Planning a Thematic Unit

Maggie Demarse

Brief description of the strategy

0 Group of correlated activities that are designed around a topic or macro theme and cross several areas of the curriculum, such as reading, math, and science.

0 Diverse learning through environment that promotes and encourages process learning and active involvement of all students.

0 Teachers determine extent to which curriculum integration is appropriate and manner in which it is achieved.

Brief description of the strategy

0Builds on students' interests 0Builds on prior knowledge 0Various subjects in the curriculum + topics relevant to

students' lives = greater awareness 0Relate to real-life experiences 0Enhances ability to transfer the skills acquired in one

subject to another

When is it implemented?

Introduce theme before reading has begun for the unit

How would you implement this in your classroom? What would it look like?

0STEP 1: Choose a

theme0STEP 2: Plan ahead

How would you implement this in your classroom? What would it look like?

0STEP 3: Put the plan

into action 0STEP 4: Evaluate

and celebrate!

How would this benefit ELLs? How would you modify it?

0 Students see the big picture so they can make sense of English language instruction.

0 Vocabulary is repeated as it appears in the different content areas.0 Since themes deal with universal human topics, all students can be

involved, and lessons and activities can be adjusted to different levels of English language proficiency.

0 With conditions that make understanding the curriculum easier, English language learners are more fully engaged and experience higher success.

0 Use of materials from the cultures of the ELL students in conjunction with English language instruction can be done to further assist in benefitting the ELL student as well as bring awareness to the other students in the class.

Links to internet resources detailing the strategy.

0 http://www.njtesol-njbe.org/handouts/BridgingtheGap.pdf0 http://www.pbs.org/teachers/earlychildhood/articles/integratedunits.html0 http://www.pacificedgepublishing.com/pdf/PlanThem.pdf0 http://

www.readinglady.com/mosaic/tools/Profundity%20Thematic%20Unit%20for%20intermediate%20from%20Jefflong.pdf

0 http://arts.unomaha.edu/art/NACNEMasters/unitinstruc.html0 http://wvde.state.wv.us/strategybank/FrayerModel.html0 http://

performancepyramid.muohio.edu/pyramid/instructional-activity-design/Thematic_Units/Reasons-to-Use-Thematic-Unit.html

0 http://center.dordt.edu/266.543units/solarsystem/solar.index.html0 http://thematicunits.theteacherscorner.net/0 http://www.storyarts.org/lessonplans/folkthemes/index.html

Works Cited

0 Barto, Michele. Bridging the Gap for ELL Students in the Academic Classroom. N.p.: Http://www.njtesol-njbe.org, n.d. PDF.

0 Benson, Tammy R. "Integrated Teaching Units." PBS. PBS, Sept. 2004. Web. 21 June 2012. <http://www.pbs.org/teachers/earlychildhood/articles/integratedunits.html>.

0 Mumford, Diana, and Stuart Duncan. PLANNING A THEME BASED UNIT. Gabriola, B.C.: Pacific Edge Publishing Ltd., 2000. PDF.

0 Toepel, Delores, Marcia Paladino, and Jeff Beal. THEMATIC UNIT. Port Huron, MI: Intermediate School District of St. Clair County, 2003. PDF.

0 Garcia, Anne Upczak. "ELL Integrated Thematic Learning." Editorial. Suite 101. Suite 101, 30 Mar. 2008. Web. 21 June 2012. <http://suite101.com/article/integrated-thematic-instruction-a49271>.

0 "Frayer Model." Frayer Model. West Virginia Department of Education, n.d. Web. 25 June 2012. <http://wvde.state.wv.us/strategybank/FrayerModel.html>.