A Kindergarten Unit
By: Katherine Shepherd
Introduction
My unit is a thematic unit for Kindergarten about what we can discover under the sea. The unit consists of an introduction activity, six lessons, and a closing day center celebration. Since the unit is for a kindergarten class, I will be teaching each lesson twice, once for the morning class and once for the afternoon. My unit allows the students to explore the topics of sand, various ocean animals, five frames, comparing length, and taking care of ocean environments. Some of the subject areas incorporated are English language arts, math, science, health, and arts education.
Growing up in Saskatchewan the ocean is not an immediate part of our daily life, and I think this is what makes learning about the ocean so appealing. It allows you to learn about creatures you don’t see everyday and I think that novelty can be engaging all on its own. I wanted to bring this topic into the classroom in hopes of sparking the students’ sense of wonder and intrigue. I also felt that there are so many options when it comes to teaching about the ocean and that I could use the theme to teach many different subject areas.
Adaptive Dimension
Since I am teaching each lesson twice, once to the morning class and once to the afternoon, I am aware that I may need to make some changes to the lesson in order to best fit the learners. From what I have seen last semester, the morning class cannot be doing the same thing for too long or they get restless and lose interest, whereas the afternoon class seems to like the repetition and doing things over again. Also, in the afternoon class there are about six different cultures represented by the students, with some of the students being raised in a household that does not speak much English. I will definitely need to keep these students in mind, especially when I am giving directions as they can have a hard time understanding words like before, after, next, over and under.
Aboriginal and Cross-Cultural Content
After spending some time looking through the treaty kit in class, one concept that I felt really fit with my unit is the idea of respecting the earth and all its creatures. Since the ocean makes up a large part of the earth, it is important to respect it as well and all the creatures within it. While I am not devoting a lesson to this concept, I feel that it is one of the underlying themes for my unit. However, the concept does shine through the most clearly during my lesson on how to take care of the ocean. As for other cross-cultural content, in my introductory lesson I am using a globe to show that oceans are not something that are only found near Canada, but are found all over the world.
Technology-Enhanced Learning
Unfortunately, the use of computers in my classroom is limited due to the lack of accessibility. However, I have tried to bring in some technology in other forms. There are some books on tape that the students will have a chance to listen to and also a video included in one of my lessons. Also, the students get to experience using magnifying glasses, which is a different form of technology that the students don’t normally get a chance to experience.
Unit Content
Introductory Activity:
This lesson is to introduce my unit to the students and find out what they know about oceans already. My lesson consists of looking at a map or globe and discussing what the blue parts represent, learning the song “A Sailor Went to Sea, Sea, Sea,” and introducing our word ocean for the unit, to which we will add words to after every lesson.
Lesson #1 Sand:
This lesson is for the students to explore sand, a very important part of the ocean. I introduce the sand using their show and tell procedure. Then I have them look at the sand under a magnifying glass and drawing what they see, acting as scientists. While they are drawing their pictures, I will call one table at a time over to the sand table to feel and describe while they play in the sand.
Lesson #2 Somewhere in the Ocean:
For this lesson I have the students learning about different ocean animals through reading the story Somewhere in the Ocean by J. Ward and through acting out the actions described in the story. The students will then draw a picture about what they would do if they lived in the ocean and attempt to write a sentence about it.
Lesson #3 Ocean Animals:
This lesson is a continuation of learning about ocean animals, but this time the students will be learning about the size of the animals through string representations of the animals. We will then compare the lengths of the animals.
Lesson #4 Fish Five (and ten) Frames:
First we will sing the 5 Little Fishies song. Then we will do some figure recognition of up to ten objects together on the pocket board, then the students will do some individually with goldfish crackers.
Lesson #5 How to Take Care of Our Oceans:
I will read the poem “The Sea’s in a Slump” to the students. We will brainstorm ways that we can help take care of the ocean, with me guiding when needed. The students will then each make a page describing one way we can take care of the ocean, then we will combine them all to make a how-to book.
