Ocean Unit Curriculum Map
My curriculum map is designed to fit my dream school. This school would be located in Nayarit, Mexico near the town of Sayulita. The learners at this school would be pre-school or K1 students aged 3-4. The students' primary language would be Spanish with little or no English education or exposure. This thematic unit would be best after about a month of school so I scheduled it for August when Mexican students would have had a month of introductory learning in this bilingual environment. In the first month, students would learn the alphabet and some numbers so this unit aims to build upon those pre-existing skills.
Using my own teaching experiences in ESL and Montessori, I thought about a couple of different frameworks when creating this curriculum. Taking inspiration from the C6 BIliteracy framework, I wanted to ensure that the curriculum gave an opportunity for students to share their own cultural experiences so each week contains cultural learning objectives. I found it difficult to incorporate all aspects of C6 but another element I really wanted to focus on was creating equality between languages and cultures so every day includes both English and Spanish taught content. I also wanted to allot time to specifically share in cultural experiences, and connect classroom content to the real world. This is the goal for the ‘Community Connections’ part of the curriculum. This curriculum actively addresses the Create, Connect, Collaborate, Communicate, Consider and Commit C’s of the framework that I believe are reasonable expectations of kindergarteners.
I also wanted to incorporate the freedom of self-driven education that Montessori systems offer. To accommodate this, I have factored in time for ‘Interdisciplinary Centers’ which would act as self-discovery time for further exploration of the unit theme. Similar to Montessori, students would have a choice of what activities to interact with. All activities would be centered around the theme to create a holistic thematic environment that sparks curiosity and passion. For a full-day kindergarten, I also included music and movement classes. For these sections, I took a lot of inspiration from the Waldorf educational system. In this curriculum, the Waldorf approaches include the incorporation of natural materials, different music styles, musical creation, and experimentation as well as creative and interpretive movement.
Finally, I wanted to ensure that this curriculum would be applicable to real life. Mexican preschool and kindergarten standards are vague and nonspecific but I made sure to align this curriculum with the expectations of the Mexican Secretary of Education. This curriculum is also compatible with Nebraska and Arizona early childhood standards.
Week 1 Weekly Objectives
SWBAT:
English:
Produce and identify ocean animals vocabulary
Dolphin, fish, octopus, whale, shark, turtle, coral
Produce letter names and sounds for letters D, F, O (Language Domain: Speaking, Pre-reading)
Trace letters d, f, o (Writing)
Identify ocean animals using initial sounds of letters D, F, O (Pre-reading, listening)
Identify ocean animals using a full sentence using structure 'I see a…' or 'it's a…' (Speaking)
⭐ Technology: Boom Cards, Alphablocks
BoomCards- Interactive flashcards that can be used as a class or individually created by and organized by the teacher. This could allow for the incorporation of technology in class and can cater to both English and Spanish learning. Can help support visual and auditory learners in a different way.
Alphablocks- introduces students to letters names and sounds as well as basic phonics patterns such as CVCs and consonant-vowel blends in a cute and engaging way. Students can begin to spell and sound out words along with the show.
Spanish:
Use Spanish in subject material
Science:
Instruction in Spanish
Identify what animals live in the ocean or on land
Categorize animals by habitat
Identify shared features of ocean animals
⭐ Technology: Video by National Geographic Kids
National Geographic Kids has videos catering to all ages and is a good introduction to a real scientific resource. These can bring in different media to the classroom.
Math:
Instruction in Spanish
Count numbers 1-10
Count Ocean animals in a visual puzzle
Categorize animals in groups and count how many in each
⭐ Technology: Interactive Whiteboard images and pen tool
Interactive whiteboard can help deliver class content and can be made interactive even for young students.
Music:
Instruction in Spanish
Sing a song about a shark
Use sticks and shells to tap a simple beat
⭐ Technology: YouTube Kids to show simple song
YouTube serves to add video and musical engagement to the class. Students can follow along with the video and learn the song in an engaging way.
Movement:
Instruction in Spanish
Run through an “Under the Sea” themed obstacle course
Pantomime swimming and jumping
Community Connections
Instruction in Spanish
Look at a map and identify oceans
Determine if our community is near an ocean.
⭐ Technology: Google Earth, interact to see where we are and where oceans are
Google Earth is a real scientific tool that can help students connect concepts with the real world around us.
