Study with the several resources on Docsity
Earn points by helping other students or get them with a premium plan
Prepare for your exams
Study with the several resources on Docsity
Earn points to download
Earn points by helping other students or get them with a premium plan
The benefits of using thematic units in early childhood education. Thematic teaching involves creating activities based on a specific topic or idea, which can last for a few days to a few weeks. The children develop skills and knowledge in each domain and build on what they already know by answering questions and sharing their thoughts and ideas. four lesson plans for different developmental focuses and includes goals, objectives, standards, and materials for each plan. The document also discusses the importance of intentional planning and engaging families in thematic units.
Typology: Thesis
1 / 11
This page cannot be seen from the preview
Don't miss anything!
Final Argument Paper Ashford University Course Code: ECE642: Quality Curriculum in Early Childhood Education According to Kostelnik,thematic teaching is creating activities based on a specific topic or idea (Kostelnik, 2019). Teachers will integrate the activities to achieve goals in overall learning domains. A thematic unit can last a few days to a few weeks based on children's
interests. A benefit of using thematic units is a teacher can teach one aspect that can be integrated into another activity to expand the children's learning. When teachers use thematic units, the children develop skills and knowledge in each domain and build on what they already know by answering questions and sharing their thoughts and ideas (Kostelnik, 2019). In a thematic unit, the children build connections of the bits of information given to them to build concepts of object and their world (Kostelnik, 2019). Children learn this information repeatedly and keep adding to the bank of knowledge as they interact with objects and interact with people. As the children engage themselves in various learning domains, they gain their knowledge differently while reaching different goals. Having a thematic unit where the children are interested, they become emersed and want to learn more about the topic, engage more, ask questions, and participate. Lastly, thematic units offer a chance to continually change the environment, activities, and materials to keep the children interested and engaged (Kostelnik, 2019). Teachers' benefits are that when teachers can go in-depth aboutthe topic so each child can learn something new. When they design lessons across the domains, teachers can plan for the concepts to challenge the children thinking gradually(Kostelnik, 2019). The children will reach state standards as the teacher plans for activities over multiple domains helping teachers use their time more wisely and have more meaningful learning. Lastly, thematic units help teachers measure children's progress by observing and interacting with them individually and as small groups. The teachers can do multiple observations over the unit and pull everything together to see where the child stands; they can also adjust their activities if they notice the children need more stimulation or support (Kostelnik, 2019).
Lesson Plan 1: Self-Regulation Content Area or Developmental Focus: Self-Regulation Age/Grade of Children: 4-5-year-olds Length of Lesson: 20 mins Goal To wait for their turn for a short period of time. Objective The students will practice different roles of role-playing jobs at a flower shop to practice taking turns. Standards Included Social and emotional strand b: develop self-regulation progression: regulation of emotions and behavior Social Studies Strand B: Learn about people and the environment progression: power, the authority of governance, people, place, and environments, civic ideals and practices Creative arts strand a: engage in and enjoy the arts progressions: music, visual arts, drama, and dance Materials Cash register Play money Vases Flowers Paper Pencil Pictures of a florist and floral arrangements Introduction At the start of the lesson, ask the children what they know about flowers and where we can buy flowers. We discuss how a flower shop or nursery sells flowers and works at a flower shop (ask the children whom they think works at a flower shop and what they do). We will make a chart describing the different roles. We then will look at a florist and the types of jobs they do (picking the flowers, taking orders, making arrangements(show different arrangements), selling the flowers). Introduce the children to the dramatic play and explain the different roles the children can act out by modeling the jobs and how to ask the children for a turn at a new job. Lesson Development: 1. The children will go into dramatic play and choose a job they want to play. Encourage the children to play various roles.
Gifted Learners: The children can put to pictures of what they want to do Assessment (Practice/ Checking for Understanding) I will observe how the children ask for a turn and react to the child's response. See how long the child can wait for their turn. Closing Review the jobs at a florist and what type of arrangements the children made. Lesson Plan 2: Social/Emotional Content Area or Developmental Focus: Creative Arts Age/Grade of Children: 4-5-year-olds Length of Lesson: 20 mins Goal To create an abstract garden using various materials and textures. Objective The students will use scissors to cut various shapes out of various materials to make an abstract flower or vegetable garden. Standards Included Aesthetic Domain- Uses a variety of materials, tools, techniques, and processes in the arts (visual art, music, dance, and drama) Affective Domain-Make reasonable attempts to master situations that are difficult for them. Materials Paper Tissue paper Felt Foam Pipe cleaners Scissors Glue Feathers crayons Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert Introduction To start the lesson, ask the children what they know about gardens and the different gardens (vegetable and flower). Have them name shapes, colors, flowers, and vegetables they see in a garden. Read the book Planting a Rainbow by Lois Ehlert, noticing the colors and shapes in the book. Lesson Development: 3. Have children draw or cut stems for their garden.
Little Bears Spring By Elli Woodlard Introduction To start the lesson, we will read the book Little Bears Spring by Elli Woodlard- we learned all about the exciting things in spring that the bear was looking forward to. Lesson Development: 1. Read the book Little Bears spring by Elli Woodlard
Small pots Large garden Letter flashcard with sounds Letter Mystery By Audrey Wood Introduction At the start of the lesson, I held up letter cards and recited the letter-letter sound-word; the children repeated what I said. Lesson Development: 1. Show phonic cards-recite letters and letter sounds
When reviewing the self-check of my thematic unit, I believe that I have reached all the criteria. I stated clearly what the goal of the activity is and align it to be done. I stated what the teacher should be doing or saying and what the children need to do in the procedure. I stated the standards for the state of Connecticut and how I will evaluate the children's activity. I planned to assess the children using different strategies. When a teacher uses a thematic unit, they are falling under the profile of a modern teacher. As teachers are planning and excuting their lessons, they will hit many of these and as they hit, it will make them a better and stronger teacher. They need to know that they do not have to be perfect and it is ok to make mistakes, allow students to teach each other, accept change, model, and know they can learn anything with the right attitude (Wilson, R 2014). My thematic unit was planned based on planning as in Kostelnik; lesson plans are made to assess children's short-term and long-term goals. When building a thematic unit, a teacher can assess children's goals over various activities over time to see if the children are improving and adjust plans if needed(Kostelnik, 2019).The teachers use intentional planning by choosing themes that interest the children to support what the children want to learn about and encourage learning to reach the goals planned. I plan on engaging families in the thematic units by sending our monthly newsletters stating our themes for the month with suggested activities and goals. The parents will be encouraged to provide any resources they have or come in to share their knowledge and participate in activities. If we have a field trip planned based on a theme, parents will be encouraged to participate. I will send home activities families can do at home to relate to branch learning at school and home. References
Kostelnik, M. J. (2019). Developmentally appropriate curriculum : best practices in early childhood education. Pearson. Thematic Approach for effective communication in ECCE. (2014). International Journal of Education and Psychological Research (IJEPR) , 3 (3). http://ijepr.org/doc/V3_Is3_Oct14/ij10.pdf Wilson, R. (2014). The profile of a modern teacher [Image]. Retrieved from http://www.coetail.com/wayfaringpath/files/2014/10/The-Profile-of-a-Modern- Teacher1.pdf
