Thematic Unit Description Paper Sophia Sipple

SEVEN
I. Unit Context

1. Write a description of the unit theme detailing what the students will be learning.
Students will be learning how to use the Internet to research their chosen animal. They will learn
to public speak with their presentation they give. Students will learn how to write a research
paper.
2. What is the target subject area/class?
The target subject area for this thematic unit would be science, studying their rainforest animal.
But because they will be writing a paper I would include language arts as well.
3. How does this unit fit into the whole learning experience of the students?
In the end students will learn researching skills, as well as public speaking. Researching skills as
in using the Internet, and find information and applying it to their paper. Students will learn
public speaking skills as in speaking in front of the class presenting their rainforest animal.
4. What is the setting or situation? Describe the classroom as you see it. Include information
on what computers and other equipment are available to the students.
In this thematic unit, the setting to me would be going to the media center and having the
students find books about their specific animal. While we are in the media center student will
also get the chance to look on the web for information on their animal, as long as it it’s a credited
site. After spending 2 days in the media center we will take that information and use it in our
classroom. Student would of checked out books that they can look at in the classroom about their
rainforest animal.
II. Audience

1. General characteristics: Describe the learners, including the size of the group, their age,
interests, experiences, and aptitudes.
In my classroom I have a group of 25 third grade students. The demographics of my
students are
- 20 white students
- 1 Asian Student
- 3 Black Students
- 1 Latino Student
Other Characteristics of the students in me classroom are
– 5 Students are Borderline gifted
– 11 Students are hands on learners
– 2 Students have a continuous behavioral disorder
– 3 Students are below their grades reading level
– 3 Students are visual learners
1. Entry competencies: What specific knowledge and assumptions can you make about
them? Remember to describe their computer competence.
My students are aware of what sites are appropriate to be on once in the media center. Although
my students do not all know what is considered a creditable site or not. My students know the
basic knowledge of computer turning them on and off, hiding windows and using word
documents.
III. State Objectives

1. State Goal
 The goal of this unit is to teach students how to use researching tools and apply them to a
presentation. They will learn how to edit a paper and preparing an outline and a visual
aid.
2. State Objective 1
A) First grade students C) will use at least 2 sources when B) doing their research on
their animal. They will present this information in class as well as turn in a paper. D)
These will be graded on how well the student follows directions and the information they
found.
3. State Objective 2
A) First grade students B) will create a visual aid on C) construction paper about their
animal. D) They will then present their visual aid about their animal to the class.
4. State Objective 3
A) First grade students B) will write a paper C) this paper must be typed on the same
computers used in the media center. D) They will be graded on how well the paper is
written, for example spelling and grammar.

IV. State Methods

1. Instructional Strategy: Identify the instructional strategies you might use to deliver this
unit with. These are as follow:

a. Method(s) for objective 1

Methods for objective one will be Presentation, Demonstration, Discussion and
Tutorial. With presentation I will be helping the student be more comfortable
presenting things to the class. I will be presenting a rain forest animal of a past
student to the class to give them an idea of what I expect from them. I will also
put on the overheard paragraphs of good and bad past papers and what we could
do to make it sound better. Last I will give the students some options of websites
they can choose from and students have used in the past. Although if a student
finds a website they like they can always run it by the instructor.
b. Method(s) for objective 2
Methods for objective 3 will be presentation, Tutorial, Drill-and-Practice and
Demonstration. To introduce the visual aid, I will create my own visual aid to
Show the class. I will go through steps on how I got to my final product. I will
assist each student individually in there visual aid of their rainforest animal.
Students will also have time to practice presenting their visual aid of their animal
Before they will get the chance to present it to the class.

c. Method(s) for objective 3

Methods for objective 2 will be Presentation, Discussion, Demonstration
and cooperative learning. When the student are starting to put all their ideas into a
paper I have laminated papers of past students, here they will edit these to give
them and idea. I will point out good and bad things in each paper so the students
know what I expect. I will also demonstrate editing techniques on an overhead,
here the students will use cooperative learning in editing each others paper.
Web Sites:

http://www.yesnet.yk.ca/schools/wes/webquests_themes/rainforest_animals/rainforest_sites.html
http://www.rainforestanimals.net/
http://www.chenowith.k12.or.us/TECH/subject/science/rf_animals.html