Thematic PlanningHow and why I do it

Presented by Sonia Hunter 2014Kununurra DHS

Why plan thematically and in an integrated way

A thematic programme provides students with the opportunity to have real life experiences which helps them connect better with their learning. The ability to retain and utilise information is aided by the ability to relate personally to learning. Providing students with disconnected and disjointed activities does not engage students as they are unable to see how these activities and concepts relate to them.

Getting Started:Start thinking, start recording

What does your school do regarding topics etc from the Australian Curriculum? What is your reporting schedule etc?

then

Pick a theme and list all your subject areas

then

Brainstorm Mind mapWhatever suits you. Put every idea you have down, include

books, songs, games, internet sites etc, This is everything you can think of that is related to that theme. You may not end up using every idea.

Have a range of themes Frogs Butterflies Mini-beasts Bees Plants- growing a garden Seasons- Kimberley and Arnhem Land Inventions and scientific discoveries Robots Farms Transport Families Healthy Eating Australian/Wild/Zoo Animals

Linking LiteratureBooks that can be used

James and the Giant Peach Charlotte’s Web The Iron Giant (formally The Iron Man) Dan the Flying Man The Enormous Watermelon The Enormous Turnip Ernie dances to the didgeridoo Kakadu Seasons A year on our farm The Very Hungry Caterpillar Today is Monday A nice walk in the jungle

Got everything listed?What now?

Now look at the Australian Curriculum for all subject areas related to your theme

Have an overview to highlight what you’re doing and when so that you know you are covering all areas of the curriculum

Ensure you are clear on how you will implement and use this type of planning in your class

Always consider how and when you will assess, add notes to your planning to show key assessment times, data collection etc. Ensure you assessment reflect the AC Achievement Standards

Make sure you have provided time for formative assessment throughout your planning and in all subject areas

RATIONALEA thematic programme provides students with the opportunity to have real life experiences which helps them connect better with their learning. The ability to retain and utilise information is aided by the ability to relate personally to learning. Providing students with disconnected and disjointed activities does not engage students as they are unable to see how these activities and concepts relate to them. Some of the experiences provided this term will be based on the letter focus for Pre-Primary (from The KDHS ECE Curriculum File) big books and other books have been chosen to provide a rich language base for students to develop their English language skills as well provide learning experiences in other areas. Students will also be involved in creating a Kitchen Garden which will produce vegetables for the rest of the year. Many of the produce are Asian greens which grow in the type of climate that Kununurra has as well as many old-traditional types of vegetables which have a high nutrient level and are proven to grow well in our type of climate. The students will be actively involved in caring for and harvesting our garden produce. By having a Kitchen Garden the students are able to work on Mathematics, English, Science History, Geography, Health and Technology and Enterprise in an entirely integrated unit of work. The students will learn about sustainability, re-cycling as well as the food chain and how all things rely on each other to survive. They will receive information concerning where certain plants come from and can grow, they will learn about family histories in relation to garden growing and the history of the Ord as a development for the growth of food crops. They will also learn about Indigenous use of native plants for food and medicinal purposes in the local area and how some family groups still continue to gather their food and use plants for health purposes.The students in this PP/1 class have been tested previously and have low English skills in most areas. By providing students with a focussed, holistic approach to learning with Literacy at its core it is hoped that the student’s Literacy skills will increase.Explicit instruction of ‘I do, We do, You do’ is the key instructional strategy for all learning areas at KDHS and will be implemented throughout all Literacy and Numeracy lessons. The CMS model is also a key instructional and behavioural component of the school and will be utilised to engage students in their learning.

Write a Rationale, include groupings and assessment

  Australian Curriculum:  Science  (Foundation)  

 Sub-strands Content Descriptions Achievement Standard

Science understanding

Biological sciences Living things have basic needs, including food and water (ACSSU002) By the end of the Foundation year, students describe the properties and behaviour of familiar objects. They suggest how the environment affects them and other living things. Students share observations of familiar objects and events.

