Unit Overview
During this week the kindergarten class will look at the concept of change. They will focus on what change is, how we see change throughout the year, and what big life events bring about change and why. The class will explore how they have changed since they were little, and how people change as they grow older. They will also learn about the different seasons, and different weather patterns that are typical of that season. The class will also explore how life events bring change such as a new sibling, or moving homes. Each lesson is integrated in English Language Arts, and the majority also have the arts, and technology components, along with a social studies standard. Students look at the history strand while exploring change. They also learn about geography and environmental literacy when looking at how people adapt and dress to weather patterns. They also touch on culture when looking at how different families change. This unit introduces the concept of change and how it can be seen in everyday life.
Unit Reflection
After working extensively on this unit, I have learned many things that will help me to be a successful educator. One of my challenges in writing a unit for Kindergarten students was all the additional things that need to be taught in addition to the content. Kindergarten students at this time of year are still getting used to school. Going to school is probably one of the first big changes in a child’s life. This meant that my teaching had to be explicit. I had to tell my students exactly what I meant and assume that they had little to know background knowledge of what I was teaching. This was both a challenge and a learning experience.
I also realized I needed to continue to improve upon their school success skills. My article was focused on a learning program that aimed to teach school success skills at a kindergarten level in order to improve their education in the long run (Bringman, Webb, 2003). While this research focused on one program in particular, it named several things that kindergarten aged students need in their instruction. These skills were, attending, listening, working cooperatively with others and following directions (Bringman, Webb, 2003). These seem very simple, however can go a long way when implemented in a school classroom in an appropriate way. I attempted to reinforce all of these skills in my lessons and in my teaching.
I wanted my students to work in cooperative groups to learn to work together (“Cooperative learning strategies”). Some students who are only children have never worked in a group before going to school. I thought it important to be able to work together. In my classroom, when they are at their desks they are in groups of four. I frequently ask them to talk with their table group or ask their table group for help if they have questions during the lessons. I want them to learn how to do this.
The other skills I learned from this article remind me that in order for students to pay attention and enjoy the lessons, my lessons have to be engaging. This requires that I use my 21st century knowledge to teach lessons through literacy, technology, and the arts. In order to teach in the 21st century, we must be able to communicate our instruction through more than one media. Whether that means reading a book aloud, showing a video or having them work on a craft that demonstrates what you are trying to teach, it is important that we work to do all of those things. Students learn in many different ways so it is important to teach to all of those learning styles. This caused me to use a lot of visual art, a few different videos, a lot of read alouds, and even interactive SMART Notebook lessons. This way, I could reach all of my students in their learning style and adhere to the 21st century skills that I always need to make sure I am using. Without them, the students would only be learning at the “knowledge” level of Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy and not learning to apply their knowledge and create new products (Overbaugh & Schultz).21st century skills are vital to our teaching. I am happy to have had this unit to not only remind me of this, but to make me implement them in ways I didn’t think possible.
Standards Addressed
Social Studies:
K.H.1.1. Explain how people change over time (self and others).
K.H.1.2. Explain how seasons change over time.
K.H.1.3. Explain the impact of how life events bring change ( a new sibling, moving to a new house, a new job, a new school, etc.).
K.G.2.1. Explain how people adapt to weather conditions.
K.C.1.1. Explain similarities in self and others
English Language Arts:
RL.K.1. With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
RL.K.3. With prompting and support, identify characters, settings, and major events in a story.
SL.K.2. Confirm understanding of a text read aloud or information presented orally or through another media by asking and answering questions about key details and requesting clarification if something is not understood.
W.K.2. Use a combination of drawing, dictating, and writing to compose informative/explanatory texts in which they name what they are writing about and supply some information about the topic.
RI.K.1. With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.
L.K.1. Demonstrate command of the convention of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
Art, Music, Theater:
K.V.1.2. Create original art that expresses ideas about oneself.
K.V.3.1. Use a variety of tools safely and appropriately to create art
K.C.1.1. Use non-verbal expression to communicate movement elements
Technology:
K.TT.1.1. Use a variety of technology tools to gather data and information (eg. Web-based resources, e-books, online communication tools, etc.).
Technology Used within Lessons
Lesson 3:
In this lesson, a glogster was used to help students understand the different seasons. The students were given iPads to use in groups. There were four groups and each group was assigned a different season. As they went through the glogster, they watched two videos, and looked at the text and pictures to learn about the season they were assigned. The glogster was interactive and the students loved it!
Lesson 4:
In this lesson, the students will play an online spot the differences game to show changes between two pictures. The students will take turns coming up to the SMART board and playing the game. This will get students involved in the lesson and also familiarize them with the concept of the spot the differences game.
Lesson 5:
In this lesson, the teacher would have previously gotten baby pictures from the parents of each child. The teacher will put the pictures into a SMART Notebook and will create a timeline with the students. A birthday chart will be put next to the board, and the teacher and the students will work together to move the pictures and names of the students into the correct order. This will allow students to engage with the SMART Notebook and will introduce the concept of chronological order.