Thematic Unit Description Paper Jordan Jarecke

Course-Section

I. Unit Context

1. Write a description of the unit theme detailing what the students will be learning.

Students will learn how to use the computer by searching the web and the different
searching engines then taking what they see and duplicating it into a picture. The students
will also learn how to communicate in groups with the other students to come up with
different ideas and collect them and present in class. They will be learning about their
environment and how to take what they see and draw it in a map form and be able to
communicate what they drew in front of the class.

2. What is the target subject area/class?

The target subject area for this class is first grade social studies, but we will also
be learning about the environment so this will cover science as well.

3. How does this unit fit into the whole learning experience of the students?
During this unit the students will be learning lessons that they will use for the
reminder of their schooling careers. The students will be making a fire escape map for
their home and this will very beneficial to the safety of their families as well. The skills
they will learn though the searching of the Internet will carry with them for the rest of
their lives in their everyday life. Along with the other skills they will be presenting in
front of the class the work they made and explaining it as well as talking amongst their
fellow students about different ideas, which will help them with their communication and
brainstorming skills. The last is their memory skills will come into the lesson with the
pictures that they have to draw will be about their environment and house, which they
will have to recall from memory.

4. What is the setting or situation? Describe the classroom as you see it. Include information
on what computers and other equipment are available to the students.

For the unit the setting we will have is access to the media center of the school we have
computers available for every student to use during our assigned computer time, which is two
days a week. For the presentations that the teacher will use a smart board and an ELMO so all of
the students will be able to see what is being shown from the website
.

II. Audience

1. General characteristics: Describe the learners, including the size of the group, their age,
interests, experiences, and aptitudes.

The classroom has 25 first grade students. Their ages are 9 students six years old and 16
students are seven years old.
 All of the students are very active learners they learn best with hands on settings they
love it when they can present their work in front of the class and share their work with
home. I have a very multicultural room, 6 African American, 8 White, 5 Asian and 6
Latino. 4 students are ADHD and 3 are considered gifted. They all own a computer at
home.

2. Entry competencies: What specific knowledge and assumptions can you make about
them? Remember to describe their computer competence.
All of my students are at the appropriate reading level and can comprehend what is read to them.
They are all familiar with computers and how to use the Internet and know how to get onto a
computer and search the web. My students are not aware how to use the ELMO but are in the
process of learning. They know how to use rulers and write their names.

III. State Objectives

1. State Goal
The first grade students will be discovering how to use the search engines to research the trees,
fire safety and their environment setting. They will be able to make maps and using their maps in
fire safety. The students will also be practicing their presenting skills.
2. State Objective 1
(C) Using googlemaps.com, colors and paper (a) first grade students (b) will draw a picture
of their environment (d) telling one similarity and one difference between their picture and
the picture on googlemaps.com in two days.
3. State Objective 2
(c) Using a paper, pencils and ruler (a) first grade students (b) will draw a picture of their
house and their fire escape plan (d) with completion on three days.
4. State Objective 3
(a) First grade students (b) will draw a picture of their favorite tree (c) using
googleimages.com, paper, colors and a pencil (d) and present their drawings in three
days.

IV. State Methods

Explain how the methods and media will be used to create the learning environment.

a. Method(s) for objective 1

For this objective we will be using Demonstration, cooperative learning and
discussion. I will have the students get into groups and discuss three examples of
what they see in their environment and we will use discussion in the class by
talking about what we see in our environment. I will then show the class on the
ELMO my picture of my house that I drew and the picture on googlemaps.com.
b. Method(s) for objective 2
For the second objective we will use Demonstration, presentation. On the ELMO
I will in front of them draw a map of our classroom and we will talk about how
we will get out in the case of a fire. They will then make a map of a floor of their
 home and how they will get out in the case of a fire. The students will then
present their drawings in front of the class.
c. Method(s) for objective 3
For the final objective we will use Demonstration, presentation, discussion and
cooperative learning. We will go on the Arbor Day website on the smart board
and play who wants to be a treellionare? quiz on the website. As a class we will
answer the questions. I will then show them a picture of my favorite tree and have
them draw their own. At the end of the unit the class will present their favorite
trees to the class.
googleimages.com
googlemaps.com
http://www.arborday.org/kids/carly/index.cfm
http://www.firesafety.gov/kids/flash.shtm