Learning Language Through Thematic Units
Teaching content to ESL student is essential as they acquire the target language. I have created and modified activities, where students are exposed to different academic subjects within a thematic unit. This thematic unit is on butterflies and has special emphasis on activities that promote the four literacy skills throught coopreative learning. It is important to select an essential question as a guide for your thematic unit because this question will challenge students to critically think how the unit relates to their experiences in the world.
This thematic unit is intended for first grade, but it can be modified for othergrade levels. This unit can be implemented in one or two weeks. These activities are aligned to the WIDA Standards for language and content as well as the Common Core State Standard.
Essential Question: How does changing and growing help us understand our world??
We Love Butterflies!
Introducting the Theme
Any thematic unit topic can be introduced by completing a K-W-L chart, web, engaging students in prediction questions, reading a poem, or singing a song related to the topic. This helps students build background knowledge before reading the story featured in the unit.
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Tell students that they will listen to a song titled
The Birth of a Butterfly.
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Explain to students the meaning of the word birth before signing the song.
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Ask the following questions to students about the song by modifying the question to their linguistic competency level.
Targeting Proficiency Levels: WIDA
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Beginning: Point to the title and have student repeat it after you.
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Intermediate: What do you think the song will be about?
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Advanced: How does the title of a song give you clues about what the song will be about?
Choosing a Reading Selection for the thematic Unit
Choose a book that complements the theme being studied. For this thematic unit I chose I'm a Caterpillar by Jean Marzollo. Make sure to select a target compehension or story element skill to go along with the reading selection.
Reading Comprehension Skill: Sequencing
Introduce the reading comprehension skill before reading the text. For this story, I selected to focus on sequencing. The Birth of a Butterfly song can be used to introduce the students to sequencing.
Teaching Guide:
Lets Talk about what happens in the song.
What happened first?
What happened next?
What happened last?
Tell students that they were retelling what happened in the song in the order of occurrence and this is also called sequencing the events.
Tell Students that when you sequence you are putting something in order from first to last.
Explain to students that sequencing is important because it make the story easier to understand.
Discuss sequence words with students: first, next, last, then, before, and after.
Vocabulary Instruction
Vocabulary instruction is very important! For this unit, I suggest selecting 5-6 high frequency words part of the Dolch word list for first grade that are also found in the reading selection. Introduce these words by making flashcards that include the word, a visual representaiton of the word, and a sentence.
Next, introduce Tier 3 vocabulary, which are context-specific words featured in the reading selection. These words can be introduced by giving the students an image representing the word and a sentence. Another good idea would be to use realia, which are tangible representation of the words. For example, if students are being introduced to the word apple instead of showing them a picture of an apple, the teacher can provide them with a real apple. Students can use their sense by feeling the skin of the apple, smelling it, and even tasting it. Vocabulary words can also be "act out" by given studens an opportunity to use words in context through role-play.
Use a graphic organizer to provide students with an illustration of the sequence of events in the poem.
High-Frequency Words
Tier 2 and 3 Words Found in the
Reading Selection
Strategies for Reading the story
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After students have an understanding of the vocabulary in the text, read the story to the students.
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Before reading the story, teachers can take a picture walk throught the book and ask prediction questions.
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During reading the teacher can pause to ask questions that check for reading comprehension.
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After reading the story, the teacher can ask students to provide key details from the reading selection, and review the target comprehension skill.
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Students can engage in choral reading.
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Think-Pair-Share: students can work in pairs to engage in conversation about what they like and dislike about the reading selection.
Modifying Questions for students at different levels of language competency
Example Questions from I'm a Caterpillar:
Beginning Level: (respond using phrases and simple sentences)
What animal is on the leaf called?
What do you think she is looking for?
What color are the flowers?
Intermediate Level: (respond with a complete sentence)
What do you think the caterpillar is looking for?
What color is the caterpillar?
What two words rhyme?
What do you think the caterpillar is doing when it says munch and crunch?
Advanced Level: (incorporate details from the reading selection to support your response)
What two words rhyme?
How do you know these two words rhyme?
What do you think the words munch and crunch mean in the story?
Why is the caterpillar done eating?
Reading Comprehension Activities
Comprehension Skill: Sequencing
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Have students sequence the events in the story using a graphic organizer.
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Before beginning this activity engage the class in an oral discussion about the events in the story.
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Encourage students to go back to the story to recall the sequence of events.
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Review transition words.
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Have students write a sentence and draw a picture describing each event.
