Integrated Thematic Unit McCabe 1

Integrated Thematic Unit Overview

Kaitlyn McCabe

Drexel University


Professor Gozzard


June 9, 2020
 Integrated Thematic Unit Overview: America’s National Parks
Integrated Thematic Unit McCabe 1

Thematic Unit Overview

Grade level: 4th


Curriculum areas: Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, Math, Visual Arts

Teacher: Kate McCabe




Throughout this unit students will learn the importance of protecting the environment through studying the history
and maintenance of America’s beautiful national parks and the issues that affect the wildlife and land to this day.

By the end of this two-week unit, the students will be able to: 


• Analyze the way they treat nature and how their actions affect the greater environment.


• Synthesize different elements of nature and understand how they depend on one another to serve the
ecosystem’s health.


• Compare and contrasting differing views as they develop and support their own opinions on conservation
efforts.


• Define wildlife and land conservation, conservation efforts, and their own ability to conserve.


• Create detailed works of art that advocate for endangered species and proper care for the environment. 


• Reflect upon their environmental values and beliefs. 

 During this thematic unit on America’s National Parks, students will investigate the natural world around
Integrated Thematic Unit McCabe 1
them near and far as they consider nature’s immense importance. Following a social constructivist approach,
using higher order discussion prompts, project-based learning, and various total participation
techniques, including hands-on activities and an emphasis on collaboration and peers as MKOs, students will be
asked to reflect upon their own beliefs, values, and understanding of how nature functions and how
human action impacts it both negatively and positively. Focusing on the countless beautiful national parks
the country has to offer, this thematic unit will offer students genuine interest and curiosity as they learn about
how the National Park Service actively conserves federal land and spreads awareness of their values and mission
to help others do the same. Myself serving as a guide to scaffold them to their ZPDs throughout their
explorations, students will become aware of their own actions and ability to positively impact the
environment through small but meaningful actions. 



Through the unit lessons, students will come to understand how each habitat and organism relies on one
another's stability to maintain an overall healthy ecosystem; each living thing has a vital role in the functioning of
the environment. Through interdisciplinary lessons that target high student interaction and creativity, the
students will learn about important historical figures who were essential in the creation of the National Park
Service. Students will keep vocabulary notebooks where they record in their own words key terms such a
keystone species, conservation, preservation, symbolism, species endangerment, habitat, global warming,
environmental impact, landforms (mountains, plateaus, glaciers, dunes, canyons, etc), natural
processes (sedimentation, erosion, weathering, deposition), tourism, pollution and so on. The classroom
environment will be set up for peer collaboration and easy to access art material and book areas with plenty of
space and comfortable seating and pillows for research and crafting. Students will be given many
opportunities to develop both academic and social/emotional skills through art projects, role-
playing, wildlife research, national park webquests, creative and informational writing, science experiments, art
and science/social studies learning centers, journaling, virtual field-trips, class nature walks, interacting with
guest speakers, and math tasks which involve real tourist and wildlife data- all of which foster multiple content
areas to bring forth authentic and impactful learning experiences. Imperative to their growing senses of
self, refinement and expression of artistic ideas and projects will be shared through class critiques and
exhibitions, serving to illustrate the power of sharing ideas through thoughtful creations in art. 


Guided by me, students will be in constant engagement with their growth and learning as they curate a
portfolio of their best and favorite works. All other assessment will be authentic performance assessment tasks.
By experiencing tangible nature in their own backyards and the broader lands found in national
parks through various virtual experiences, my hope is that after this thematic unit my students will develop a
greater appreciation for the environment and realize their personal roles and responsibility to protect
it. Overall, students will understand the environment as an essential system for life and
should feel empowered and at one with it, inspired to continue to discover the wonders of nature and
advocate for the natural world as they grow. 



Sources:

Himmele, P., & Himmele, W. (2017). Total participation techniques : Making every student an active learner, 2nd
edition. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.ezproxy2.library.drexel.edu 


Maxim, G. W. (2018). Dynamic social studies. Boston: Pearson Education.

