EDU251 Thematic Unit Plan

Thematic Unit: Summer

Kennedi Stockey

School of Education, Geneva College

Edu 251 Integrating the Arts

EDU251 Thematic Unit Plan

Name: Kennedi Stockey

Date: September 12th, 2022

Unit Title (must include the topic): Summer

Grade Level: Kindergarten

1) Broad Unit Understandings/Goals:

 Students will understand that there are different types of summer treats/activities
 Students will understand that everyone had different ideas when it comes to summer
 Students will understand that they can learn different subjects based on a season

2) Unit Questions:
 What do I do when I don’t understand?
 Can you think of a summer treat you can eat everyday?
 What types of summer activities do I enjoy doing?

3) State/Common Core Standards (obtained from PDESAS):

a. AL.4 PK.B- Recognize that everyone makes mistakes and that using positive
coping skills can result in learning from the experience.
b. 1.2 PK.B- Answer questions about a text.
c. 1.2 PK.L- With prompting and support, actively engage in group reading
activities with purpose and understanding.
d. 1.4 PK.W With guidance and support, recall information from experiences
or books.
e. 2.1 PK.A.2- Count to tell the number of objects.
f. 3.2 PK.A.3- Notice change in matter.
g.
4) Learning Objectives:
 Students will be able to understand certain subjects by the topic of summer.
 Students will be able to identify words that relate to summer.
 Students will be able to explain how ice cream is made through science.
EDU251 Thematic Unit Plan

5) Description of Unit:
 The theme of my thematic unit is summer. Throughout this unit students will discuss
their favorite summer activities, treats, etc, comparing and contrasting their likes and
dislikes. They will be engaged within many activities within several subjects such as: art,
reading, music, drama, math, and science. Students will then be exposed to all six
subjects and make a connection with the topic of summer to all of these subjects. I feel
that students in kindergarten must have a topic of interest in order to keep them interested
and focused throughout the day for them to successfully learn.

6) Introduction
 Write an introduction page that explains why the topic is an important one for the grade
level and how play-based, experience-based, and project-based activities will support the
learning of the topic. Identify the topic and grade level (e.g. PK-1, 1-3rd, 2-4th, etc.).
 Include enough information about each activity/idea that you could write a lesson plan
from it and use the idea in your classroom one day.
 Cite all sources!

 The thematic unit I chose which is, summer, will help students at the grade level
kindergarten. The topic summer will help keep the students interested in the classroom
and keep them focused because it is a topic they are interested in. With an interesting
topic students will be learning more at a successful pace because of their interest in the
topic. It will give them a more in depth knowledge on each subject even when they don’t
realize they are learning something new.
Within this unit play-based, experience-based, and project-based activities will support
the students learning of summer. Project-based activities can be held such as the science
project to make ice cream. This is always an activity that all students love to do and they
never realize they are learning. Experience-based activities can also be helpful by asking
the students different questions on things they have experienced throughout the summer
and draw it through art. And lastly it is play-based where we could as a class do some of
the students favorite summer activities through P.E./Movement if the weather is
cooperative.
Now if I were to choose three of my subjects and write a lesson plan for each. Reading, I
would introduce my one book called “It Began with Lemonade”, by Gideon Sterer with
the knowledge that none of my students have any allergies. I would bring in lemonade
and read them the story outside if the weather is nice and let them drink lemonade while
we read the story. The next subject would be math and what I would do is use the topic of
counting the scoops on the ice cream cone. With this being said I can use this activity
with both addition and subtraction and have my students add one ice cream cone with
another or subtract and give the final number to help them with their addition and
subtraction. And the last subject I would choose would be P.E./Movement and take my
EDU251 Thematic Unit Plan

students outside on a nice day and have them walk the trail and have a fun day on the
playground. A pretty laid back day ending with the reward of ice cream.

7) Additional Standards and Assessment

 In addition, link 5 of the categories above to PA Academic or Early Academic
Standards and suggest an assessment idea for the activities related to the standards.
 Cite all sources!
 Games related to Summer
o A game that I think would be fun for my students to play is the matching card
game where you lay all cards face down and have to flip one up and find its
match. These cards would be summer based, but I feel this would be a fun
competitive activity for my students that will also help them with their
memorization skills. Students will be able to identifying each of their favorite
summer treats/activities throughout. After the game being played throughout the
week the students will have a paper quiz on identifying the summer treats that
were used within the game to test what they remember being on the cards.
 Field trips 6.3 PK.D- Identify products produced locally.
o A field trip that I think would be fun for my students is to take them to an ice
cream shop for them to show my students how they make their ice cream. Show
them the different kinds and how they prepare it for their customers. Giving them
an in depth tour of the ice cream shop, showing them where they store everything
and explaining what they do.

