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Thematic Unit Description Paper

Resources for Paper

  • Planning for Instruction web site from RWLDs
  • Systematic Instructional Design lecture presentation and handout (including five criteria for identifying a thematic unit of instruction)
  • Week 1 & 2 labs and lab outlines
  • Quiz 1 in eLearning Assessments
  • Template for your paper provided below

Assignment

Find Sample Thematic Units

Using the World Wide Web, locate at least two sample units of instruction. Refer to the five criteria provided in the lecture handout (Systematic Instructional Design) for clarification of what qualifies as a thematic unit (e.g., multiple lessons, goals & objectives, interdisciplinary, etc.). Locate at least two sample units from two different websites. Start your search for sample units using the links below. These sample units are not required to be an exact match to your thematic unit theme. Search for sample units that are related to the same general subject area (math, science, etc.) and grade level.

Print and submit at least the first page of each sample unit as part of this assignment. If necessary, print more than the first page to demonstrate that the resource is actually a thematic unit of instruction as opposed to an individual lesson, game, or activity. Sample units must be stapled to your thematic unit description before arriving for class on the due date. Each sample unit must include the URL (the specific WWW address).

Plan Your Own Thematic Unit

Create a hypothetical unit that can be taught in at least 3-4 class sessions. Select a topic that is general enough that you can find resources to use with it and is appropriate for the age group you are targeting. You will develop the unit for a class of your choice. This unit plan will be described in a paper (maximum 4 pages) comprised of three sections (outlined below) describing the unit context, audience (learners), and goals & objectives.

Before writing your unit description, use the following websites to find topics that are age-appropriate for your planned thematic unit of instruction. You'll need to cite the related discipline and grade level from one of these curriculum sites for each of the ABCD style objectives you compose for your paper. See the sample objective below for an example of how to cite this information.

Describe Your Thematic Unit in a Paper

Download the template, which includes the required structure and headings, to complete your thematic unit description paper. You must use this template, retaining all headings and numbers, to earn full credit for this assignment. Follow each question/prompt in the template with your own response. Do not delete the headings or numbers in each section.

Filename Format Download Directions
ThematicUnit.doc MS Word document Right-click (Win) or Control-click (Mac) and choose "Save Link As..." or similar option. Select a location to save the document on your computer.

Format and Content of the Paper (You must download & use the template file above)

I. Unit Context

  1. What is the unit theme?
  2. What is the intended grade level and what subject areas (plural) will be addressed?
  3. What major topics or concepts will be included in the content?
  4. What is the anticipated duration of the unit?
  5. How does this unit relate to the whole learning experience of students? (Relate this learning to some specific previous or future learning in the school curricula)
  6. What is the setting or situation? Describe the classroom or learning environment and what computers are available to students, including their location.

II. Audience

  1. General characteristics: Describe the learners in your classroom, including: (a) the size of the group; their (b) age in years; (c) interests; (d) experiences; (e) and aptitudes.
  2. Cultural Diversity: Describe the cultural diversity of students in the class (may include race, ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic status, language, or other characteristics as discussed in class).
  3. Special Needs: Identify the special needs of some individual students.
  4. Entry competencies: What specific knowledge or skills do you know or assume students will possess prior to the beginning of the unit? Describe both their content knowledge and specific computer competencies.

III. State Goals and Objectives

To plan a successful unit, it is necessary to identify clear learning outcomes for students. That is, teachers must clearly identify what students will be expected to know or be able to do as a result of the unit's learning activities. Clearly stated goals and objectives provide clear guidance that permits an orderly unit. Establish overall instructional goals for your learners. What do you want students to accomplish in terms of learned knowledge or skills by the end of the unit? Write each goal statement as a single sentence, and use it to plan your objectives. You must include at least one overall goal statement for your planned unit.

After consulting the Des Moines or Pella curriculum sites (see above) to identify age-appropriate outcomes for your thematic unit, write at least three (3) ABCD style performance objectives designed to meet your overall goals. Objectives describe an observable and measurable performance of the learner that will be assessed after instruction. Use the ABCD format when stating your objectives. Write the objectives in sentence form and correctly label each part (ABCD) with parenthesis as illustrated in the example below. Each statement should be a separate objective, not connected to or duplicating others. For each ABCD objective, cite the related discipline and grade level from the Des Moines or Pella Curriculum (for example, "Des Moines Elem Mathematics, Grade 2").

Sample objective from a second grade unit on calcium:
Given a worksheet with pictures of food items (C), second grade students (A) will circle foods that are a good source of calcium (B), with 90% accuracy (D). —DM Health: Grade 2

Note: Objectives don't necessarily have to be stated in ABCD order. The above example uses the CABD order. More information about writing well-stated objectives and the ABCD format can be found on the Planning for Instruction website. Refer also to the Helpful Hundred list of suggested performance terms.

Points: 100

INTASC Standards 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7

Point Structure:

Complete ID info on paper 2

All 3 sections of the paper identified by headings and follow number format

  • Unit Context
  • Audience
  • State Goal and Objectives
 6
Spelling and grammar 10
Printout of two different sample units (from two different websites) 20

Quality of information in: Unit Context

  • Identify theme of unit
  • Identify target class and multiple subject areas (interdisciplinary)
  • Describe what will be included in content
  • Identify the anticipated duration of unit
  • Relate to whole learning experience
  • Describe classroom, including computer availability and location
 20

Quality of information in: Audience

  • Describe general characteristics
  • Describe cultural diversity
  • Describe special needs
  • Identify entry competencies
 12

Quality of information in: State Goals and Objectives

  • At least one unit goal is stated
  • At least 3 ABCD style performance objectives stated in sentence form
  • Each part of objectives is labeled correctly using (A) (B) (C) (D)
  • Each objective is aligned by citing a related discipline and grade level from the DM or Pella Curriculum
 30

Special Notes:

  • Each page of sample units from the WWW must include a specific URL (specific Internet address printed on the first page).
  • Your paper must not exceed 4 pages. The thematic unit description should be word-processed, either single or double-spaced, and submitted in MS Word format (.doc or .docx file).
  • You must use the template file for this assignment. Retain the roman numerals and headings used in the template to identify the three main sections as well as the numbers identifying subsections. Follow each question/prompt in the template with your own response. Do not delete the headings or numbers in each section.
  • Print your assignment and attach the sample units with a staple before class. Submit these items at the beginning of class on the due date.
  • Also submit an electronic copy of this assignment (excluding the printed sample units). You will be guided through this process during lab on the due date.

 


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UNIPage updated: September 3, 2009
Ed Tech & Design Instructors, Dept. of Curriculum & Instruction, University of Northern Iowa