Lesson #6 Rainbow Fish (if there’s time)
The students will watch the Rainbow Fish video, afterwards discussing what elements of friendship were shown in the video. They will then have a chance to make their own rainbow fish using various colors of scales they want along with aluminum foil.
Last Day Centers:
Marissa and I will have a variety of centers, reflecting on the past lessons, along with some games and puzzles for the students to experience or revisit.
Curriculum Connections
Introductory Lesson:
This lesson introduces the students to the concept that there are other environments besides the one we live in, which ties into the social studies curriculum for kindergarten. Through the singing of the song the students are also beginning to develop an awareness of rhythm, pitch, and dynamics in music, which ties into the arts education curriculum.
Lesson #1 Sand:
This lesson incorporates the concept of change and the skills of observing, describing, and using a magnifying glass, which are all part of the science curriculum for kindergarten. Also, in having the students draw the sand they are becoming aware of details of the physical appearance of objects, which ties into the visual arts strand of the kindergarten arts education curriculum.
Lesson #2 Somewhere in the Ocean:
This lesson incorporates several parts of the English language arts curriculum including listening through the story being read to them, speaking through them recall details from the text and from their own experiences, viewing through discussing the illustrations, and representing through sharing their ideas with dramatizations. Also, as the students are acting out the animals from the story they are demonstrating a willingness to explore a variety of strategies within dramatic play, which is part of the drama strand of the kindergarten arts education curriculum.
Lesson #3 Ocean Animals:
This lesson incorporates using direct comparison to compare two objects based on a length, which is from the math curriculum. It also involves learning about various organisms and observing and describing, which are part of the science curriculum.
Lesson #4 Fish Five (and ten) Frames:
This is mainly a math lesson that incorporates recognizing at a glance and naming familiar arrangements of 1 to 10 objects and relating a numeral, 0 to 10, to its respective quantity. Through the singing of the song the students are also beginning to develop an awareness of rhythm, pitch, and dynamics in music, which ties into the arts education curriculum.
Lesson #5 How To Take Care of Our Oceans:
This lesson incorporates valuing natural environments, which is part of the science curriculum. It also incorporates environmental health, which is part of the health curriculum. Also, since the students are creating a book, they are learning book handling skills, communicating through their drawings, distinguishing print from illustrations, and recognizing that print and pictures are related, which are all part of the English language arts curriculum.
Lesson #6 Rainbow Fish (if there’s time)
In this lesson the students are participating in shared viewing experiences, listening to a variety of stories, and following simple directions, which are all part of the English language arts curriculum. They are also becoming aware of details of the physical appearance of fish and developing coordination and skills using simple visual art tools and materials, both of which are part of the visual art strand of the arts education curriculum.
Last Day Learning Centers:
These centers include a variety of activities that relate to the ELA, math, science, and health curricula.
Objectives
Math objectives:
NK.2: Recognize, at a glance, and name familiar arrangements of 1 to 5 objects, dots or pictures.
NK.3: Relate a numeral, 0 to 10, to its respective quantity.
SSK.1: Use direct comparison to compare two objects based on a single attribute.
