Thematic+Instruction

Thematic Instruction

Under the Sea **Overview of Topic:** This thematic unit allows ESL students to explore various aspects of underwater life while focusing on literacy skills and language acquisition. **Thematic Unit:** Under the Sea: A study of Sea Animals **Lesson Topic:** Sea Animals **Content Areas:** Reading, Language Arts, Math, Science **Grade Level:** 1st Grade **Language Proficiency Levels:** Beginner, Intermediate, and Early Advanced

**Unit Goals:** The students will gain knowledge and vocabulary about underwater animals, while practicing the use of academic vocabulary, oral and written communication, and comprehension.

TESOL Standards:
 * Standard 1 - English language learners communicate for social, intercultural, and instructional purposes within the school setting.
 * Standard 2 - English language learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the area of language arts.
 * Standard 3 ** - ** English language learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the area of mathematics.
 * Standard 4 - English language learners communicate information, ideas, and concepts necessary for academic success in the area of science.

Tennessee Standards for ELL:
 * R.1-2.6 Use pre-reading and reading strategies such as accessing prior knowledge, predicting, previewing, using graphic organizers and setting a purpose.
 * L.1-2.8 Understand content specific vocabulary and discourse features of the content area.
 * W.1-2.2 Write to convey ideas or stories using pictures, marks, letters, words and simple sentences.
 * S.1-2.4 Tell, summarize and/or retell ideas and/or stories.

Unit Objectives: After participating in several class discussions, literature connections, and lessons on sea animals, the students will:
 * 1) Identify and discuss vocabulary related to the unit
 * 2) Sequence story events from the book //The Fidgety Fish// by Ruth Galloway
 * 3) Work together to complete a brainstorm web about sea animals
 * 4) Complete a cloze writing activity
 * 5) Compare a whale’s body to their own bodies
 * 6) Create a class graph of everyone’s favorite sea animals
 * 7) Participate in choral reading/partner reading/listening center reading of appropriate leveled books on sea animals

Language Learning Materials:
 * 1) Picture vocabulary cards
 * 2) Sequencing cards
 * 3) Student brainstorming webs
 * 4) Cloze writing sheets
 * 5) Whale/human labeling cards and picture
 * 6) Books on tape and tape player

Other Materials: Literature: Galloway, R. (2001). //Fidgety fish//. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc. Gibbons, G. (1992). //Whales//. Pine Plains, NY: Holiday House. Carle, E. (1987). //A house for hermit crab////. Picture Book Studio//. Lionni, L. (1968). //Swimmy//. New York, NY: Scholastic Inc. Raffi,. (1987). //Down by the bay: raffi songs to read//. New York, NY: Crown Publishers. Pfister, M. (1992). //The rainbow fish//. New York, NY: North-South Books. Instructional Procedures:


 * Introduce unit by reading //Fidgety Fish// by Ruth Galloway and discuss vocabulary.
 * Have the students work in partner groups to sequence the story events.
 * Lead the students in completing the sea animal brainstorm web.
 * Set up reading centers with leveled readers on topic, listening center books and tapes, and topic related computer activities.
 * Read aloud //Whales// by Gail Gibbons.
 * Discuss facts about whales and assist the students in labeling the whale and human body pages.
 * Lead the class in making a class graph of our favorite sea animals.
 * Closure – Review information and allow students to share their cloze writing.

Assessment
 * 1) Informal – mini lesson – sequence activity
 * 2) Formal- student partner rubric – sequence activity
 * 3) Informal – observation – group and independent work/participation
 * 4) Formal – cloze activity – animal writing
 * 5) Informal – shared reading/writing
 * 6) Formal – whale lesson - body labeling activity

Dolphin ||  Seal  ||

Humpback Whale ||

Orca Whale ||
 * [[image:sea_an.png width="166" height="123" align="center"]]

Sea Anemone ||

Sea Urchin ||

Shark ||

Octopus ||

Fish ||

Sing Ray ||

Hammerhead Shark ||

Sea Lion ||

Starfish ||

Jellyfish ||

Eel ||

Lobster ||
 * [[image:sea_horse.png width="89" height="147" align="center"]]

Seahorse ||

Squid ||

Crab ||

Sea turtle || __ Fidgety Fish __ by Ruth Galloway Sequencing
 * = Tiddler got swallowed by the big fish.  ||
 * = Tiddler went home to sleep.  ||
 * = Tiddler when swimming in the sea.  ||
 * = The big fish burped.  ||

Your Name:  __Partner’s Name:__ How Did We Do?
 * 1) Did we stay on task during work time? J K L
 * 2) Did we work well together? J K L
 * 3) Did we use our soft voices? J K L
 * 4) Did we take turns and work together? J K L
 * 5) Did we follow our classroom rules? J K L
 * 6) When the teacher reread the story, did we get most of the answers correct? J K L
 * 7) Did we correct our mistakes? J K L

How Did I Do?
 * 1) Did I do my best work? J K L
 * 2) Was I kind to my partner? J K L
 * 3) Was my partner kind to me? J K L
 * 4) Did I like this activity? J K L





What do you see? Written by: Illustrated by: What do you see down in the sea? I see a(n) What else do you see down in the sea? I see a(n) ___ and he’s looking at me!

My Body




 * head ||  leg  ||  hand  ||  stomach  ||  arm  ||
 * mouth ||  foot  ||  ear  ||  nose  ||  eye  ||

A Whale’s Body

Elizabeth Nix  Glengarry Elementary School   sarah.nix@mnps.org
 * = head ||= tail ||= blow hole ||
 * = stomach ||= flipper ||= eye ||