Chemical sciences Objects are made of materials that have observable properties (ACSSU003)

Earth and space sciences Daily and seasonal changes in our environment, including the weather, affect everyday life (ACSSU004)

 

Physical sciences The way objects move depends on a variety of factors, including their size and shape (ACSSU005)

Science as a human endeavour

Nature and development of science

Science involves exploring and observing the world using the senses (ACSHE013)

Use and influence of science

Science inquiry skills

Questioning and predicting Respond to questions about familiar objects and events (ACSIS014)

Planning and conducting Explore and make observations by using the senses (ACSIS011)

Processing and analysing data and information

Engage in discussions about observations and use methods such as drawing to represent ideas (ACSIS233)

Evaluating

Communicating Share observations and ideas (ACSIS012)

General Capabilities Literacy Numeracy Information and communication technology (ICT)

capability Critical and creative thinking Ethical behaviour Personal and social capability Intercultural understanding

Cross-Curriculum Priorities Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and

cultures Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia Sustainability 

Notes:    

  Australian Curriculum: History (Foundation)  

 

  Content Achievement Standard

Historical knowledge and understanding

Year level focus Personal and family historiesBy the end of the Foundation year, students identify

similarities and differences between families. They

recognise how important family events are

commemorated.

 

Students sequence familiar events in order. They

pose questions about their past. Students relate a

story about their past using a range of texts.

Key concepts

  Continuity and change Cause and effectPerspectives

Empathy Significance  

Inquiry questions What is my history and how do I know?

What stories do other people tell about the past?

How can stories of the past be told and shared?

Historical knowledge Who the people in their family are, where they were born and raised and how they are related to

each other (ACHHK001) The different structures of families and family groups today, and what they have in common

(ACHHK002) How they, their family and friends commemorate past events that are important to them

(ACHHK003) How the stories of families and the past can be communicated, for example through photographs,

artefacts, books, oral histories, digital media, and museums (ACHHK004)

Historical skills

Chronology, terms and concepts

Sequence familiar objects and events (ACHHS015)

Distinguish between the past, present and future (ACHHS016)

Historical questions and research

Pose questions about the past using sources provided (ACHHS017)

Analysis and use of sources Explore a range of sources about the past (ACHHS018)

Identify and compare features of objects from the past and present (ACHHS019)

Perspectives and interpretations

Explore a point of view (ACHHS020)

Explanation and communication

Develop a narrative about the past (ACHHS021) Use a range of communication forms (oral, graphic, written, role play) and digital technologies

(ACHHS022)

General Capabilities

 

Literacy Numeracy Information and communication technology (ICT) capability Critical and creative thinking Ethical behaviour Personal and social capability Intercultural understanding

Cross-Curriculum Priorities

 

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander

histories and cultures

Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia

Sustainability

Notes:  

Assessment I am big on having checklists with students names

and the key concepts, skills and understandings I am focussing on (these match the AC Proficiency Strands and AS)

I use these like an observational checklist to note student behaviours and responses during the activities I want to use to inform reporting etc

I do use an A3 observation grid on occasions so I can actually write comments, the key understandings and AC descriptor is on this to remind me what I am looking for

I use self and peer assessment in many subjects- Writing, Speaking and Listening, T&E are the main subjects I use this for. Students are involved in setting criteria based on discussions and teacher guidance- it is very effective and allows the children to understand their role as learners

Diagnostic Tasks are brilliant and provide so much information to aid planning, First Steps in Mathematics has some great ones, these tasks are usually slotted in a week prior to teaching my next Maths concept- groupings, activities and assessment is then based on analysis of these tasks

Skills and understanding Focus: Literacy Listen to and

respond orally to texts and to the communication of others in informal and structured classroom situations (ACELY1646)

Use interaction skills including listening while others speak, using appropriate voice levels, articulation and body language, gestures and eye contact (ACELY1784)

Deliver short oral presentations to peers (ACELY1647)Name

shows appropriate listening skills- sitting still, eyes on speaker

asks questions related to news item presented

waits turn to speak

uses correct volume and vocabulary when asking questions

speaks clearly, with correct volume, eye contact to audience, stands still

Tells news in a logical sequence

attempts to orient listeners

responds logically and on subject to questions

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Overall group behaviour comments/needs etc     

Pre-Primary/Year 1 Learning Centre Checklist- LITERACYWeek # Term #

Thank you