Thematic Unit

Tyler Shorter
Thematic Unit
Ivy Tech Community College

Thematic Unit
InTASC Standard, Description and Rationale
Standard #7: Planning for Instruction
The teacher plans instruction that supports every student in meeting
rigorous learning goals by drawing upon knowledge of content areas,
curriculum, cross-disciplinary skills, and pedagogy, as well as
knowledge of learners and the community context.
Name of Artifact: Thematic Unit
Date September 4, 2016
Course: EDUC 255: Multicultural Teaching
Brief Description:
In this assignment I created a thematic unit plan for high school
students based off the childrens book The Little Engine That Could. I
created content appropriate activities for each section. I included the
Indiana Academic Standards that go along as well.
Rationale:
To document my understanding of standard #7, Planning for
Instruction; I selected to include my thematic unit plan. I choose
particular points of interest in the reading selection that I believe best
convey the basis of standard #7 while also applying in accordance with
Indiana Academic Standards.

Thematic Unit

Social Studies
Research then write an
essay over the effect the
railroad system had the
development of
westernization in the 19th
century.

Entertainment
Create a survey that asks
whether commuters would
rather travel by train,
plain, car or boat; then
present results to the class
in a detailed graph. (type
of graph optional)

Theme: Trains

Science
Calculate the
efficiency difference
in steam vs. diesel
powered trains and
explain your results.

The Little Engine That

Could
By Mabel C. Bragg
Platt and Munk
1930

Music
Decipher a variety of
different train horns to
see of the pitch
remains the same
through each type of
train.

Language
Arts/Reading
Research how many
novels through the
last century and a
half have involved
trains.

Mathematics
Calculate the time in
which a train will reach
the station traveling at
240mph leaving from
St. Louis at 3:30pm set
to arrive 700 miles west
in Denver.

Thematic Unit
Indiana Academic Standards
English/ Language Arts
READING: Foundations
3.RF.1 - Apply foundational reading skills to build reading fluency and
comprehension
3.RL.2.1 - Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of
a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
Mathematics
COMPUTATION
3.C.1: Add and subtract whole numbers fluently within 1000.
3.C.4: Interpret whole-number quotients of whole numbers (e.g., interpret 56 8 as the
number
of objects in each share when 56 objects are partitioned equally into 8 shares, or as a
number of
shares when 56 objects are partitioned into equal shares of 8 objects each).
Art
Standard 6
Develop a range of subject matter, symbols, and ideas for artwork and
utilize skills of critique,
reflection, and revision
3.6.3: Demonstrate ability to successfully generate a variety of
symbols, then select and refine a
symbol that communicates the idea.
Standard 8

Thematic Unit
Experience the integrative nature of visual arts, other arts disciplines,
and disciplines outside the
arts, and understand the arts as a critical component of learning and
comprehension in all subject areas
Students compare concepts and ideas in visual art and other
disciplines, and they create artwork
using content and sign systems from other subject areas.
3.8.2: Create artwork utilizing concepts, subject matter, or the sign systems
of other disciplines.

Science
3.2.5: Describe natural materials and give examples of how they sustain the lives of
plants and animals
Social Studies
Standard 3
Geography
3.3.8: Identify the major climate regions of the United States and
explain their characteristics
3.3.9: Describe how climate and the physical characteristics of a
region affect the vegetation and animal life living there. Example:
Growing seasons, types of crops grown, and animal hibernation and
migration
Music
Standard 1
3.1.1: Sing a cappella song with attention to pitch, diction tone and
posture.
3.1.5: Follow the cues of a conductor.

Thematic Unit