Comprehension Skill: Questions
Tell students that they will answer comprehension questions about the story. Read the questions to them and make sure that students know what they are expected to do. Have beginning level students answer questions by writing words and simple phrases. Intermediate and advanced student have to answer questions in a complete sentence and support their answers with details from the story.
Content Centers Activities
Content centers provide cross-curriculum activities for each topic. I have included five content centers, which are math, science, technology literacy, social studies, and art. The goal of these centers is to relate the unit topic to different content areas. Content centers engage students in cooperative learning, which help students develop skills in oral communication and social skills. For content centers, students are divided in small groups and each group rotates and visits a different center everyday. By the end of the unit students have completed all of the activities in the five content centers.
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Students will create “mathapillars”. Have students select one of the following math topics: addition, subtraction, or patterns.
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Set up math center with all the materials needed for this activity: cut out construction paper circles, glue, scissors, counters, and markers.
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Provide students with a work sample. Students will work in small group while completing this activity.
"Mathapillars"
Building Background Before Center Activity:
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Watch a video of the life cycle of a frog.
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Engage students in a discussion about the stages of the life cycle of a frog.
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Write the stages on the board and draw a picture for each stage.
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In the science center students will work in pairs to draw and label the stages of the life cycle of a frog.
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Have intermediate and advanced students label the stages using complete sentences.
Extension Activity for Science Center
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As a whole class discuss the stages of a butterfly’s and a frog’s life cycle.
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Tell students that you are going to be using a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the life cycle of a butterfly and a frog.
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Explain to students that when you compare you are looking for things that are alike and when you contrast you a looking for things that are different.
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Have students work in small group to complete the Venn diagram.
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Have students create the life cycle of a butterfly using pasta. Supply the art center with pasta, paper plates, glue, and markers.
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Tell students to divide the paper plates in quarters.
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Have students label each quarter of the plate with a stage of the life cycle of a butterfly.
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Have students draw a background for each stage and then glue the pasta that represents each stage.
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Provide students with a list of websites that incorporate intreactive activities where they can learn more about butterflies and practice their technological skills.
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Have students liten to audio books online about butterflies and have then draw their favorite part using Kid Pix or any other drawing program.
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For intermidate and advanced students encourage them to write a few sentences to describe their illustration.
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Have students create a T-chart labeled then and now.
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Students will recall things they used to do when they were babies and toddlers and things that they are able to do at their current age.
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Provide students with a word bank and verb flash cards to aid them in completing this activity.
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Modifications: Beginner students can write words and phrases. Intermediate students can write complete sentences and advanced students write complete sentences with details.
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Students will use this activity to complete their home base project.
This is one of my favorite activities because it allows students to connect what they are learning in the classroom to their personal experiences. In this unit they learn about how butterflies grow and change and this activity allows them to examine how they have also grown and changed.
More Activities...
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Have students work with their family to create a Venn diagram to compare and contrast what they looked like and what they did when they were babies and what they look like now and are able to do at their current age.
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Students will also list things that remain the same despite them growing up.
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This Venn diagram will be accompanied by a collage of photographs showcasing things students did when they were babies and things that they do now.
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If students don’t have baby pictures have them illustrate some pictures.
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Students will use their Venn diagram to write simple sentences. Provide student with sentence starters such as:
1. When I was a baby…
2. Now I can…
Oral Presentation: Have students present photographs and Venn diagram to the class.
Modifications: Intermediate and advanced
students can write complete sentences with details.
Stock up your classroom library with books about the topic/theme being studied. Provide both fiction and non-fiction text to expose students to different literature genres and their characteristics.
For more interactive SMARTboard lessons on butterflies please click the SMARTboard file icon.
Digital Instructional Activities
Click on the word WebQuest to access this technological infused activity.
In this WebQuest, ESL students will work in small groups to become butterfly specialists. Each group is responsible for researching a different butterfly species. Students will use the web to research important facts about their butterfly species. After the research is concluded, they will synthesize and showcase their findings in a book. This book will also include images of their butterfly species that were found using the web. To conclude this quest, each group will present their book to the class.
Digital Story
This digital story lesson plan is aligned to a WebQuest called Butterflies Around the World (see above). The goal of this lesson is to have students work in small groups to become butterfly specialists. Each group is responsible for researching a different butterfly species. Students will use the web to research important facts about their butterfly species. After the research is concluded, they will synthesize and showcase their findings in a digital book. Below you will find attachments of the lesson plan, directions for students, book template/ storyboard, an example of a completed storyboard, and an example of a digital story.