Thematic Learning

Definition

Thematic instruction is the organization of a curriculum around "themes." Thematic instruction integrates basic disciplines like reading, writing, math, and science with the exploration of a broad subject such as communities, rain forests, river basins, the use of energy, etc.

Basic Elements

Thematic instruction is based on the idea that people acquire knowledge best when learning in the context of a coherent "whole," and when they can connect what they're learning to the real world. Thematic instruction seeks to put the teaching of cognitive skills such as reading, mathematics, science, and writing in the context of a real-world subject that is both specific enough to be practical, and broad enough to allow creative exploration.

Thematic instruction usually occurs within an entire grade level of students. Teachers in the various disciplines in that particular grade work together as a team to design curriculum, instruction methods, and assessment around a pre-selected theme.

Typical steps include:

Thematic instruction can be a powerful tool for reintegrating the curriculum and eliminating the isolated, reductionist nature of teaching that is centered around disciplines rather than experience. It requires a lot of hard, initial design work, plus, a substantial restructuring of teacher relationships and class schedules.

Recommended Reading: (Online only)

Theme Pages: thematic units and lesson plans, resource pages, book activities, books, and professional resources organized by theme.

The Teachers' Corner: additional thematic units and lesson plans.

BBC Online: excellent thematic units and connections to other online resources.

Can Teach: an excellent guide not just to thematic units but also to skill-building for students.

Assignment 1: Generating Themes

Assignment 1: Generating Themes

HOW TO GET TO ASSIGNMENT 1:

One Way

Click on the link in color at the top of this page. When it appears, press "Save" and name the file so that you can work on this assignment "off-line." You can type right on the assignment template. Be sure to save your assignment on a disk or on your computer hard drive.

Another Way

Copy the text below, and save it to your disk or computer.

GOAL: To generate useable themes for your classroom and to engage your students in the planning process.

GIVE: Feedback to others on their assignments at the TWB Learning Cafe.

Assignment 1: Generating Themes

The Role of Archetypes

What is an archetype?

An archetype is a mythic figure or image (either real, imagined, or historic) that can serve as a guide for students in their learning; in this way it is similar to thematic-based learning. For example, a teacher might introduce to the students the life and work of Leonardo Da Vinci, a fifteenth-century Italian scientist, inventor, and artist. The teacher might share the fact that Da Vinci wrote in notebooks, and that these notebooks were a place for him to record his observations such as the movement of water or the flight of birds. Da Vinci's notebooks became a place where he could think about questions like: how does a bird's wing help a bird to fly? In addition, when he pondered a question or idea, Da Vinci rarely looked at it from a single perspective. In his notebooks, you see sketches of the same flower or a bird's wing drawn from several different points of view.

Da Vinci was an observer. Da Vinci was a recorder. Da Vinci asked questions. Da Vinci was curious. Da Vinci was multi-dimensional learner in looking at things from several points of view.

Whether you are teaching science, math, art, language, or any other subject a teacher can always refer to the qualities that Da Vinci embodied as a way of guiding students in their studies.

An image works just as well. For example, a teacher might use the image of a tree as the guiding idea or theme - with its transportation system within for making and carrying food; for the physical structure of its roots, trunk, branches and leaves; as well as for the interdependent, living ecological systems it supports and sustains.

A teacher can decide who or what will be the guiding mythic figure or image in advance or during the course of study as it arises naturally in working with the students.

TALK AT THE TWB LEARNING CAFE:

What mythic figure or image (either real, imagined, or historic) might serve as a guide for your students in their learning? Read what others have said. Add your thoughts. Join your global colleagues in conversation at the TWB Learning Cafe.

Introduction to Cooperative Learning

What is it?

Cooperative Learning is an instructional technique that uses positive interdependence between learners in order for learning to occur.

Overview

Research shows that both competitive and cooperative interactions are a healthy part of a child's repertoire of behavior. By second grade, however, urban children have effectively extinguished their cooperative behavior and persist in competition, even when it's counterproductive. By deliberately developing cooperative techniques, educators aim to correct the unconscious societal and educational bias that favors competition.

Patterns for student interaction are called "structures." Together, teachers and students develop a repertoire of these structures. When the teacher announces that the class will use a particular exercise to explore today's lesson topic, students know what type of interaction to expect. For example, when the teacher says the class will use the "Think-Pair-Share" exercise to study African wildlife, students know they will work independently to write down their thoughts on elephants or lions, then find a partner, share their ideas with their partner, and probe each other for complete understanding.

It is up to the instructor to integrate the interactive exercises with the specific lesson content. The teacher must give careful thought to who should collaborate with whom and why; how to manage the classroom while unleashing cooperative activity; and how to balance the attention to both content and cooperative skill-building.

