Curriculum
Design
Developing
Thematic/
Concept based
Units
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Why Organize
Curriculum in
Thematic Units?
•N
Natural way to “chunk” curriculum
•P
Provides a thematic focus for students:
continuity and connections, across concepts
and languages
•A
Allows for an authentic, literature-based
focus
•M
Makes content PERSONALLY relevant
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Holly Kaptain, NFLRC
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How to do it…
• Themes/Concepts
must lend themselves to interdisciplinary study
• Concepts must be broad enough for
in-depth exploration, but narrow
enough to be constrained to a
reasonable amount of time
• Specific learner objectives for each
discipline must already be defined,
then grouped by unit
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Concept-based Themes vs.
Topics
Topics:
• Colors and Fruits
• Weather
• Body parts
• Pets
• Shapes
• Things in my
classroom
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Holly Kaptain, NFLRC
C. B. Themes:
• Who am I at
home and at
school
• Living things are
all around me
• We are similar
to and different
from Mexico
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After Concept/Theme Is
Selected:
• Sketch out main ideas,
concepts, skills, facts
students need to master
• Look for natural categories
or units (topics!) of
organization within the
theme
• Develop a CONCEPT MAP
(example soon),
incorporating ALL content
students are expected to
master
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For Example:
• Who I am at home and school
– I am a student
– I am a friend
– I am a family member
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• Now you think of some possible
themes!
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Iowa TWI
Project
Curriculum
• Concept/theme-based units: Big
Ideas, Enduring Understandings
• Units supported by smaller book
units—LITERATURE BASED
• Arranged in a teaching sequence
• Organized around balanced literacy
components
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Sample Curriculum Layout
Unit Scope and Sequence:
District Standards and Benchmarks
Aug/
September
O ctober
November
December
January
February
March
April
May
Concept-based Units
Who I am at home
and school
I am a
student
I am a
friend
Who I am in
the world
I am a
family
member
My
school
My
community
Changes I see in my
world
My
country
I see
change in
nature
I see
change
over time
Living things
around me
Animals
Plants
Suggested Book Units:
Hace buen tiempo
M ercados
La excuela/School
Cuadros de familia
M i cumpleanos
Holly Kaptain, NFLRC
Hola!
La escuela
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Key Criteria
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• When planning units, be
sure to incorporate as
many disciplines as
possible
• Not all content may “fit”
within a unit--sticking
with a “theme” is not
necessarily a mandate,
just a guideline. Student
needs override all.
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Concept
Mapping
Go deeper than ever before….
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Holly Kaptain, NFLRC
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What Is a Concept Map?
• A map is a graphic organizer
that displays a large concept
or theme from a big-picture
perspective
• A concept map uses concepts
or ideas and shows how they
connect: using language
• A concept map is developed
first by teachers, THEN done
with students—of all ages!
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Concept Mapping:
a sample
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Let’s Map!
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The POWER of
Mapping…
• Students contribute to its formation
• Visuals combine with language for a
concrete representation of abstract concepts
and ideas
• Fun! Studentcentered!
• Develops vocabulary; appropriate for all
levels
• Extends to writing activities…More!
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Also remember:
• Concept-based units
require attention to the
concepts—through
books and meaningful
discussion
• Mapping and planning
are best done in a small
group
• Have objectives for
students outlined
beforehand (and a
teacher who has taught
the content before and
is familiar with it).
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Challenges
With Thematic
Curriculum
Challenges:
• Finding related BOOKS!!
• Finding quality and authentic
materials
• Using/following curriculum;
Sequence of delivery can’t always
mirror intended sequence
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Reflections? Thoughts?
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How to
contact us:
Marcia Harmon Rosenbusch
Director, National K-12 Foreign Language Resource Center
Holly Kaptain
Research Assistant/Project Coordinator
Claudia Navarro
Research Assistant/Data Analysis
N131 Lagomarcino Hall
Iowa State University
Ames, Iowa 50011
515-294-6644
mrosenbu@iastate.edu,
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hkaptain@iastate.edu
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