Students will launch the picture book investigation by solving a choice-and-theme mystery, noticing how themes shape character decisions, and beginning an evidence-based question they will investigate across later phases.

Students will open a story mystery, predict the class investigation question, study how theme, character choice, and ending connect in picture books, and build a simple team plan for close reading. They will practice collecting text evidence, refine an investigation question and hypothesis, and revise their plan after peer and teacher feedback before moving into evidence collection.

Students will gather traceable evidence from two picture books, refine their investigation question and note-taking plan, and use peer and adult feedback to improve the quality of their theme, choice, and ending evidence before moving into analysis.

Students will sort and interpret evidence from two picture books, test whether their original thinking still fits the evidence, revise claims through peer and adult feedback, and prepare a clear poster gallery and partner book talk that explain how theme shaped character choices and endings.

Students will present their theme-and-choice findings to guests, compare picture books with the children’s librarian through a live book talk, and reflect on how evidence, feedback, and revision shaped their final work.