Interdisciplinary centers:
Individual exploration
Instruction in both English and Spanish
⭐ Technology: iPad center can use Boom Cards or NearPod games
iPad centers can incorporate multiple medias and tools that can support learners at their own pace and serve as a resource students can use to further explore their interests using activities set up by the teacher.
Art:
Instruction in Spanish
Create a fish using recycled materials
Week 2
SWBAT:
English:
Subject Instruction in English
Spanish:
Producir e identificar vocabulario de animales oceánicos (Speaking)
Delfin, pez, pulpo, ballena, tiburón, tortuga, coral
Producir nombres y sonidos de las letras D, P, B (Pre-reading, Speaking)
Rastrear las letras d, p, b (Writing)
Identificar animales oceánicos usando sonidos iniciales de D,P, B (Pre-reading, Speaking)
Identificar animales oceánicos usando oraciones completas usando la estructura: ‘Puedo ver un/a…’ o ‘Es un/a…’ (Speaking, Listening)
⭐ Tecnología: Boom Cards y NearPod
BoomCards- Interactive flashcards that can be used as a class or individually created by and organized by the teacher. This could allow for the incorporation of technology in class and can cater to both English and Spanish learning. Can help support visual and auditory learners in a different way.
NearPod- Interactive platform where students can participate in digital activities organized and set up by the teacher
Science:
Instruction in English
Identify ocean animals’ diets
Match food to animal
Make hypotheses whether an animal lives in the ocean or on land
⭐ Technology: BrainPop Jr.- video
BrainPop- BrainPop offers a lot of platforms catering to different ages. For this age group, we would use BrainPop Jr. which uses simple vocabulary in its videos and associated activities. Each video is accompanied by a set of related activities that can be used to support further learning.
Math:
Instruction in English
Identify shapes
Circle, square, diamond, triangle, oval, rectangle
Match shapes to animals
Identify and create shapes in animals using play-doh
⭐ Technology: ABCya.com and ABCMouse.com- number sense
These websites contain a variety of age-appropriate games that can work on specific skills such as completing patterns and identifying shapes and counting. This is a way to apply classroom learning on a digital stage.
Music:
Instruction in English
Listen to whale song, try to recreate using simple instruments
Use voices, sticks, shells, sand to create an ocean soundscape
⭐ Technology: YouTube Kids- Listen to whale sounds
YouTube-YouTube serves to add video and musical engagement to the class. Students can follow along with the video and learn the song in an engaging way.
Movement:
Instruction in English
Play “Feed the turtle” Game
Dance to PinkFong’s ‘Baby Shark’
⭐ Technology: YouTube Kids- Baby Shark with actions
YouTube serves to add video and musical engagement to the class. Students can follow along with the video and learn the song in an engaging way.
Community Connections:
Instruction in English and Spanish
Draw and share what animals students have seen in the ocean
Take a learning adventure to the ocean. Think about 5 senses, storyboard class beach experience
⭐ Technology: Organize class 5 senses ideas and memories in a shared graphic organizer
Interactive whiteboard can help deliver class content and can be made interactive even for young students.
Interdisciplinary Centers:
Individual exploration
Instruction in English and Spanish
⭐ Technology: iPad center can use Boom Cards or NearPod games
iPad centers can incorporate multiple medias and tools that can support learners at their own pace and serve as a resource students can use to further explore their interests using activities set up by the teacher.
Art:
Instruction in English
Create a mosaic of a turtle using material found at the beach
Week 3
SWBAT:
English:
Produce colors, adjectives, and verbs (Speaking)
Red, orange, yellow, green blue, purple, black, white, pink
Big, small, fast, slow
Swim, jump
Describe abilities and appearances of ocean animals (Speaking)
Ask and answer questions ‘What can it do?’ ‘What color does it look like?’ (Speaking and Listening)
Produce name and sound of letters W, S, T, C (Speaking, Pre-reading)
Trace letters W, S, T, C (Writing)
⭐ Technology: PowerPoint game to find and describe ocean animals
PowerPoint can be used to create engaging games that can focus on specific classes’ needs and interests.
Spanish:
Receive subject instruction in Spanish
Science:
Instruction in Spanish
Identify three ocean zones- sunlight zone, twilight zone, the midnight zone
Identify which zones ocean animals live in
Create sensory bottles to reflect ocean zones and animals
⭐ Technology: National Geographic Kids
National Geographic Kids has videos catering to all ages and is a good introduction to a real scientific resource. These can bring in different media to the classroom.
