Using Themes in ECE Classroom

Themes are a great way to interdisciplinary teach students about a subject that leads to deep understanding and conceptualization. The theme is used in Math, reading, writing, science, art, and even music. 

Let's take an Apple theme as an example, which is a very popular beginning of the year theme in early childhood classrooms. Within the Apple theme, students learn the science of an apple, the season in which they grow and are harvested, its shape, and many other inquisitive learning activities such as taste tests or whether an apple will sink or float when dropped in water. There are many books that can be read with an apple theme. Math activities can involve counting apples or sorting apples by their attributes. Each day students are able to associate the knowledge they are learning about apples across many subjects. The possibilities are endless. 

Sample lesson: 

Apple Counting

Objective: Students will be able to represent numbers 1-5 in a 5-frame using apples. Furthermore, students will be able to sort apples according to attributes of the apples. 

First teacher will read Ten Apples Up On Top during circle time

Next teacher will use an apples and have a group discussion about student’s observations with guided questions

-What is this? 

- What color is it?

-Where do apples come from? 

-What else do you notice about this apple? 

Send students to their table groups and each table has a large 5 frame and a basket of real apples of various sizes and colors. 5-frame with apples. 

Each table has a stack of number cards. Students take turns flipping the card and then using the apples to fill the 

Extended activity: have students sort apples in their table basket by color or by stem vs. no stem, etc. 

Another great theme to use in the ECE classroom is Colors. This is a great way to immerse students in the colorful world that surrounds them, and also is very easy to incorporate across many subjects. Students can do a discovery lesson by doing a color scavenger hunt, they can mix colors to make new colors, they can sort items by color. They can make and explore science by making their own playdough or doing a reaction experiment with baking soda, vinegar and food coloring. They can practice reading skills by doing code coloring sheets which gives them practice in reading color names. 

Sample Lesson: 

Class Scavenger Hunt

Pre lesson prep: Teacher places objects around the room that are different colors of the rainbow.

Objective: Students will work in groups to identify specific colors and sort objects by color. 

First, the teacher will read Bear Sees Color

Stopping on each page to let students observe and tell what they see

Next the students will be put into groups of 3 and each given a bucket or basket with a color on it. 

They will be given 5 minutes to search the classroom with their group for items that match their bucket color. 

Next the students will count how many items they found in the 5 minutes

Lastly they will share with the class what they found on their scavenger hunt.