28
Aug

Ireland Thematic Unit

Contributor :

Lynne Murtell

Action Plan

I plan to put together a photo collection to present the culture, geography, and highlights of Ireland to my students. During my trip, I will seek out children’s literature, music, and foods and talk to local people to gain firsthand knowledge of their lifestyles, stories and traditions.

Pre-Departure Preparation

I am a Kindergarten teacher and I would like to teach my students a thematic unit on the country of Ireland. A thematic unit is the culmination of all of the areas of the curriculum specifically geared toward a topic. March is not only the month when we celebrate St. Patrick's Day but it's also Irish-American Heritage Month. I would like to revise my St. Patrick's Day Unit to include reading and writing activities about Ireland and it's national symbols. I would like to include mapping skills, music art, food and cultural activities around the island of Ireland as a whole.

Preparation During Travel

I will research interesting facts and basic information about Ireland. This would include the Irish flag, map of Ireland, symbols of Ireland, currency, Irish sayings and Irish as storytellers! I will research some great read aloud books for my students so they become engaged and interested in this unit of study. I will set the stage by inquiring about some traditional Irish music to be played while the students are working on their morning activities.