Math:
Instruction in Spanish
Sort shark teeth by size, incorporate English class vocabulary
Categorize shells by size and color
Categorize beach objects in categories of their own, explain the rationale for categories
⭐ Technology: Toy Theater- categories and shapes
Toy Theater- Focus on building math skills like sorting objects into categories and geometry sense, further reinforcing class material.
Music:
Instruction in Spanish
Use shells and sticks to create a class song
Practice blowing and playing conch shells
Movement:
Instruction in Spanish
Create a dance imitating ocean animals
Work in teams to create frozen ocean scenes
Community Connections:
Instruction in Spanish
Discuss experiences at the beach and ocean
Brainstorm ideas on how to help our oceans
Interdisciplinary Centers
Individual exploration
Instruction in English and Spanish
⭐ Technology: iPad center can use Boom Cards or NearPod games
iPad centers can incorporate multiple medias and tools that can support learners at their own pace and serve as a resource students can use to further explore their interests using activities set up by the teacher.
Art:
Instruction In Spanish
Create a sensory bottle reflecting an ocean zone
Week 4
SWBAT:
English:
Receive subject instruction in English and Spanish
Ask and answer target sentences, ‘What can you see?’, ‘What is it?’, ‘What can it do?’, ‘What color is it?’, ‘What does it look like?’, ‘What animal do you like?’ (Listening, Speaking)
Read and follow along with a book (Listening, Pre-reading)
⭐ Technology: Epic.com
Epic.com- Allows teachers to assign or select specific books for their classes. Books can be read aloud and corresponding words light up so it is easier for young learners to follow along with the story.
Spanish:
Producir colores, adjetivos y verbos (Speaking)
Rojo, anaranjado, amarillo, verde, azul, morado, negro, blanco, rosa
Grande, pequeno,rápido, lento
Nadar, brincar
Describir habilidades y apariencia de animales oceanicos (Speaking)
Preguntar y responder preguntas, ‘Que puedes ver?’ ‘Que es?’, Que puede hacer?’ ‘Que color es?’ ‘Como se ve?’ ‘Que animal te gusta?’ (Listening, Speaking)
Producir nombres y sonidos de letras B, T, C (Speaking, Pre-reading)
Rastrear letras B, T, C (Writing)
⭐ Technology: PowerPoint game to find and describe ocean animals
PowerPoint can be used to create engaging games that can focus on specific class’ needs and interests.
Science:
Learn about two types of water fresh and salt, brainstorm examples of both
Experiment about buoyancy comparing salt and freshwater
Compare fish from fresh and saltwater contexts, notice color differences between fresh and saltwater fish
⭐ Technology: Google Earth, interact to identify saltwater and freshwater bodies
Google Earth is a real scientific tool that can help students connect concepts with the real world around us.
Math:
Review shapes in English and Spanish, identify shapes in nature
Use a tangram puzzle to recreate ocean animals, review ocean animals in English and Spanish
Create an ocean scene using shapes
Music:
Create simple instruments using found and recycled materials
Practice class song for the end of unit performance
Movement
Practice ocean scenes and dances for end of unit performance
End of unit performance- music and movement
Community Connections
Create a poster about ocean conservation in our community
Go on a virtual field trip to an aquarium and apply unit knowledge
⭐ Technology: Aquarium Virtual field trip Monterey Bay Aquarium
The Virtual Field Trip allows students to apply classroom content to the real world. This also provides students with the opportunity to visit a world-famous aquarium without needing money or travel. This could be the first time students have seen an aquarium as there are no aquarium establishments in the area.
Interdisciplinary Centers:
Individual exploration
Complete end of unit assessment
Art:
Instruction in English and Spanish
Create a diorama of an ocean scene and give a short presentation on their piece.
Assessment
Part 1: Language
Students can interview one of their classmates asking target questions. Can use flashcards for visual support
Teacher will ask the student target questions. The Teacher can show flashcards to serve as a visual aid
Students can give a short presentation on an animal to demonstrate their knowledge
Part 2: Math and Science
Students can create a tangram shape of an animal and identify shapes
Students can categorize shells, teeth and beach objects into categories, count the objects and explain the reasoning for categories
Students can match ocean animals to food and ocean zone
Part 3: Music and Movement
Participate in the End of Unit performance
Interdisciplinary Centers:
Practice writing letters using a Gel board
Create a gel board by filling a gallon-sized bag with blue gel to resemble the blue water of the ocean. Tape the bag onto a board or large piece of cardboard to provide structure. Students can use alphabet flashcards for guidance and use their fingers to trace the letters in the gel.
