Illustrator: Agi Palinay Editor: Mary Kaye Taggart Editorial Project Manager: Karen J. Goldfluss, M.S. Ed. More Thematic Learning Centers Editor in Chief: Sharon Coan, M.S. Ed. Art Director: Elayne Roberts Art Coordination Assistant: Cheri Macoubrie Wilson Cover Artist: Denise Bauer Product Manager: Phil Garcia Imaging: Ralph Olmedo, Jr. Publishers: Rachelle Cracchiolo, M.S. Ed. Mary Dupuy Smith, M.S. Ed. Author: Katherine Ruggieri, M. Ed. Teacher Created Materials, Inc. 6421 Industry Way Westminster, CA 92683 ISBN-1-57690-064-9 1998 Teacher Created Materials, Inc. Made in U.S.A. The classroom teacher may reproduce copies of materials in this book for classroom use only. The reproduction of any part for an entire school or school system is strictly prohibited. No part of this publication may be transmitted, stored, or recorded in any form without written permission from the publisher.
Table of Contents Introduction and Overview.................................... 5 Using the Book.............................................. 6 Learning Centers............................................ 8 Section One: People Overview of People Centers................................. 10 People Center Planner..................................... 12 Center #1: Activity A Transportation: Make It.................. 13 Center #1: Activity B Transportation: Design It................. 28 Center #1: Activity C Transportation: Recycle It................ 34 Center #2: Activity A Shelters: Practical...................... 35 Center #2: Activity B Shelters: Personal...................... 36 Center #3: Activity A Communication: Time Capsule............ 37 Center #3: Activity B Communication: Codes.................. 38 Center #3: Activity C Communication: Stamps................. 42 Center #4: Activity A Beauty: Step by Step.................... 43 Center #4: Activity B Beauty: Create It....................... 44 Center #5: Activity A Belonging: My Community............... 45 Center #5: Activity B Belonging: Me in My Community.......... 47 Daily Lesson Plan #1 Basic Needs.......................... 48 Daily Lesson Plan #2 Communication........................ 49 Daily Lesson Plan #3 Shelter.............................. 50 Overview of Bloom s Taxonomy............................. 51 Bloom s Taxonomy Knowledge............................ 52 Bloom s Taxonomy Comprehension......................... 53 Bloom s Taxonomy Application............................ 54 Bloom s Taxonomy Analysis............................... 55 Bloom s Taxonomy Synthesis.............................. 56 Bloom s Taxonomy Evaluation............................. 57 Problem Solving......................................... 58 Connections Activity People............................... 60 Student Direction Cards.................................... 61 #2064 More Thematic Learning Centers 2 Teacher Created Materials, Inc.
Table of Contents (cont.) Section Two: Environments Overview of Environments Centers........................... 65 Environments Center Planner................................ 67 Note to the Teacher....................................... 68 Daily Lesson Plan #1 Creating Environments.................. 69 Center #1: Activity A An Ocean of Whales.................... 74 Center #1: Activity B An Ocean Seen...................... 86 Center #2: Activity A Polar Legends......................... 91 Center #2: Activity B Igloos............................... 94 Center #2: Activity C Penguins, Penguins Everywhere........... 95 Center #3: Activity A Animals of the Rain Forest............... 98 Center #3: Activity B Colors of the Rain Forest............... 102 Center #3: Activity C In the Jungle......................... 105 Center #4: Activity A Sand Art............................ 116 Center #4: Activity B Wire Art............................ 117 Center #4: Activity C Desert Clay.......................... 118 Center #5: Activity A The U.S.A........................... 119 Center #5: Activity B Large City, Small City.................. 123 Center #5: Activity C City Search.......................... 125 Daily Lesson Plan #2 Layers of the Rain Forest............... 132 Daily Lesson Plan #3 Environment Fact Hunt................. 138 Overview of Bloom s Taxonomy............................ 152 Bloom s Taxonomy Knowledge............................ 153 Bloom s Taxonomy Comprehension........................ 154 Bloom s Taxonomy Application........................... 155 Bloom s Taxonomy Analysis.............................. 156 Bloom s Taxonomy Synthesis............................. 157 Bloom s Taxonomy Evaluation............................ 158 Problem Solving........................................ 159 Connections Activity Environments......................... 161 Student Directions Cards.................................. 162 Teacher Created Materials, Inc. 3 #2064 More Thematic Learning Centers
