| Why Use Themed Lesson Plans? | | | | Sample Themes |
| Preschool themes are not essential for a successful | | | | Because preschoolers are interested in the world |
| preschool lesson, but they do help bring everything | | | | around them, good themes tie back into the things they |
| together and keep students engaged in learning. For | | | | see everyday. The following list is a good starting point |
| that reason, preschool themes are highly encouraged | | | | for preschool teachers needing the ease of flexibility |
| to help teachers save time and energy in their planning. | | | | and a way to tie everything together.o Automobileso |
| Preschool themes also help teachers show students | | | | World geographyo Mountains and volcanoeso In the |
| how different things can be interrelated. It allows them | | | | kitcheno Petso At the zooo Weathero Flowerso |
| to dig deeper into the theme and explore it from | | | | Vacationso Winter activitieso Holidayso Seasons |
| different angles. | | | | Daily vs. Long Term Themes |
| How to Use Themes | | | | Teachers who use preschool themes have a few |
| Once a teacher has chosen a theme, the next | | | | options when it comes to the length of the theme. |
| requirement is to determine how to fit a lesson into the | | | | They can either choose a theme for a day or one for |
| constraints of the theme. There should be several | | | | longer. Anything less than a day is not long enough for |
| components to a themed lesson. The first would be | | | | students to understand the connectedness of the |
| the main objectives, whether they are to teach | | | | activities. |
| geography or animals or new vocabulary. These | | | | If teachers want to expand preschool themes for a |
| objectives should tie back to the theme. For example, | | | | week or longer, they must choose a broad enough |
| if the theme is animals, the learning objective could be | | | | theme that all the days can tie together in some way. |
| to teach rainforest animals and the reason for their | | | | For example, if the theme is weather, Monday could |
| colors. | | | | be the basic elemental movements making up |
| Next, the lesson should have a physical activity to get | | | | weather, Tuesday natural disasters, Wednesday the |
| students moving around and involved. This activity | | | | water cycle, Thursday clouds, and Friday can tie it all |
| could be a song, dance, scavenger hunt, or | | | | together. |
| follow-the-leader game. Again, the activity should tie | | | | Final Thoughts on Preschool Themes |
| back to the theme and allow students to explore it | | | | Preschool themes can help teachers tie lessons |
| further. If the theme is animals, students could imitate | | | | together and explore ideas in a deeper way than they |
| animals and require students to guess the correct | | | | otherwise could with less time. Themes should be no |
| animal. | | | | shorter than one day, but can be much longer, such as |
| Finally, the lesson should include a craft project. This | | | | a week or even more. Themes should be broad |
| project should engage students creatively, encouraging | | | | enough that teachers can touch on many different |
| them to use art to express themselves and learn | | | | aspects, but should be focused enough that students |
| more about the theme. | | | | can see the connectedness of the ideas. |