EDU251 Thematic Unit Plan

Thematic Unit

Jocelyn R. Schwartz

Department of Education, Geneva College

EDU 251: Integrating the Arts in Pre-K-4

Dr. Michal Wargo

December 4, 2023

Introduction to Under the Sea Thematic Unit

Kindergarten Grade Level
EDU251 Thematic Unit Plan

In kindergarten, many children have not had many experiences outside of areas local to

them. With a unit on Under the Sea at school, children will be able to experience that

environment in ways that would not have been possible at home. They can discover new

creatures, learn how those creatures can live in water, how we can use things underwater on land,

and how we can relate to an environment that seems so different from ours. A unit all about

Under the Sea can broaden their horizons to so many things they may have not known about

before. Through underwater based play, experience, and projects, students will better understand

the world we live in.

Movement Idea: Underwater Movements

Students will stand on a line with a big space in front of them to move. A leader will designate a

stopping place then call out various underwater motions for the students to complete. Students

will do these movements to the stopping line. Some examples could be to walk like a crab, jump

like a starfish, or leap like a dolphin.

Field Trip Idea: Aquarium

To better understand the underwater world, students could take a field trip to an aquarium. Here

they would be able to see actual creatures that live underwater and even hear from some

professionals about how they live. This would help them make real world connections to the

things they are learning about in the classroom.

Visual Arts Idea: Handprint Fish

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To prepare for the activity, you will need multiple colors of paper, little circles cut out of tissue

paper for fish scales, small orange triangles for fish lips, googly eyes, glue, popsicle sticks, and

scissors. A teacher will help students pick a paper, trace their hand, then cut out the handprint.

Students can then color the handprint however they would like. After it is cut out and colored,

students can start to glue on the scales, mouth, and eyes. The final step is to glue the fish onto a

popsicle stick.

Name: Jocelyn Schwartz

Date: Fall Semester 2023

Unit Title (must include the topic): Exploring Under the Sea
EDU251 Thematic Unit Plan

Grade Level: Kindergarten

1) Broad Unit Understandings/Goals:

What will students understand (about big ideas) as a result of the unit?

 Students will understand what kinds of things can survive underwater

 Students will understand that we can relate to things underwater

 Students will understand how organisms survive underwater

 Students will understand processes that go on underwater

2) Unit Questions:
Essential Questions for the thematic unit. *Essential questions are very broad and can spark other
conversations*
Refer back to the presentation*

 What are the patterns do we see under the sea and how are they useful to us on land?

 What can we do when we do not understand something we learn?

 Why is it important to read books about the sea?

 How do we see change in organisms?

3) State/Common Core Standards (obtained from PDESAS): * Dr. Wargo said For ELA
math and social studies/science*

 ELA Standard - CC.1.1.K.D

Know and apply grade-level phonics and word analysis skills in decoding words. • Demonstrate
basic knowledge of one-to-one letter-sound correspondence. • Associate the long and short
sounds with common spellings for the five major vowels. • Read grade-level high-frequency
sight words with automaticity. • Distinguish between similarly spelled words by identifying the
sounds of the letters that differ.

 Math Standard - CC.2.1.K.A.1

Know number names and write and recite the count sequence.

 Science Standard - 3.1.K.A5

Observe and describe structures and behaviors of a variety of common animals.

4) Learning Objectives:
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 **You must also write at least three learning objectives (these should be in the same
format as if they were in the lesson plan you developed). * Dr. Wargo said For ELA
math and science*

 ELA learning objective

Students will be able to write letters that make up common words such as their name.

 Math learning objective

Students will be able to identify numbers 1-10

 Science learning objective

Students will be able to identify common characteristics of organisms that live underwater

5) Description of Unit:
 You will choose a theme that can be incorporated into a PK-4 curriculum. For example:
plants, my country, community leaders, friendship, manners, etc.

This unit will guide students through the exploration of under the sea. Lessons in ELA, math,

and science will grow their understanding of what things happen under the sea. This will include

writing in sand, identifying numbers, and exploring different underwater organisms. The goal of

this is that students will have a better understanding of the environment underwater as well as hit

the targeted state and common core standards. These activities will help the students explore a

world they do not have a lot of experience with and help them to realize they can still relate to it.

Thematic Graphic Plan

*Bullet two or three activity suggestions for each content area below. **NO WORKSHEETS!

Reading:

 The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister

 Way Down Deep in the Deep Blue Sea by Jan Peck

Writing:

 Writing names in sand

 Making letters out of seashells

Science:
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 Go over what animals need to be able to live underwater then show pictures of animals
and the students identify if they can live underwater or not

 “Diving” for underwater animals- Place plastic sea creatures in a bin and students can
reach in pull them out and then as a class they can talk about what makes that animal able
to live underwater

Social Studies:

 Lesson on where the largest oceans are with pictures of their size

 Development of sea creatures, history of what they were and what they are now

 Lesson on where an ocean comes from and how animals get there

Theme:

 Under the Sea

 Encompasses plants and animals that can live underwater

 Also, can include sand and how that relates to the ocean and underwater life

Math:

 Fishing for math facts- There will be a basket of fish with numbers 1-10 on them and
students will take turns reaching in the basket to pull them out. When they pull them out,
they will have to identify what number the fish has on it

 Counting fins, legs, and arms on sea creatures

Movement:

 Underwater movements (Jump like a fish, walk like a crab, etc.)

 Sharks and minnow game

Art:

 Tracing the students’ hands then making a fish out of it

 Crabs out of students' handprints

 Jelly fish out of tissue paper and ribbon

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Music:

 Baby Shark by Pinkfong

 Under the Sea from The Little Mermaid

 Sharks in the Water! by Danny Go!

References

McTighe Associates. (n.d.). https://jaymctighe.com/resources/#1521225059546-51d65de1-41c2

Peck, J., & Petrone, V. (2007). Way down deep in the Deep Blue Sea. Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/Way-Down-Deep-Blue-Sea/dp/0689851103

Pfister, M. (2013). The rainbow fish. Amazon. https://www.amazon.com/Rainbow-Fish-Marcus-

Pfister/dp/1558580093

Pin on MV projects. Pinterest. (2023, September 17).

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/310959549288111225/

Pinterest. (2022, May 30). https://www.pinterest.com/pin/1055599904017218/

Pinterest. (n.d.). https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?

rs=ac&len=2&q=underwater+crafts+for+kids&eq=underwater+crafts&etslf=10103
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SAS. (n.d.). https://www.pdesas.org/Page/Viewer/ViewPage/11

YouTube. (2013, November 22). The little mermaid - under the sea (from the little mermaid)

(official video). YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GC_mV1IpjWA

YouTube. (2016, June 17). Baby Shark Dance | pinkfong songs for children. YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqZsoesa55w

YouTube. (2023, May 22). Sharks in the water! 🦈 | danny go! . YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LX-phYsiMdg