 Resources and Materials

Integrated Thematic Unit McCabe 1

whiteboard, smartboard, chrome books & the internet, printers (library) ipads, library, all of the art supplies
(drawing, sculpting, collaging, painting), graphic organizers, posterboard, NPS ambled template, journals,
vocabulary notebooks, portfolio materials/binders, STEM material bins, the outdoors, comprehension and activity
packets, data sheets, graphing paper, exit ticket and activity sheets, opinion writing sheets, Leave No Trace
pocket guides, Okay vs No Way! Game cards, butcher paper/chart paper post-it notes, picture prompts, concrete
poem examples, informational books on national parks, endangered species, gray wolf reintroduction, ranchers,
nature, wildlife, National Park Service, landscape artists, conservationists, soundscape recordings, landscape
photographs and painting visuals, sand, soil, water, jars, grass seed, empty bottles

(some) of the information books I imagine:


-The Return of the American Bison by Theresa Morlock

-The Wolves are Back by Jean Craighead George

-In the Snow: Who's Been Here?, Lindsey Barrett George (For animal tracks lesson) 

-National parks informational texts 

-National Parks of the U.S.A, Kate Siber 

-The Camping Trip that Changed America, Barb Rosenstock 


-Ansel Adams: Our National Parks 

-Eye on the Wild, Julie Dunlap 

- John Muir: America’s First Environmentalist by Kathryn Lasky 

- National Geographic Kids: National Parks Guide USA by Sarah Wassner Flynn 

-The Wolves Return, Celia Godkin 


-Gray Wolves Return to Yellowstone, Meish Goldish 

- When the Wolves Returned by Dorothy Hinshaw Patent 

- the Art of Being a Wolf by Anne Menatory 


PA Standards

Social Studies

Geography:

Standard - 7.2.4.A 

Identify the physical characteristics of places and regions. 
Standard - 7.1.4.B 

Describe and locate places and regions as defined by physical and human features. 

Standard - 7.3.4.A 
Identify the human characteristics of places and regions using the following criteria: 

Population  

Culture  

Settlement  

Economic activities  

Political activities 

Standard - 7.2.4.B 

Identify the basic physical processes that affect the physical characteristics of places and regions. 

Standard - 7.4.4.B 

Identify the effect of people on the physical systems within a community.  



History:

Standard - 8.1.4.B 
Integrated Thematic Unit McCabe 1
Distinguish between fact and opinion from multiple points of view, and primary sources as related to historical
events. 

Standard - 8.3.4.B
Locate historical documents, artifacts, and places critical to United States history.

Civics and Government: 

Standard - 5.2.4.C 
Describe the roles of leadership and public service in school, community, state, and nation. 

Standard - 5.1.4.F 
Identify state symbols, national symbols, and national holidays. 
Standard - 5.2.4.B 

Describe the sources of conflict and disagreement and different ways conflict can be resolved.

Standard - 5.2.4.C
Describe the roles of leadership and public service in school, community, state, and nation.

Standard - 5.2.4.D
Describe how citizens participate in school and community activities.
Standard - 5.3.4.G
Identify individual interests and explain ways to influence others.

ELA

Standard - CC.1.4.4.Q 

Choose words and phrases to convey ideas precisely. 

 

Standard - CC.1.5.4.A 

Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions on grade-level topics and texts, building on
others’ ideas and expressing their own clearly. 

Standard - CC.1.4.4.G 
Write opinion pieces on topics or texts. 

Standard - CC.1.4.4.H 
Introduce the topic and state an opinion on the topic. 

Standard - CC.1.4.4.I 
Provide reasons that are supported by facts and details. 

Standard - CC.1.4.4.J 
Create an organizational structure that includes related ideas grouped to support the writer’s purpose
and linked in a logical order with a concluding statement or section related to the opinion. 
 
Standard - CC.1.4.4.L 
Demonstrate a grade-appropriate command of the conventions of standard English grammar, usage,
Integrated Thematic Unit McCabe 1
capitalization, punctuation, and spelling. 

Standard - CC.1.4.4.Q 

Choose words and phrases to convey ideas precisely. 

 

Standard - CC.1.5.4.A 

Engage effectively in a range of collaborative discussions on grade-level topics and texts, building on others’
ideas and expressing their own clearly.

Standard - CC.1.4.4.Q 

Choose words and phrases to convey ideas precisely. 

 

Standard - CC.1.4.4.F 

Demonstrate a grade-appropriate command of the conventions of standard English grammar, usage,
capitalization, punctuation, and spelling. 

 

Standard - CC.1.4.4.T 

With guidance and support form peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning,
revising, and editing. 

 

Standard - CC.1.4.4.X 

Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a
single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes and audiences. 

