THEMATIC PLANNING AND CURRICULUM INTEGRATION:
Themes and units should be based on concepts. A unit on "bears", "circus" etc. is not driven by concepts. However, units on "how animals live", "immigration", "communities" are concepts that provide a foundation for units. Thematic units are powerful in building and maintaining student interest. Students of all ability levels are motivated to learn. Reading can be leveled to group students but all are reading on the same theme. An advantage to using thematic units is the teacher's ability to expand the ideas and content. Contrary to teaching from a file cabinet that is used year-to-year, thematic units of study never stagnate. As a beginning, select one unit and build. Begin with concepts, objectives, materials, and a time element. Ask students what they like or their interests. This varies with each new class. Let them evaluate their learning and the unit content. Decide where to modify mini-lessons or materials. Units are wonderful in the development of a sense of pride and ownership in learning.
Some considerations in the planning would include:
1. Length of the unit.. a week, two weeks, four weeks, etc. How much time do you have for the implementation of the unit?
2. Content areas to be integrated. (if social studies, what concepts are you using that you need to coordinate with the literature, science, etc.)
3. Curriculum expectations of your school district.. Checklist of skills and concepts integrated into the unit as introduced, maintained, mastered, etc.
4. Availability of materials, both those provided by the district and supplemental materials you may have to purchase or find.
5. Centers - what activities will be used to reinforce the skills at centers. How to manage centers.
6. Computer software that will integrate into the unit. How are you going to use technology in the classroom.
7. Songs, poems, music. - finding the resources that can be used for morning meetings, poetry journals, circle time, phonemic awareness. Review materials that include specific themes but also the phonemic skills you want to use in the unit.
8. Art and projects - to extend the unit. Will there be an art center each day, each week, or at the end of the unit a project? What type of hands-on experiences will you provide?
9. Space - how will you work with your big ideas in a tiny space?
10. Students needs - diverse learning styles, language (oral language in their home language and school language).
11. Scheduling your unit activities... working with special classes, pull out classes, and absent students.
12. Evaluation of unit and students. What is the criteria? How can all students achieve a feeling of success and be successful, responsible learners? Accountability.
The Primary Nook offers several integrated themes for the early childhood classroom. The selections can be found at INSIDE THE NOOK. While some units are available at this site, others can be ordered.
WHERE TO BEGIN
Pooh looked at his two paws. He knew that one of them was right, and he knew that when you had decided which one of them was the right, then the other one was the left, but he never could remember how to begin.
The House at Pooh Corner A.A. Milne
Sometimes beginning is the most difficult part in planning. However, just
bee-gin..
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Links to Thematic Unit
Planning |
http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/docs/ela/ela_elem.html
http://www.oocities.org/Heartland/Hollow/1213/index.html
http://www.atozteacherstuff.com