Table of Contents (cont.) Section Three: Communities Overview of Communities Centers........................... 167 Communities Center Planner............................... 168 Center #1: Activity A Making a Mexican Piñata............... 169 Center #1: Activity B Making an African Mask................ 171 Center #2: Activity A Totem Poles......................... 173 Center #2: Activity B Flags from Around the World............ 177 Center #3: Activity A Roman Art.......................... 180 Center #3: Activity B Egyptian Art......................... 181 Center #4: Activity A Foreign Word Dictionary................ 182 Center #4: Activity B Alpha, Beta.......................... 184 Center #5: Activity A Hands Around the World................ 187 Center #5: Activity B Information Plus...................... 189 Center #5: Activity C Recipes from Around the World.......... 190 Daily Lesson Plan #1 Maps............................... 191 Daily Lesson Plan #2 Facts............................... 192 Daily Lesson Plan #3 Books.............................. 194 Overview of Bloom s Taxonomy............................ 195 Bloom s Taxonomy Knowledge............................ 196 Bloom s Taxonomy Comprehension........................ 197 Bloom s Taxonomy Application........................... 198 Bloom s Taxonomy Analysis.............................. 199 Bloom s Taxonomy Synthesis............................. 200 Bloom s Taxonomy Evaluation............................ 201 Problem Solving........................................ 202 Connections Activity Communities......................... 204 Student Directions Cards.................................. 205 #2064 More Thematic Learning Centers 4 Teacher Created Materials, Inc.
Introduction and Overview More Thematic Learning Centers is a broad-based thematic curriculum for primary students. The concept of connections is explored through the topics People, Environments, and Communities. The objectives of this book are as follows: to create a broad-based understanding of connections through specific topics to provide a framework for exploring personal and communal connections to increase awareness of interrelationships among people, environments, and communities both individually and communally to provide an opportunity for topic-specific creation and exploration to introduce and provide practice for information gathering and reporting skills Each topic is further defined by a statement identified as the focus topic. Each topic is presented through five classroom learning centers. Many of the learning centers present more than one activity. The teacher may choose to present just one activity for each learning center or may include more than one, depending on students ability levels. Focus Topic: People Have Basic Needs People This topic introduces students to several basic human needs and discusses the importance of each one. In the learning centers, the students have the opportunity to explore each need from a hands-on perspective. Focus Topic: Environments Create Communities Environments Building on the students experiences of working in learning centers, this topic provides an opportunity for the students to be involved in the creation of the learning centers. Students work together to create five environmental communities. Students then work in the learning centers to complete activities relevant to each environmental community. Focus Topic: Communities Have Different Cultures Communities By using a global perspective, this topic examines communities and cultures. These cultures from around the world are explored in a variety of ways in the learning centers. Teacher Created Materials, Inc. 5 #2064 More Thematic Learning Centers
Using the Book Each of the three section topics is presented through an overview page, a center planning page, center descriptions, support materials, daily lesson plans, Bloom s Taxonomy activity cards, problem solving activity sheets, a connections activity sheet, and student direction cards. Center Overview Pages and Center Planners: These pages are designed to give the teacher a complete picture of the learning center activities offered in each section. This allows the teacher to determine the difficulty and direction of the activities. The planning grid can be copied and used to record information that will be helpful in preparation, scheduling, and assessment. The teacher can use this page when deciding which activity will go in which center. The space after the center number can be used to write the name of the center in which the activity will be done. Center Descriptions and Support Materials: Each center description includes the objectives, materials list, activity description, teacher tips, extension ideas, and a statement for the student directions card. This information is designed to guide the teacher in preparing materials, introducing the center activity, and monitoring student work. The center activities (as explained in the center descriptions) are designed for two purposes: 1. to provide the teacher with introductory activities to be used with the whole class and 2. to describe activities to be done by individual students in the learning center. Support materials are provided for the centers when necessary. These support materials are copy ready. Also, copy-ready student directions cards can be found at the end of each section. Daily Lesson Plans: The daily lesson plans are designed to supplement each topic. The lessons can be done at any time during the topic presentation. Daily lesson plans are designed to be presented as whole-class activities. Each daily lesson plan contains its own objectives to help the teacher relate it to the focus topic. Bloom s Taxonomy Activities: These activities provide an opportunity to introduce your students to Benjamin Bloom and his levels of thinking. Bloom s Taxonomy describes six levels of thinking, beginning with Knowledge and concluding with Evaluation. The thinking levels may be described simplistically as shown below: Knowledge what is learned Comprehension what is understood Application the use of acquired and understood information Analysis examination of information Synthesis reaction based on learning Evaluation the judging and reviewing of information #2064 More Thematic Learning Centers 6 Teacher Created Materials, Inc.