Standard - CC.1.3.4.J 

Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate conversational, general academic, and domain-specific words
and phrases, including those that signal precise actions, emotions, or states of being and that are basic to
a particular topic. 

Standard - CC.1.4.4.M 

Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events. 

Standard - CC.1.2.4.J 

Acquire and use accurately grade-appropriate conversational, general academic, and domain-specific words
and phrases, including those that signal precise actions, emotions, or states of being and that are basic to
a particular topic. 

Standard - CC.1.2.4.B
Refer to details and examples in text to support what the text says explicitly and make inferences.

Standard - CC.1.2.4.C
Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a text, including what happened and why, based on specific
information in the text.

Standard - CC.1.2.4.I
Integrate information from two texts on the same topic to demonstrate understanding of that topic.

Integrated Thematic Unit McCabe 1

Standard - CC.1.2.4.L
Read and comprehend literary non-fiction and informational text on grade level, reading independently
and proficiently.

Standard - CC.1.4.4.A
Write informative/ explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly.

Standard - CC.1.4.4.B
Identify and introduce the topic clearly.

Standard - CC.1.4.4.C
Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples
related to the topic; include illustrations and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.

Standard - CC.1.4.4.V
Conduct short research projects that build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a
topic.

Standard - CC.1.4.4.W
Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital
sources; take notes and categorize information, and provide a list of sources.

Science

Standard - 4.5.4.C 

Describe how human activities affect the environment. 

 

Standard - 3.3.4.A1 

Describe basic landforms. 

Identify the layers of the earth. 

Recognize that the surface of the earth changes due to slow processes and rapid processes. 

Standard - 7.1.4.B 

Describe and locate places and regions as defined by physical and human features. 

 

Standard - 7.2.4.B 

Identify the basic physical processes that affect the physical characteristics of places and regions. 

Standard - 5.2.4.D 

Describe how citizens participate in school and community activities. 

Standard - 4.5.4.A 

Identify how people use natural resources in sustainable and non-sustainable ways. 

Standard - 3.3.4.A2 
Identify basic properties and uses of Earth’s materials including rocks, soils, water, and gases of the
atmosphere. 
Standard - 3.1.4.C1 
IdentifyIntegrated
different characteristics
Thematic Unit of plants and animals that help some populations survive and reproduce
McCabe 1 in
greater numbers. 

Describe how environmental changes can cause extinction in plants and animals. 

Standard - 3.1.4.A2 
Describe the different resources that plants and animals need to live. 

Standard - 3.1.4.A3 
Identify differences in the life cycles of plants and animals. 

Standard - 3.1.4.A5 
Describe common functions living things share to help them function in a specific environment. 

Math

Standard - CC.2.4.4.A.2 

Translate information from one type of data display to another.

Standard - CC.2.3.4.A.1 
Draw lines and angles and identify these in two-dimensional figures. 

Standard - CC.2.1.4.B.2 
Use place value understanding and properties of operations to perform multi-digit arithmetic. 

Standard - CC.2.2.4.A.1 
Represent and solve problems involving the four operations. 

Arts & Humanities

Standard - 9.1.3.A 

Know and use the elements and principles of each art form to create works in the arts and humanities.  

Elements- 

Theatre: • scenario • script/text • set design 

Principles- 

Theatre: • balance • collaboration • discipline • emphasis • focus • intention • movement • rhythm • style •
voice   

 

Standard - 9.1.3.E 

Demonstrate the ability to define objects, express emotions, illustrate an action or relate an experience
Standard - 9.1.3.A 

KnowIntegrated
and use theThematic
elements Unit
and principles of each art form to create works in the arts andMcCabe 1
humanities.  

 Visual Arts: • color • form/shape • line • space • texture • value   

 

Standard - 9.1.3.B 

Recognize, know, use and demonstrate a variety of appropriate arts elements and principles to produce,
review and revise original works in the arts. 

Visual Arts: • paint • draw • craft • sculpt • print • design for environment, communication, multi-media 

 

Standard - 9.1.3.E 

Demonstrate the ability to define objects, express emotions, illustrate an action or relate an experience
through creation of works in the arts. 

Standard - 9.2.3.A 

Explain the historical, cultural and social context of an individual work in the arts. 

Standard - 9.2.3.F 

Know and apply appropriate vocabulary used between social studies and the arts and humanities. 

