Overall, this is a good thematic curriculum theme. It is developmentally appropriate and builds on children’s experience. However, it does need some revision and rethinking of the sub-themes. While some of these sub-themes are very expansive and could be explored over many weeks, other sub-themes seem more like a single activity, rather than a big topic to explore. A few thoughts and comments:
1. Think about how to organize this thematic unit, so that it has more of a structure and flow, a beginning (introduction) and an end (putting it all together).
2. You want to begin in Sub-theme 1 with an introduction to the topic, rather than focusing on one specific part of the body. Begin, perhaps, with an overview, a look at the different parts that make up our bodies (organs, muscles, skeleton, skin, etc.). Each of these could then be developed into a separate sub-topic, or combined.
3. The following sub-topics should then explore each of these parts of the body. The brain, for example, is an organ. There are other important organs that you can also explore in the same sub-topic (e.g., heart, lungs, digestive tract).
4. Sub-themes 3 (Height) and 4 (Weight) are strong sub-topics, but rather activities that might be explored in a sub-theme on “How my body grows” that would explore changes in our bodies as we grow. This would actually be a good topic for the final sub-theme (Sub-theme 5).
5. Sub-theme 5 (Bones) is a good topic, but should not be the final sub-theme. You need to end the curriculum unit with a wrap-up of what they have learned (e.g., “How my body grows”)
6. Sub-theme 2, “The Five Senses” is actually a separate curriculum theme that should be explored in depth, rather than as a sub-topic in this thematic curriculum unit. Each of the senses could be a sub-topic with books and activities that are explored over weeks, rather than days.
7. Take a look at some of the excellent children’s books on the body for an idea of how to introduce the topic and explore different sub-themes. Be sure to find books that are appropriately challenging for Pre-K, but not too difficult.
Hi Ariel:
Overall, this is a good thematic curriculum theme. It is developmentally appropriate and builds on children’s experience. However, it does need some revision and rethinking of the sub-themes. While some of these sub-themes are very expansive and could be explored over many weeks, other sub-themes seem more like a single activity, rather than a big topic to explore. A few thoughts and comments:
1. Think about how to organize this thematic unit, so that it has more of a structure and flow, a beginning (introduction) and an end (putting it all together).
2. You want to begin in Sub-theme 1 with an introduction to the topic, rather than focusing on one specific part of the body. Begin, perhaps, with an overview, a look at the different parts that make up our bodies (organs, muscles, skeleton, skin, etc.). Each of these could then be developed into a separate sub-topic, or combined.
3. The following sub-topics should then explore each of these parts of the body. The brain, for example, is an organ. There are other important organs that you can also explore in the same sub-topic (e.g., heart, lungs, digestive tract).
4. Sub-themes 3 (Height) and 4 (Weight) are strong sub-topics, but rather activities that might be explored in a sub-theme on “How my body grows” that would explore changes in our bodies as we grow. This would actually be a good topic for the final sub-theme (Sub-theme 5).
5. Sub-theme 5 (Bones) is a good topic, but should not be the final sub-theme. You need to end the curriculum unit with a wrap-up of what they have learned (e.g., “How my body grows”)
6. Sub-theme 2, “The Five Senses” is actually a separate curriculum theme that should be explored in depth, rather than as a sub-topic in this thematic curriculum unit. Each of the senses could be a sub-topic with books and activities that are explored over weeks, rather than days.
7. Take a look at some of the excellent children’s books on the body for an idea of how to introduce the topic and explore different sub-themes. Be sure to find books that are appropriately challenging for Pre-K, but not too difficult.