reason for students to read many different books, including books on different ability levels, which is excellent for differentiation. Universal themes can be used with any subject, but they are especially suited for literature and social studies.

When working with universal themes, it is important to ask essential questions. Essential questions are open ended (i.e. they do not have a single answer). Instead, the question requires a longer, more involved response and causes the respondent to think and reflect. This approach causes students to think critically instead of simply looking up answers. Essential questions

• provoke deep thought
• may not have an answer
• encourage critical thinking, not just memorization of facts
• require students to draw upon content knowledge and personal experience

Example
Universal Theme: Identity--This theme might be used with a literature unit or while studying ethnic differences in social studies.

Identity might be defined as uniqueness, distinctiveness, individuality, or personality. The identity of a person or group is rarely static, but instead is constantly being changed by internal and external forces.

Essential Questions

• How do we form our identities?
• How is your self-concept affected by the impressions of those around you?
• How is identity shaped by relationships and experiences?
• What can you learn about yourself by studying the lives of others?
• When should one take a stand in opposition to another individual or larger group?

Universal Themes and Generalizations, from DukeTip, is a PDF file that lists ten different themes along with sample sub-categories for each of those themes.

Universal Themes

 

Using universal themes is one way to effectively differentiate a classroom. This technique provides opportunities for students to have in-depth discussions while reading books on different levels of ability. Universal themes can be used with any subject, but they are especially suited for literature and social studies.

Some Possible Universal Themes

Anger	Friendship	Loyalty
Bullies	Good vs. Evil	Making Choices
Belonging	Grief	Memories
Bravery	Guilt	Peace
Challenges	Honesty	Separation and Loss
Commitment	Innocence and Experience	Survival
Courage	Jealousy	Trust
Customs and Traditions	Leadership	Values
Diversity	Loneliness	Violence
Forgiveness	Love

Activity to Begin a Unit

Upper Elementary through Adult

1. Divide students into groups of 5–7 and give each a large sheet of paper and markers. Ask the participants to brainstorm everything they can think of about the given theme. (You may want to review the rules of brainstorming before you begin this activity.) Give students plenty of time and don’t worry about silences. 
2. After sufficient time to think and write, ask the students to look at their lists and see if there are ways they can group their comments.
3. Next, have them label each group of comments with a generalization.
4. Have each group of students share its results, allowing individuals time to explain their reasoning.
5. Can the individual group generalizations be grouped into common generalizations that can be used for the entire class?

A number of years ago, I participated in a similar activity while attending a conference session. At first, I was skeptical, thinking that it wouldn’t be a worthwhile exercise, but in the end, I was amazed at the depth of the discussion.

Next, I tried the activity with a class of gifted fifth graders. The discussions that the students had were phenomenal and gave real meaning to all the reading they did later in the unit. Each day, the kids could hardly wait to come to class to continue the discussions about the theme.

This type of learning works because judgment is taken out of the equation. Students find that there are no right or wrong answers when discussing their opinions related to the theme; instead, the universal themes and generalizations are used as a framework to help them ponder and to value their thinking. They do have to be able to support their ideas, which is far more meaningful that just spitting back facts or predetermined answers.

For more ideas about universal themes, check out Universal Themes and Generalizations. 

Remember that the generalizations listed here are only suggestions. You and your class may come up with different generalizations.

Shining a Light on Universal Themes

My dad had a wonderful way of explaining things. Because he was a doctor, he often needed to describe how the parts of the body worked and what happened when those parts did not work properly. Frequently he compared the functions of the body to common machinery or household systems. He helped his patients understand their illnesses by making connections to objects and experiences that were already familiar to them.

Our children and students also learn best when they relate new information to things and ideas that are familiar. We can help them with this by teaching universal themes/concepts. By using this technique, we also help students to form “big ideas” that are transferred to future experiences. Gifted students are capable of taking these big ideas in-depth and exploring them in great detail. This can actually be used as a differentiation tool. 

1. Rather than have kids just memorize math facts, show them the patterns of numbers. This will make the memorization much easier.
2. Rather than learn a lot of historical facts—dates, names, battles—teach the concept of cause and effect. Then the dates, names, and battles will fall into place.
3. When studying literature, instead of checking only for comprehension, discuss the theme of the book in relation to responsibility, or conflict, or survival.

Universal themes can make the difference between knowledge and understanding—learning many facts vs. being able to apply those facts to something meaningful.

It is especially helpful if a theme is carried across all academic disciplines for months or even an entire year. Some schools have all classes concentrate on a different universal theme each year. Possible themes include

• Systems
• Change
• Power
• Adversity
• Point of view
• Human rights
• Family
• Culture
• Persuasion
• Revolution
• Communication
• Cycles
• Symmetry

The International Baccalaureate Organization uses universal themes in its Primary Years Programme. The program uses six transdisciplinary themes as umbrella concepts for all subjects. The themes are

• Who we are
• Where we are in place and time
• How we express ourselves
• How the world works
• How we organize ourselves
• Sharing the planet

Many institutions use The Five Themes of Geography to teach about our world. The themes are

1. Location
2. Place
3. Human/environment interaction
4. Movement
5. Regions

By studying geography using these themes, students learn not only place names, but they learn about communication, transportation, trade, languages, the cultures of the world, why people settle in certain areas, and how landscape and weather influence areas. Studying geography using themes provides a better understanding of history, interactions between countries and cultures, and a better understanding of current events.

Universal themes can also be implemented at home. Having a common vocabulary and relating many experiences to the same theme will help young people learn in all aspects of their lives. For instance, if the theme were “systems,” your family could discuss the characteristics of a system and then see how different systems meet those characteristics. Some systems that you might find around home are

• bicycle
• aquarium
• plumbing
• electrical
• structure of living quarters (rooms for different purposes)
• systems for accomplishing work around the house
• systems for doing homework

Once children have an idea about systems in general, they will be more ready to learn about other systems, such as

• Circulatory, respiratory, digestive, and nervous systems
• government
• school structure
• community
• social insects