English Language Arts objectives:
Listening:
-listening to a variety of stories
-following simple directions
Speaking:
-recall details from the text or from their own experiences
Viewing:
-discuss illustrations
-participate in shared viewing experiences
Reading:
-demonstrating reading-like behaviors and book handling skills
Representing:
- sharing their ideas through dramatizations
Science objectives:
B1 – change: that rocks break down over time to make sand
B4 – organisms: learning about the different animals found in the ocean
C3 – observing and describing: describing what they see when they look at the sand, seeing the representations of the animals and commenting on their length
E1 – using magnifying instruments: using small magnifying glasses to look at the sand
F4 – valuing natural environments: in this case the ocean
Health:
Environmental health: it is important to take care of our communities, including the ocean
Arts Education:
Music
- develop an awareness of rhythm, pitch, and dynamics in music
Drama
- demonstrate a willingness to explore a variety of strategies within dramatic play
Visual Art
- become aware of details of the physical appearance of objects and animals
- develop coordination and skills using simple visual art tools and materials
Social Studies:
- exploring other environments besides the one we live in
Introducing Under the Sea
Name: Katherine Shepherd Date: March 2, 2009
Subject: Grade: K
Lesson #1 Sand
Name: Katherine Shepherd Date: March 3-4, 2009
Subject: Science Grade: K
Lesson #2 Somewhere in the Ocean
Name: Katherine Shepherd Date: March 5 & 9, 2009
Subject: ELA Grade: K
Lesson #3 Ocean Animals
Name: Katherine Shepherd Date: March 10-11, 2009
Subject: Math and Science Grade: K
Lesson #4 Fish Five (and Ten) Frames
Name: Katherine Shepherd Date: March 12-13, 2009
Subject: Math Grade: K
Lesson #5 How To Take Care of Our Oceans
Name: Katherine Shepherd Date: March 16-17, 2009
Subject: Science and Health Grade: K
Lesson #6 Rainbow Fish (if there’s time)
Name: Katherine Shepherd Date: March 18?
Subject: ELA Grade: K
k-teach.com/t.asp?b=m&t=k-teach.com/books/rainbowfish/btemplate.gif
Last Day Centers
Name: Katherine Shepherd Date: March 19, 2009
Subject: several Grade: K
Last Day Centers
My Centers:
Listening Station: Tape player with copy of Somewhere in the Ocean on tape, as well as copies of the book (up to six)
Learning Objectives: ELA- listening to the story
String Animal Representations: the students have another chance to take out the string animals from lesson three
Learning objectives: Math: SSK.1 Use direct comparison to compare two objects
based on a single attribute (length in this lesson)
Science: B4 - organism: learning about the different animals found in the ocean
C3 - observing and describing: seeing the representations of the animals and commenting on their length
Sand Station: the sand table will be open for the students to play in with small shells for them to dig up. The magnifying glasses will also be there for them to use.
Learning objectives: Science: C3 - observing and describing: describing what they see when they look at the sand
E1 - using magnifying instruments: using small magnifying glasses to look at the sand
Library: there will be an assortment of books for the students to read and look at, including the how-to books they created in lesson five
Learning objectives: ELA: Reading: demonstrating reading-like behaviours and book handling skills. Viewing: discuss pictures and illustrations.
Also puzzles, file folder games, painting, chalk art on blue construction paper, the discovery center we have set up with magnifying glasses, and being able to fish for words in the word ocean.
Songs found in the Unit
Five Little Fishies
Lyrics from: rythingpreschool.com/lessonplans/seaanimals/songs/song3.htm
Five little fishes in the sea
teasing Mr. sharky
you can't catch me
you can't catch me
Well along came Mr. sharky (softly) as quiet as can be
He snapped! a fish up
right out of the sea.
(repeat with four, three, two)
One little fishy in the sea
teasing Mr. sharky
you can't catch me
you can't catch me
Well along came Mr. sharky (softly) as quiet as can be
He snapped! that fish up
right out of the sea
Now Mr. sharky is lonely can't you see.
A Sailor Went to Sea, Sea, Sea
(lyrics as I remember them from my childhood)
A sailor went to sea, sea, sea
To see what he could see, see, see
But all that he could see, see, see
Was the bottom of the deep, blue sea, sea, sea
(every time see or sea is said, hold your hand to your forehead like the first part of a salute)
Introductory Lesson:
3. Instructions for Observer: Please take note of anytime when the students are showing signs of restlessness. Please also take note of whether or not I do anything to fix it and if I am successful in keeping the students engaged.
4. Data Collection:
a) Please write your observations of times when I have lost the interest of a significant amount of students:
b) Please write your observations of whether I acknowledged and took action to fix it when the students showed signs of restlessness:
c) Any additional comments (more space on the back):
Lesson 1 - Sand
3. Instructions for Observer:
Please take note of any times where I do not notice students being disruptive or behaving inappropriately. Please also take note of any times when a student needs help but I do not realize it.