Week One of a Two-Week Plan for The Forest Thematic Unit:

Grades 3 and 4
7:30 a.m. Daily breakfast available for all program participants
Breakfast
8:00 a.m. Daily community gathering with entire program. Facilitated by Program Coordinator.
Community Time
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5
8:35 a.m. Whole Program Group A: Group A: Group A: Group A: Reading/Research
All Together Now Day Hiking Trip to local Reading/Research How Reading/Research How do Reading/Research What Does hunting help or hurt the
park. would you get out of the people survive in the would happen if there were forest animals?
The grade level group forest if you were lost? forest? no more bugs? • Half of group reads a
returns to its space/room Activity: Sketch in • Read aloud/Paired • Read story of • Read aloud/partner “pro” article; Half reads a
and then splits into two journal 5 different living reading: article on outdoors person living read: exterminating “con” article
sections for 25 minutes organisms. Observe and getting lost in forest in the wilderness insects • Write down 5 facts
each, 1 one counselor per write how they change • In pairs/small groups, • What are • Write 3 facts • Group debate
section; then, switch. their environment and draw and write what needs/luxuries? • Group discussion—
how the changes affect you would have done. • Build /represent a what can we do? Group B: Theater
Group A will follow a other organisms. For living structure for a • Refine written dialogue.
guided reading approach. example, trees create Group B: Theater person in the Group B: Theater • Move like mice: forest
It’s a good idea to have all shade and provide Act out actions of forest wilderness Internet research on and city.
staff trained on teaching branches for birds to animals in charades forests. • Assume roles of mice as
reading skills. build nests 2. fashion. Group B: Theater written in dialogue.
Read part of Country Compare/contrast: What • Read Town Mouse, • Practice acting it out.
Group B will work on Mouse, Town Mouse. do we know about cities? Country Mouse with
theater skills. Improvise dialogue based How are cities and forests partner
on story. similar/ different?
If your district or program • Brainstorm • Write dialogue (pairs)
requires a reading • Create large Venn between a forest
curriculum, this is a good diagrams mouse and city mouse
section of the day to do it. • Improvise dialogue for group play, City
between a forest Mouse, Forest Mouse.
Your theme can be tied in mouse and a city
through the content of the mouse.
texts read. Exposing youth
to a variety of texts (fiction,
nonfiction, articles,

1
If you want to have 3 groups, consider allowing youth to work independently on a research/writing project or WebQuest. The American Reading Company
(www.americanreading.com) offers theme-based “Research Labs” that may be useful here. WebQuests are typically free, inquiry-oriented activities appropriate for ages K-12 in
which most or all of the information used by learners is drawn from the Web. They can be heavily self-guided or teacher-guided. For more information, see
http://webquest.sdsu.edu/.
2
From McREL Standards Activity, “Our Changing World.” Accessed online 9/8/2005 at http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/activityDetail.asp?activityID=155.

Appendix -D
personal letters, and
magazines) is important.
9:45 a.m. (Day Hiking Trip) In small groups, construct Follow directions to reach Create a map of a forest by If you have $120, which
Problem Solving a tent with enough space certain coordinates on a drawing certain items camping supplies will you
for 3 class mates to sleep map. Then, use coordinate (trees, rocks, moss, etc.) at buy? Look at the list of
The group works rejoins in. Use the materials systems to specify specified coordinates. supplies with prices. You
and participates in math- provided to make the locations and identify Identify the paths from the may not spend more than
based problem solving largest, most comfortable paths through a forest entrance to the cabin. $120. How did you make
activities. space for you and 2 map. Which path is the shortest your decisions? 3
friends. May use graph route?
If your program is required paper to diagram ideas. Math skills: coordinates, Economics idea: choices
to use a particular math How did you solve this mapping Math skills: understanding involve trade-offs
curriculum, this would be a problem? scale, distance, coordinate Math skills:
good time to do it. Math skills: perimeter, systems addition/multiplication
area, problem solving
You can make it more
theme-related by:
• Framing the problems
with reference to the
theme;
• Changing the
curriculum language or
manipulatives to be
more theme-related;
• Getting youth to talk
about how the math
activities relate to ideas
proposed in the theme
study.

10:30 a.m.
Break
10:40 a.m. (Day Hiking Trip) Art (“Habitatters”): Habitatters: Habitatters:Sketch on Habitatters: Revise sketches.
Group Projects Brainstorm, research, With partner, list paper habitat for your Begin to transfer sketch onto
preliminary sketch animal characteristics of animal animal including food wall using opaque
This is an opportunity to you & partner want to and habitat and sketch. source. projector/grid lines.
use the strengths and study.
interests of program staff Art skills: planning a Art skills: planning a work, Art skills: using art tools,
and to provide youth with a Art skills: selects ideas work using art tools using art to communicate
choice of a 2 week for art ideas
project/exploration. Rockies: Debrief from Rockies: Practice basic
Outdoors (“Rockies”): ropes course. Learn rope climbing safety; group Rockies: Visit rock climbing