Standard - 9.3.3.A 

Recognize critical processes used in the examination of works in the arts and humanities. 

Compare and contrast  

Analyze  

Interpret  

Form and test hypotheses  

Evaluate/form judgments 

Standard - 9.3.3.B 

Know that works in the arts can be described by using the arts elements, principles and concepts (e.g.,
use of color, shape and pattern in Mondrian’s Broadway Boogie-Woogie; use of dynamics, tempo, texture
in Ravel’s  Bolero). 

Standard - 13.1.3.B 

Identify current personal interests. 

Standard - 9.1.3.D
Use knowledge of varied styles within each art form through a performance or exhibition of unique work.

Standard - 9.3.3.E
Recognize and identify types of critical analysis in the arts and humanities.

• Contextual criticism

• Formal criticism

• Intuitive criticism
 Interdisciplinary Lessons: Week 1

Integrated Thematic Unit McCabe 1

Monday

*With teacher guidance students pick one thing from each content area weekly to add to the portfolio 
ELA: Introduction to thematic unit: America’s National Parks. KWL chart, read The Camping Trip That
Changed America by Barb Rosenstock, compare and contrast Roosevelt & Muir using quotations and photos
begin reviewing vocabulary and making vocabulary notebooks, journal entry. (whole group to individual) 

Social Studies: “Our Environmental Rules” class chart- make together. Class makes suggestions and votes
on which to include, designs display of rules together, including visuals (whole group) 

Science: Conversation vs Preservation lesson: Compare and contrast the difference, identify examples,
express opinion on worksheet: https://www.nps.gov/common/uploads/teachers/lessonplans/
KGLO%20Conservation-vs-Preservation-and-the-NPS-Worksheet.pdf (whole group to partners) 
Math: Angles at Zion & Grand Canyon: math activity sheet (whole group to independent)
Visual Arts: Make your own NPS Symbol: review the NPS symbol and ask students to design their own based
on their environmental values (whole group to independent) 

Tuesday

ELA: Pledge to protect the land written narrative, add to vocab notebook (independent) 

Social Studies: Leave No Trace: The 7 Principles that Help us Conserve the Environment: Leave No Trace
presentation, graphic organizer & skit planning. (small group) 

Science: Intro to landforms, their processes, and human impact: video examples, diagram activity- color and
identify (whole group to independent) 

Math: Data & graphing: tourism data from different parks, students will plot as line graphs and then answer
questions on peers’ graphs (small group) 

Visual Arts: Finish NPS symbol and present to class (independent) 

Wednesday

ELA: Webquest to learn researching: students will fill out a graphic organizer on an assigned National Park-
teacher lead activity (independent) 
Social Studies: Leave No Trace: The 7 Principles that Help us Conserve the Environment: students present
short skits, fill out skit worksheet, play “okay vs no way!” Game (small group, independent, whole group) 
Science: Landform experiments: erosion and sediment: students will make predictions, do experiments, then
record results on lab sheet, evaluate results. (small group) 
Math: Predicting Old Faithful’s Eruption activity: worksheet  (small group)

 
Visual Arts: Landscape art stations rotation: paintings, photographs, soundscapes: students will visit each
station, learn about the artists and view the artworks, complete station activities (reflection questions,
observations, videos,
Integrated vocab word
Thematic Unit identifying, hands-on media explorations (painting, clay, McCabe
collaging)1

Thursday

ELA: Concrete landform poems: introduction, brainstorming poem using graphic organizer, students begin
writing  (whole group to independent)

Social Studies: Closer look at Roosevelt & Muir/NPS Origins (whole group to small group)

Science: Animal habitats: animal needs, different habitats of our national parks. Students complete habitat
packet activities and virtual field trip to habitats activity packet (whole group to small group) 

Math: Introduce STEM tent activity (based on Roosevelt & Muir’s camping trip): will explain materials to
students and they will brainstorm ideas for their tents in journal. (small group)

Visual Arts: Landscape art stations rotation: paintings, photographs, soundscapes continued: students will
make their own landscape influenced art as a homework assignment due the next Monday. (small group to
independent) 

Friday

ELA: Finish landform poems, first week journal reflection, add to vocab notebooks (independent) 

Social Studies: NPS park ranger guest speaker: students Q&A & signups for junior rangers online (whole
group) 