Skills- writing, pre-reading, multisensory
Match shapes to ocean animals
Use a laminated sheet with images of ocean animals with shapes missing from them. Use velcro on the sheet and on the missing shape pieces. Students can identify missing shapes and complete images.
Skills- Math, shape theory, geometry sense
Practice tracing letters using dry erase cards showing ocean-themed vocabulary
Create whiteboard cards by laminating Ocean vocabulary word cards. Cards should include images and traceable lettering.
Skills- writing, pre-reading
Uppercase/Lowercase ocean animal puzzles
Puzzle pieces will be two parts of an animal with both uppercase and lowercase letters. Students can match uppercase to lowercase and the image will serve as a visual support and self-correction tool
Skills- language development
Pearl-Clam color matching
On a mat, students will match colored pompoms (pearls) to the same colored clam image.
Skills- Color matching
Ocean I Spy sensory bottles
Using ocean-themed sensory bottles, students will look for a list of objects.
Skills- Multisensory, awareness
Categorize ocean objects
Students will categorize beach objects by size, shape, color, or other criteria of their own.
Skills- Math sense, categorization, multisensory, natural connection
Ocean Animal Counting trays
Use a muffin tin to create compartments. Use magnetic numbers and place one number magnet into each muffin cup. Students will place the appropriate amount of ocean items in each cup.
Skills- Number sense, counting, natural connection
Cutting practice
Place strips of paper with different patterns onto a Jellyfish body. Students will use scissors to cut along the pattern lines giving the jellyfish tentacles.
Skills- Fine motor
3 part tiles
Students will match an animal to habitat and food using 3 part tiles
Skills- scientific inquiry
Sensory Box
In a high-sided tray, have the students touch and interact with aquarium gravel, marbles, plastic ocean animals.
Skills- multisensory
iPad Stations
Students can use iPads to practice vocabulary on BoomCards or NearPod
Students can use Epic.com to interactively read thematic books chosen by the teacher
Students can watch and follow along with a book reading on Vooks.com
Students can complete preloaded activities on SeeSaw
Students can sort animals into zones using PowerPoint interactive game
Teacher will need to help set up iPad activities for students
Book Station
Students can read a thematic book from the bookshelf
Rainbow Fish, I See Ocean Animals, Coral Reefs, Little Fishy
Morning Meetings:
The morning meeting is a good opportunity to engage students at the beginning of the day. During this time, the teacher can focus on growing students’ social and emotional skills and awareness. This space allows for sharing of experiences as well as a review of past taught content and a preview of the day’s scheduled objectives. Some activities that can be included in this time include counting, finding patterns, discussing the calendar, date, and weather, and practicing language objectives. This time can also be used to read books that further expand on the theme and environment of the class.
References
Anonymous. (2021). Jardín de NIÑOS. http://www.ugm.edu.mx/basico/index.php/niveles/preescolar
Anonymous. (2021). Early learning guidelines: Nebraska's birth to five learning and development standards. Early Learning Guidelines: Nebraska's Birth to Five Learning and Development Standards – Nebraska Department of Education. https://www.education.ne.gov/oec/early-learning-guidelines/
Huppenthal, J., Johnson, J., & Hrabluk, K. (2013). Arizona early learning standards. azed.gov. Arizona Department of Education. https://www.azed.gov/sites/default/files/2016/12/arizona-early-learning-standards-3rd-edition1.pdf?id=585c4b55aadebe14288f2532
Montessori.edu. (2021). MONTESSORI, the official INTERNATIONAL Montessori site for theory and teacher training COURSES information. MONTESSORI, The Official International Montessori Site for theory and teacher training courses information. http://montessori.edu/
NearPod. (2020). You'll wonder how you taught without it. Nearpod. https://nearpod.com/
Waldorf Education. (2021). Waldorf education - Association of Waldorf schools of North America. Waldorf Education - Association of Waldorf Schools of North America. https://www.waldorfeducation.org/waldorf-education