Links Index

Introduction to Thematic Units

What is a Thematic Unit?

  1. Workshop outline for a good workshop - http://www.gj.net/~plewis/Thematicunit.html
  2. Workshop resources - http://midgefrazel.net/themes.html
  3. Nice Intro - http://connect.barry.edu/ect653/thematic/main.htm
  4. 10 reasons to use thematic units - http://users.erols.com/allnutt/tenreasons.html
  5. Teaching Thematically article - http://www.ncela.gwu.edu/miscpubs/cal/contentesl/c-esl13.htm
  6. Takes you through thematic unit process using rainforest example - http://www.compstrategies.com/resources/rainforestunit.html
  7. Brief introduction to interdisciplinary teaching and units - http://webinstituteforteachers.org/99/mentors/Jones/ida1/index2.html

Examples

  1. K-12 examples - http://www.naschools.net/teachers/index.htm
  2. k-2 examples - http://www.okaloosa.k12.fl.us/technology/training/tools/elem/k-2.htm
  3. 3-5 examples - http://www.okaloosa.k12.fl.us/technology/training/tools/elem/3-5.htm
  4. K-5 examples - http://busboy.sped.ukans.edu/projects/theme/
  5. all grades - http://www.in2edu.com/edulinks/themes_integrated%20units_issues%20themes_thematic%20units.htm
  6. Newspaper Thematic Units - http://nieonline.com/detroit/catalogue.cfm?page=newsthemes
  7. Middle school units - http://www.gnofn.org/~sches/page5.html

Planning a Thematic Unit

  1. Good Descriptive plan - http://connect.barry.edu/ect653/thematic/main.htm#planning
  2. Adding Technology to Thematic Units - http://www.ed.sc.edu/caw/toolboxtheme.html
  3. Example of basic plan from Michigan schools - http://www.muskegon-isd.k12.mi.us/language/mi_standards/unitplan.htm

Assessment Ideas

  1. Checklist example - http://www.eduplace.com/rdg/res/graphics/vogtsamp.html
  2. Rubric examples - http://www.sdcoe.k12.ca.us/score/actbank/trubrics.htm
  3. Scroll to bottom of web page for rubric - http://www.techtrekers.com/Thematic.htm
  4. Evaluating resources for validity - http://eduscapes.com/tap/topic32.htm

Web Sites to Help

Thematic Unit Web Sites
  1. Thematic Units for Primary Grades - http://www.libsci.sc.edu/miller/Unitlink.htm
  2. Thematic units Online - http://connections.smsd.org/specialeducation/thematic.htm
  3. Early Childhood Thematic Units - http://www.sbcss.k12.ca.us/sbcss/specialeducation/ecthematic/
  4. Theme Pages (not whole units but good for planning) - http://www.atozteacherstuff.com/themes/
  5. Thematic units for K-12 (most for younger grades) - http://www.naschools.net/teachers/
  6. A few units PreK-6 - http://www.riverdeep.net/edconnect/tools/thematic_units.jhtml
  7. Lessons and themes for K-12 - http://lessonplanz.com/Lesson_Plans/Thematic_Units/
  8. Themes, activities and lessons - http://www.in2edu.com/edulinks/themes_integrated%20units.htm
  9. Three specific units - http://www.innovativeclassroom.com/Thematic_Units/
  10. General Theme units - http://teachers.teach-nology.com/themes/
  11. Units from ALFY search - http://alfy.lycos.com/Teachers/teach/Thematic_Units/index.asp
  12. Lesson Plan search themed units - http://www.lessonplansearch.com/Thematic_Units/
  13. EdHelper thematic units - http://www.edhelper.com/cat298.htm
  14. Home Schooling Network thematic units - http://www.homeschoollearning.com/themes/
  15. school Kindergarten page with units - http://www.thekcrew.net/units.html
  16. List of Thematic Unit pages (mainly K-6) - http://k-6educators.about.com/cs/lessonplansthe/
  17. Start with the Arts Thematic Units - http://www.vsarts.org/programs/swta/themeunits.html
  18. Examples from Michigan Schools - http://www.muskegon-isd.k12.mi.us/language/mi_standards/lasearch.htm
  19. First grade units - http://www.tesseract.pvt.k12.mn.us/first_I/2000-2001/themes/thematic_units.htm
  20. Lesson plan activities for librarians includes some units - http://www.libraries.phila.k12.pa.us/lion/lessons.html

General Topic web Sites

1.      Teacher activities by subject - http://www.teachertimesavers.com/

2.      Interdisciplinary ideas - http://www.vmsa.org/VMCENT/interdisciplinarymenu.html

3.      Has some grade level integration ideas - http://www.mtnbrook.k12.al.us/tech/tech.htm

4.      VERY GOOD COLLECTION of resources - http://school.discovery.com/schrockguide/

5.      General links to units and more - http://pages.infinit.net/seguind/themes.htm

 

More sites to visit

Building A Thematic Unit - PowerPoint presentation with good rules to remember.

The Collaborative Thematic Unit Model

Cohasset Middle School - A listing of good theory and practice articles including designing thematic units and cross-curriculum plans. The article on "Integrated Curriculum" is a very good first read for background.

Creating Thematic Units Bookmarks - Very useful site by Pam Lewis (5th Grade teachers). Good place to start if unsure how to approach the idea of thematic units.

Creating Thematic Units on the Web - VERY GOOD BEGINNING SITE by Alice Allnutt.

Integrating Technology Into Thematic Units - Notes for a class. has some nice links.

NCTE Teaching Ideas: Thematic Units - A reprint detailing one teacher's method of using thematic units and ideas in the classroom.

Thematic Units - A basic presentation on creating thematic units.

 

thanks to grsites.com for the graphic last updated February 13, 2003