 Music - 9.1 PK.E- Use imagination and creativity to express self through music and
dance.

You are my sunshine

My only sunshine
You make me happy 
When skies are gray
You'll never know, dear
How much I love you
Please don't take 
My sunshine away

The other night, dear

As I lay sleeping
I dreamed I held you 
In my arms
When I awoke, dear
I was mistaken
So I hung my head and I cried

You are my sunshine

My only sunshine
You make me happy 
When skies are gray
EDU251 Thematic Unit Plan

You'll never know, dear

How much I love you
Please don't take 
My sunshine away
o This was a song I sang as a child with my family, so it would be so special for me to share this
song with my students.

 Children books related to summer 1.4 PK.D- With prompting and support, make logical connections
between drawing and dictation.
o “Is it warm enough for ice cream?” By DK
o This book is about seasons, where it goes through the seasons talking about different
activities you can do in each season and when they get to summer they answer the question of
yes it is warm enough to eat ice cream.

 Multicultural ideas related to summer 7.2 PK.A- Describe the characteristics of home and frequently
visited locations to gain an understanding of physical features.
o An idea that I found for kindergarten students to participate in is where as a teacher I can
bring in different types of summer treats from different countries and read a book on the
different cultures foods and have them try the foods as I read the book.

**Your final product should include:

 A title page (APA format)
 The completed thematic unit plan (above)
 The completed thematic graphic plan of subjects/ideas/projects (below)
 Reference page (APA format)
 Expectations
o Points will be deducted for ideas that are not plausible, fully explained, or
standards and assessments that are not reasonable.
o Points will be deducted for errors in mechanics, inconsistencies, omissions, lack
of neatness, and late work.
o Final product will be uploaded to eLearning.
EDU251 Thematic Unit Plan
Reading
Reading a book of seasons
and focusing on summer.
Read a book related to
summer activities/treats
Social Studies
Bring an ice cream shape
owner and have them speak
to the class
P.E./Movement
Walk at a walking trail and
reward with ice cream
Going outside and doing
different students favorite
summer activities.
Writing
Write a sentence on what
your favorite summer treat
is.
Practice writing letters that
correlate with what the
summer treat/activity starts
with
Theme
Summer
Art
Paint a picture of your
favorite summer treat
Color a picture of you with
an ice cream cone
Science
Make ice cream from a bag
with salt, ice, milk, and
sugar.
Math
Count the amount of
sprinkles on the ice cream
cone.
Count how many scoops of
ice cream are on the ice
cream cone
Music
Sing a song about
summertime
Sing songs about seasons
EDU251 Thematic Unit Plan

References

User, T. (2010, May 4). All around the seasons book by Barney Saltzberg. ThriftBooks.
Retrieved November 16, 2022, from https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/all-around-the-
seasons_barney-saltzberg/892700/item/2189598/?
gclid=Cj0KCQiAyMKbBhD1ARIsANs7rEHXZ-
Dk3uDTwB0jb9IeJhfmpJzcIbwZttwKOKhZVlI1Uer_ANYOWFkaAsZrEALw_wcB#idiq
=2189598&edition=5330453 

Sterer, G., & Cho, L. (2022). It began with Lemonade. Amazon. Retrieved November 16, 2022,
from https://www.amazon.com/Began-Lemonade-Gideon-Sterer/dp/0735228280/
ref=asc_df_0735228280/?tag=hyprod-
20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=495021564461&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=1449626378684
0249993&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=90
05825&hvtargid=pla-1198520909184&psc=1 

scishowkids. (2017, May 9). Make your own ice cream! - #sciencegoals. YouTube. Retrieved
November 16, 2022, from https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5ub_5_b6yOQ 

Kim. (2021, April 30). How to make ice cream in a bag. The Best Ideas for Kids. Retrieved
November 16, 2022, from https://www.thebestideasforkids.com/ice-cream-in-a-bag/ 

havefunteaching. (2015, May 18). Seasons song. YouTube. Retrieved November 16, 2022, from
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=8ZjpI6fgYSY