3
From McREL Standards Activity, “Going Camping.” Accessed online 9/8/2005 at http://www.mcrel.org/compendium/activityDetail.asp?activityID=66
Appendix -D
Here, one counselor is an Low ropes course for tying/knot tying. Rock team building games. wall at local gym (across the
art student and will lead his communication practice. climbing video. What do street) to practice rock
group in creating a mural of you observe? Looks Behavior skills: good climbing.
forest animals and their Behavior skills: can learn easy/hard? Why? decision making, team
habitats. The other about others through work Physical activities skills:
counselor is an outdoor conversation Physical activities skills: participating in healthy
enthusiast and certified knows about opportunities recreation
rock climbing instructor. for physical activity out of
She will teach her group school
outdoor basics and take
them to a rock climbing
wall.
11:45 a.m.
Lunch
12:15 p.m. An opportunity for high physical activity daily is a necessity for youth.
Social Recreation
12:45 p.m. Follow up: Review cardinal directions Guest speaker from local Use microscopes to Bird watching at park down
A Closer Look Debrief hiking trip and practice using a nature center: Animals in observe insects up close. the street. Use Audubon guide
Review sketches/journals compass in a “treasure the Forest. Identify and draw patterns to identify. Choose favorite
After lunch is a good time from hike. hunt” game. in their wings. What & learn its call.
to focus in on one topic or • What did you Language arts skills: listen geometric shapes are
idea that has come up see/notice? Create a map to the for a purpose, ask there? Create a patterned Language arts skills: using
during the unit. This is also • How do different treasure based on the route questions related to insect wing of your own. reference guide to find
a good time for guest organisms affect you took. presentation information, observation skills
speakers or mini-trips. their environment? Science/math skills: using
Math/geography skills: microscope, sketching
Introduction to the cardinal directions, observations, identifying
thematic unit: The Forest compass use, mapping geometric shapes, creating
• As a whole group, skills a pattern
complete the K and
W parts of a K-W-L-
Q chart about the
forest (What do we
know? What do we
want to learn?)

Review management
details
Do a get to know you
activity if appropriate
Introduce group projects
(Youth get ready to
choose 1).

Appendix -D
1:15 p.m. Introduce stations and • Relax and Read about Nature: a variety of leveled, fiction and nonfiction books about forests
Stations how they work. • Hiking through the Forest: a monopoly-like game transformed to be about forests
• Internet WebQuest in the Wilderness: a web-based exploration of the wilderness
As the afternoon • Sculpting with Natural Materials: bark, twigs, leaves, twine, flower petals, and glue to make creative sculpture
progresses, stations give • Making Camp Food: recipe and ingredients to measure and mix a nutritious trail mix—GORP.
youth the opportunity to (Introduce stations and • Postcards Home: on blank index cards, draw a forest picture on one side and write a letter home on the other
choose whether they’d like how they work.) side describing the forest
to be alone, with a partner
or in a small group to
participate in less-
structured activities.

This is also an opportunity

for staff to develop
activities that solidly
address varied learning
styles and/or multiple
intelligences.

Station time can be relaxed

and noisy, but youth should
choose not be moving
around. Rather, choices
should be limited to one or
two stations per day.

2:00 p.m. My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George

Read aloud
Each day, counselor reads a new chapter. During the read aloud, counselor asks questions to build on youths’ prior knowledge, connect to
A theme-related chapter real-world experiences, connect to theme-related studies, get youth to predict what might happen next, etc.
book enables youth to have
a consistent story to follow
through the course of the
unit. This is an opportunity
to encourage prediction-
making about what might
happen next. Read aloud
chapter books can be 2 or 3
levels above grade level
since staff is reading to the
group.
Prepare to dismiss Always schedule time at the end of the day to gather up materials and get youth organized to dismiss
2:20 p.m.
Dismiss- 2:30 p.m.
Appendix -D
 Week Two of a Two-Week Plan for The Forest Thematic Unit: Grades 3 and 4

To give you sense of how the unit would progress, the following provides a broad sketch of lesson activities and events. The culminating event will be a program-wide overnight
camping trip. Youth will get to apply the skills and information learned through the course of the unit such as map reading, packing a backpack, hiking, identifying trees and
plants.

All Together Now Learning Stations

• Revise story Town Mouse, Country Mouse to create own play. • Relax and Read about Nature: added this week: plant and bird identification
• Practice acting out as a group references
• Revise narration; add dialogue • Wilderness Charades and Pictionary
• Create scenery for City Mouse, Forest Mouse • Campgrounds USA: internet brochures/info on the campground we’ll be visiting
• Present play at community meeting • Patterns in Nature: photos of natural items (sunflowers, insect wings, etc.); look for
• Examine forest safety procedures patterns, sketch or write about them
• Setting up Camp: read directions to put together a model size tent
• Nature music: listen to nature music through headphones. Draw, write, move in
response
•
Problem Solving Read Aloud

• Using distance estimation in forest • Finish read aloud book & follow up activities
• Geometric shapes found in forest
• Plotting and reading maps of campground

Group Projects Unit Culmination: Overnight field trip

• Habitatters • Read ghost stories with a flashlight

o Finish sketching habitat & animal on wall • Build campfire; Make S’mores; Sing campfire songs
o Paint mural • Use map to find route of nature hike; Identify tree, leaf and bird calls
• Rockies • Experience forest recreation 1) canoeing with certified instructors 2) lawn games in
o Learn backpacking basics the meadow: volleyball/capture the flag
o Develop a camping how-to guide • Quiet time: journaling, sketching/reflection on experience
• Group presentations at lunch: One big thing you learned/liked or disliked and why?
A Closer Look

• Forest safety guest speaker

• Identifying poisonous trees, plants, animals
• Fire safety

Appendix -D
Appendix -D