Planning Thematic
Elementary Curriculum
Using the Internet
Welcome!
• Today we will explore:
– What is integrated curriculum?
– Planning as the key to good curriculum!
– How can I use a web to brainstorm my
curriculum activities?
– How do I find activities to implement my
curriculum?
What is integrated
curriculum?
• Learning in all areas that takes place
across all academic areas
• Learning that is constructivist in its
orientation and is:
– Active, hands-on
– Based on children’s interests
– Activities in all academic areas that tie in to
central theme to create as many connections
for the brain as as possible!
– Built on previous knowledge!
Where the Wild Things Are!
First Grade
• Language Arts: Spelling words, sentence strip
reading, exclamation marks and punctuation.
• Math: Counting wild things, adding wild things,
Draw them, cut them out and then add and
subtract.
• Social Studies: Community of wild things—who
would be the community helpers there? Create an
island of wild things!
• Science: Living vs nonliving: Are wild things living?
How could we tell? How are they different from
the plants in the book?
The Napping House
The TEKS covered in our study of
the book were:
• Science: Weather, food chain and
effects on animals
• SS: How to cooperate and
families
• Math: Napping House characters
adding and subtracting them as
the story progresses
• Language Arts: Drama, dominoes,
planning story board,
• Art: Drawing figures
• Technology: Taking pictures and
recording story in Power Point!
Why should you use an
integrated curricular approach?
• It is easier! Less time planning in
different areas!
• Using this approach in your language
arts/math work allows for you to
include social studies and science.
• Integrating will allow more time for
language arts and math!
Brain Facts:
• The brain retains the information that has the
most connections to other information.
• The more the connections the more the child
can remember and use it.
• The more senses used in acquiring information
and the more different ways information is
given to a child, the more likely they are to
remember and to be able to use and generalize
information.
• Familiarity and connections to previous
experiences are key!
Okay, But How?
Planning is the
key!!!!!!
Keys to Planning
Thematic Units



Identify key objectives and
TEKS for the six weeks
Identify your grade level
themes: don’t forget holidays!
Brainstorm using a web!
Science
Language
Arts
Thanksgiving
Math
Technology
Social
Studies
Unit: Thanksgiving
Dates of Unit:
Websites: http://teachers.teach-nology.com/themes/holidays/thanks/
http://abcteach.com/directory/theme_units/month_to_month/k_november/thanksgiving/
Math
TEKS: 1.9 Graphs & 1.7
Measurement
1.
Graph which children like
better—pecan or pumpkin pie.
2.
Estimate and then measure
different sizes of pumpkins.
Technology
TEKS:2.D Produces documents
1. Children write the story of their
own Thanksgiving traditions.
Social Studies
TEKS:1.2 Origins of holidays
1.
Read and discuss the story of
Thanksgiving.
2.
Act out the First
Thanksgiving.
Science
TEKS: 1.6 Plants and animals have
parts
1.
Compare pumpkins and turkeys.
2.
Draw parts of pumpkins and
turkeys.
3.
How are they alike?
Different?
Unit: Thanksgiving
Dates of Unit:
TEKS/ Concepts to cover:
Language Arts: 1.1(listening, speaking); 1.7(Reading, letter
sound relations); 1.8 Reading /Word Identification
1.
Phonics
Comprehension/Writing
Fluency
Word Study
Clap the number of
1. Write a Thanksgiving book
syllables in Thanksgiving about family traditions and
book words.
discuss them.
1. Read the Thanksgiving
book we wrote together,
then with partners, then in
choral readings.
1.
2.
Spelling words from the
book children wrote.
Look at compound words
such as Thanksgiving.
Using the Internet to
Develop Your Units
• If you are using themes or literature
there are millions of sites with ideas!
• Save pages from the internet!
• Print pages from the internet!
• Link to pages from the internet in your
lesson plans!
• My list!
• Develop your own list right now!
Finally,
• Use the brainstormed
ideas and sites and create
your lesson plan.
• Be sure to link your
information!
• Remember, integrated
units will equal greater
learning!