Features of Cooperative Learning

Cooperative Learning is most successful when the following elements are in place:

Distribution of Leadership: All students can be leaders. They can also surprise you with their ability to rise to the occasion.

Creation of Heterogeneous Groups: You can either randomly place students in groups counting off by 1s, 2s, 3s, 4s, or 5s and putting all of the "1s" together, the "2s" in another group, and so on. Another way to do it is to review the learning styles and create groups that reflect different kinds of learning.

Positive Interdependence and Individual Accountability: Students need to depend upon each other and work cooperatively. They need to know their roles, what they are expected to achieve, how to value their piece of the puzzle, and how to demonstrate that it benefits the group. In this way, materials are shared; group members create one group-product group members are given common tasks; and roles are rotated amongst the members.

Social Skills: Discussion, observation, and understanding is key. From time to time, the atmosphere in the class must be such that time is set aside to examine what is going on; how people feel; what could be the best way of going about conducting the business of learning.

Empowering The Group : The teacher is not there to "rescue" students from problems or settle arguments. The teacher suggests solutions and promotes social skills by having the group itself come to a fair conclusion.

Cooperative Learning depends upon several variables:

How It Works

Steps:

Rules of Conduct

Assignment 2: Cooperative Learning Groups

Assignment 2: Cooperative Learning Groups

HOW TO GET TO ASSIGNMENT 2:

One Way

Click on the link in color at the top of this page. When it appears, press "Save" and name the file so that you can work on this assignment "off-line." You can type right on the assignment template. Be sure to save your assignment on a disk or on your computer hard drive.

Another Way

Copy the text below, and save it to your disk or computer.

GOAL: To put into practice a Cooperative Learning activity with your students, and to record what you noticed.

GIVE: Feedback to others on their assignments at the TWB Learning Cafe.

Assignment 2: Cooperative Learning Groups

Sharing

To further your understanding of Cooperative Learning, read the article below and share with your colleagues at the TWB Learning Cafe.

Required Reading :

What is the Collaborative Classroom?

PDF version below:

What is the Collaborative Classroom?

TALK AT THE TWB LEARNING CAFE:

What interesting things did you learn from the article or from actually doing the Cooperative Learning activity with your students? Read what others have said. Add your thoughts. Join your global colleagues in conversation at the TWB Learning Cafe.

Outcome-Based Learning

Definition

In Outcome-Based Learning, all school programs and instructional efforts are designed to have produced specific, lasting results in students by the time they leave school.

Basic Elements

The principles followed by Outcome-Based Learning practitioners include:

Under Outcome-Based Learning, curriculum design includes these steps:

Character Education

This curriculum method revolves around developing "good character" in students by practicing and teaching moral values and decision making.

Basic Elements

Character Education assumes that schools don't just have the responsibility to help students get "smart"; they also have the responsibility to cultivate basic moral values to guide their students in their behavior throughout life.

Character Education teaches students to understand, commit to, and act on shared ethical values - in other words, "know the good, desire the good, and do the good." Typical core values include: respect, responsibility, trustworthiness, fairness, caring, and community participation.

Schools committed to Character Education tend to:

The influence of Character Education is evident in the outcomes of many school districts emphasizing qualities such as "contributor to the community," and "ethical global citizen."

Assignment 3: Reflecting Upon Instructional Theories

Assignment 3: Reflecting Upon Instructional Theories

HOW TO GET TO ASSIGNMENT 3:

One Way

Click on the link in color at the top of this page. When it appears, press "Save" and name the file so that you can work on this assignment "off-line." You can type right on the assignment template. Be sure to save your assignment on a disk or on your computer hard drive.

Another Way

Copy the text below, and save it to your disk or computer.

GOAL: To deepen your understanding of instructional theories and to consider what works best for your classroom practice.

GIVE: Feedback to others on their assignments at the TWB Learning Cafe.

Assignment 3: Reflecting Upon Instructional Theories

You have been introduced to the following:

HOW TO GET TO THE NEXT MODULE:

Usually, you just click "Next" to go to the next page. When you finish a section, however, (as you're about to do when you finish reading these two paragraphs), you need to click on the "Outline" button, which is on the bottom, right-hand side of the page. Look underneath the blue bar and click on the word "Outline."

When you click on "Outline," a screen will come up that will show you the outline for Course 2. Look for the next section to read and click on the first topic in that next section. For example, when you get to the outline now, look under the next section called "Curriculum Theories" and look for the first topic in black lettering called "Overview." Click on "Overview."