Grade: Elementary
Subject: 4 Blocks

#1323. Friday Content Area Themed Lesson Strategy

4 Blocks, level: Elementary
Posted Mon Sep 27 18:08:10 PDT 1999 by Lisa C (hanl@bellatlantic.net).
New Life Academy, Roanoke VA,
Concepts Taught: Content Areas such as Science, Soc.Stu

One wonderful method I have found for getting kids motivated for Sci and SS is to plan a theme day
around a Sci or SS subject is this: For example. On Monday my kids get a special Unknown Vocab. word called "Word of Week:
and it always revolves around the Friday theme. If the theme was the human body specifically the skeletal system I might give them the
word, "patella" (knee cap) and their job is find out what the word means by Friday and do
a project to display the meaning. A great way to involve parents! When Friday comes
I plan a whole day around the theme of bones. We read in book centers, we journal what
we know and make charts, we do read alouds and hands on projects to learn specific
skills about our bones. Kids get to share their Word of Week projects and you would not
believe what they bring in. Fabulous stuff!!!I always end with a video on the topic and I have even been
known to bring in "a cow heart" when we studied our heart! The kids just love it
and they learn so much and they really look forward to Fridays! Try it, it is a great way to
teach fun theme centered ideas around those science/ss basil skills you are required to teach!