Science: Endangered species of national parks lesson: presentation, worksheet (whole group to independent) 

Math: STEM tent project: students make their tents (small group) 

Visual Arts: Class walk & leaf rubbings: class discussion on how leaving nature where we find it is
conservation 

Interdisciplinary Lessons: Week 2

Monday

*With teacher guidance students pick one thing from each content area weekly to add to the portfolio 
  

ELA: Opinion writing overview, add to vocab notebooks, volunteers who wish to read landform poems will
present (whole group to independent) 

Social Studies: Yellowstone’s Keystone Species: The Gray Wolf: read aloud on gray wolf reintroduction: The
Wolves are Back by Jean Craighead George, identifying keystone species, controversy of the reintroduction:
students will visit learning centers and fill out their opinion piece graphic organizers. (whole group to
independent) 

Science: Conservation experiments: water and soil. Students will make hypotheses, do experiments, record
Math: Interpreting Data & Graphing: U.S. Bison Populations: students will work in groups to formulate
best option for the Y axis for data, meet as whole group to share, will then complete bar graph, complete
exit ticket question
Integrated sheet. (whole
Thematic Unit group, small group, to independent) 
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Visual Arts: Students share landscape projects with class, class is guided on how to critique. (whole
group) 

Tuesday

ELA: Opinion writing: using details and facts to support opinion lesson, add to vocab notebooks. (whole group
to independent) 

Social Studies: Gray wolf opinion pieces (continued) (independent)  

Science: Endangered animal project begins: students (groups of 2) pick their animal and begin researching it:
focus on WH questions (small group) 

Math: Student made multi-step word problems using national parks content (to exchange with peers) 

Visual Arts: Endangered animal project: students brainstorm what type of media they want to use, explore
options with partner, make preliminary sketches and notes. 

Wednesday

ELA: Gray wolf opinion piece peer editing, vocab notebook practice activities, journal reflections on unit:
students discuss what they are still wondering/want to learn more about in this unit. (small group,
independent) 

Social Studies: Final draft corrections of gray wolf opinion piece (independent) 

Science: Endangered species project research: focus on efforts to help (small group) 

Math: Exchange word problems (small group) 

Visual Arts: Students begin working on their endangered animal visuals (small group) 

Thursday

ELA: Informational writing: artist statement lesson for endangered animal project, analyzing example artist
statement, add to vocab notebooks (whole group to independent) 
Social Studies: Global warming lesson: how it happens and why it’s detrimental to our world: KWL chart,
class discussion on how we can help, overview of renewable energy with activity packet (whole group to small
group) 
Science: Endangered animal project: finish researching and evaluating how art project acts as activism 
Math: Road trip project: students will plan an imaginary road trip to a national park: will research to find miles,
gas prices, plan and create a budget according to accommodations, food, and activities (small group) 
Visual Arts: Endangered animal project visuals (small group) 
 Friday
Integrated Thematic Unit McCabe 1
ELA: Week two reflection in journal, begin writing artist statement (independent to small group) 
Social Studies: Global warming: students begin designing video PSAS (in collaboration with school
librarian to complete this project) (small groups) 
Science: closer look at habitat incorporation in visual of endangered animal project (small group) 
Math: Road trip project continues (small group) 
Visual Arts: Endangered animal project visual and finish up/correct artist statement (small group) 

Additional lesson sources, resources & references

Erosion experiment:

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Erosion-Experiment-2-liter-STEM-2982898

Intro photo: https://www.thecrazytourist.com/us-national-parks-popularity/

Park webcams (https://www.nps.gov/media/multimedia-

search.htm#fq%5B%5D=Type%3A%22Webcam%22

Every Kid Outdoors: https://www.nationalparks.org/our-work/campaigns-initiatives/every-kid-outdoors 

Old Faithful’s Eruption: 

https://www.nps.gov/teachers/classrooms/predict-old-faithful.htm

NPS symbol: 

https://www.nps.gov/teachers/classrooms/learning-about-the-arrowhead-and-other-symbols.htm 

Bison by the numbers: 

https://www.nps.gov/teachers/classrooms/bison-by-the-numbers.htm

Landforms: 

https://www.nps.gov/subjects/geology/landforms.htm 

Art and conservation movement: 


https://www.nps.gov/articles/conservation-movement-art.htm 

Leave no trace: 

https://www.nps.gov/articles/leave-no-trace-seven-principles.htm