Using the Book (cont.) Bloom s Taxonomy Activities (cont.): Activities covering all of the thinking levels are provided for all three of the focus topics. Each taxonomy activity is written in a shape representing the focus topic. The Taxonomy shapes are designed to be copied onto construction paper (or cardstock), cut out, and laminated. The activities can then be posted in the centers for your students to use, or they may be used as seatwork by individual students. Problem Solving Activities: Problem solving activities are presented in each focus topic. These pages provide an opportunity for the students to take their knowledge of the focus topic and apply it to reallife situations. The activities can be done as a class, in small groups, or individually. Connections Activities: These activities are designed to be culminating activities for the focus topics. There are many ways the teacher can utilize them. They can be used to assess student understanding of the focus topic, explore and debate issues, or increase flexible thinking in relation to the topics. Vocabulary for the activities can be teacher-generated, or the class can decide on the vocabulary. These pages are designed to encourage students to explore and expand their concepts of connections. Students can work with one focus topic or encompass all three of the focus topics presented in the book. Student Directions Cards: The final pages of each section are filled with directions cards for the students. There is one card for every center activity described. Reproduce and cut out the cards. Glue them to large index cards or other heavy paper. You may wish to laminate the cards for durability. Place them in the appropriate centers. The cards will explain each center assignment to your students. Scheduling the Units: There are a couple of options for scheduling the units into your school year. Be sure to consider other curriculum commitments, district programs, and testing schedules as you plan. This book is divided into three topics, each designed to take from five to eight weeks to present. The following are suggested time lines for completing the three sections of this book. Fall Start Winter Start October, November People Have Basic Needs December, January People Have Basic Needs December, January Environments Create Communities February, March Communities Have Different Cultures February, March Environments Create Communities April, May Communities Have Different Cultures This book can be used with the original Thematic Learning Centers to create an entire year s thematic curriculum. Teacher Created Materials, Inc. 7 #2064 More Thematic Learning Centers
Center #1: Activity A Mexican Piñata Directions 1. Blow up a small balloon and tie it. 2. Select a tissue paper strip. 6. Pop the balloon with a sharpened pencil and carefully remove it. 3. Moisten your hands with the glue mixture and then rub it onto the balloon. Place the tissue paper strip on the balloon over the glue mixture. Moisten the strip with more of the glue mixture, if necessary. 7. Fill your piñata with small candies or toys through the opening where the balloon knot once was. 4. Continue this process until the balloon is completely covered with tissue paper and glue mixture. However, do not cover the balloon knot with paper. 5. Let your piñata dry. 8. Use tape or glue to attach a string for hanging your piñata. #2064 More Thematic Learning Centers 170 Teacher Created Materials, Inc.
Bloom s Taxonomy Comprehension Make a chart which shows five customs (or traditions) and the countries where they began. Comprehension Affective: Volunteer Teacher Directions: Copy this page onto construction paper or cardstock. Cut out and laminate the shape. This activity can be posted in a center for student use or used as seatwork by individual students. Teacher Created Materials, Inc. 197 #2064 More Thematic Learning Centers