THEMATIC PLANNING

Hans Christian Andersen School English Immersion Program

Thematic PlanningOrganize curriculum around a theme

Integrates different developmental and subject areas

Contributes to child’s growing awareness and understanding

Provides opportunities for child to learn by doing and have direct experiences with the world

Helps children understand that learning is connected to life.

Children’s ExperiencesReflect on and recreate

experiences through:Dramatic playBlock buildingDiscussionsArtMusicMovementMeasuringGraphing and Mapping

Children develop skills through:

SensingMovingThinkingProblem solvingCommunicatingCreatingWorkingPlaying with others

Appropriate ThemesPrimary Question: Can I give children

direct experience of this topic?Should reflect children’s interests,

abilities and issues of concernShould involve concepts and skills at the

right level of challenge for the age groupTopic should be complex and interesting

enough to be explored at some depthPlan to focus on topic for several weeks

to several months

Criteria for Theme SelectionThe topic can be taught through direct experience.Children can explore it with their senses.Concept is developmentally appropriate for young

children.Concept can be organized to move from:

Simple to complexConcrete to abstract

Interesting, meaningful, and worth knowing about.Helps children acquire understanding and

appreciation of themselves, others, and the world in which they live.

“Major Understanding” of the ThemeThe important ideas you wish children to

acquireBrainstorm the purpose and goalsGather the resources and materialsCreate a mind map or curriculum webAsk the children:

What do you want to know?What would you like to learn?

Mind Map

Creative Movement

Field Trips Dramatic Play

Blocks

Family Activities

GamesSongs and Rhymes

Books and Poems

Art Activities

Cooking

THEME

K-W-L Chart

K

What do you

KNOW?

W

What do you

WANT to

know?

L

What did you

LEARN?

Outline for an Integrated Thematic PlanTheme: the topic or focusChildren: age and characteristicsRationale: Why?Goals: 3-6 broad statements of

desired endsAttitudesSkillsAbilitiesExperiences

Major Understandings: 4-6 important ideas you want children to construct

Resources: Books, articles, etc.

Adapt your Teaching Environment to Include ALL ChildrenAsk yourself:What goals do I have for the activity so

that all children are engaged and learning?What different ways do I need to present

information so that everyone understands and is engaged?

What kinds of support or encouragement will be needed to engage and ensure learning among all children?

Adapt your Teaching Environment to Include ALL Children

Possibilities:Vary your expectations for participation and

performanceExample: If children are listening to a story and are

asked to recall eventssome may attend to and repeat back key words others may recall the names of characters by

pointing to pictures or using signs and gestureseven others may predict what will happen next

using complete sentences in English

Teaching EnvironmentPresent content in multiple formats

verbal, print, video, or concrete objectsrepeating key words/phrases in

children’s home languageusing simple sentences with gestures

Use physical cues to focus children’s attentionpointing to the picture in the bookgiving verbal prompts to help children

begin a response offering language models for children to

imitateencouraging children to keep thinking

and trying

AssessmentHow do you document children’s

learning?How do you know if children

understand the big ideas of your unit?

DocumentationObservation notesPhotography or videoCollection of student work samplesA class book, newsletter, scrapbookSocial event where student work is

shared

How Can you Involve Families?Possibilities:Share information with families

through a newsletter written at an appropriate level

Have key phrases translated into families’ home languages, and include photographs of children engaged in an activity.

Provide multiple opportunities for families to be involved

Families could support their child’s involvement by asking specific questions about the activity and/or the book read to the group.