Environment

Thematic Unit Questions

4th Grade
By: Mariana Mendoza
Thematic Unit Planning Matrix
Content
or
Subject
Area

Music

Essential
Questions

Centers
(Activities)

How
important is
music when
it comes to
learning?

Groups of 6
students is
going to be
formed,
students are
going to
create a
song with
recycling
vocabulary.

What makes
music
important?
Is learning
easier when
having fun?

Technology
Integration
(Must
include at
least 2 Web
2.0 tools)
Students are
going to
search other
elementary
songs that can
be changed a
little and be
transformed
into a
recycling
song.
Computers,
tablets must
be used to
connect to
the internet.

Assessment
and/or Rubric
Scale

Student
Products or
Portfolio

Recycling
vocabulary should
be provided in the
song.

Three of the six

students are going
to look up a song.
Then the other
three students are
going to search
recycling words.
Then the students
are going to put
everything
together and
presented to the
class. It must be
presented in class
with the lyrics on
the background.
For the lyrics
students are going
to use word or
powerpoint
presentation.

Students are
allowed to
incorporate other
songs into the
recycling song.

Standards:
The ISTE NETS and Performance
Indicators for Teachers and Students
TEKS
117.15. Music, Grade 4.
(a) Introduction.
(1) Four basic strands--perception,
creative expression/performance, historical and
cultural heritage, and critical evaluation-provide broad, unifying structures for
organizing the knowledge and skills students
are expected to acquire. In music, students
develop their intellect and refine their emotions,
understanding the cultural and creative nature of
musical artistry and making connections among
music, the other arts, technology, and other
aspects of social life.
(4.4) Creative expression/performance. The
student creates and arranges music within
specified guidelines. The student is expected to:
(A) create rhythmic and melodic phrases; and
(B) create simple accompaniments.

Art

How do artists
nowadays
incorporate
recycling
products in
their work?
What
influences the
artist to use
this products?
How does this
artwork
influence the
audience?

Groups of
three are
going to be
assigned.
Each group is
going to get
assigned to a
recycling
product and
theyre going
to create a
unique art
piece using
that recycling
product.

Students
are going
to use
google to
find
information
and ideas
on what
and how to
create an
artwork
with their
specific
product.
No
wikipedia
is allowed.
Images
must be
provided
too.An
image will
let the
audience
have an
idea of
what the art
should
look, then
the students
are going
to present
their art
piece.

Students are
going to provide
the name of the
web that they
used, no
wikipedia is
allowed. If they
use wikipedia
points are going
to be deducted.
An image and
information about
the recycling
product should be
provided for both
the teacher and
students.

Each student is
going to have
an assign job
when
presenting the
artwork. The
artwork is
going to be
based on the
product and
other materials
students would
like to use to
create their
work.

117.14. Art, Grade 4.

(a) Introduction.
(1) Four basic strands--perception, creative
expression/performance, historical and cultural
heritage, and critical evaluation--provide broad,
unifying structures for organizing the
knowledge and skills students are expected to
acquire. Students rely on their perceptions of
the environment, developed through increasing
visual awareness and sensitivity to
surroundings, memory, imagination, and life
experiences, as a source for creating artworks.
(b) Knowledge and skills.
(4.1) Perception. The student develops and
organizes ideas from the environment. The
student is expected to:
(A) communicate ideas about self,
family, school, and community, using sensory
knowledge and life experiences
(4.2) Creative expression/performance.
The student expresses ideas through original
artworks, using a variety of media with
appropriate skill. The student is expected to:
(A) integrate a variety of ideas about
self, life events, family, and community in
original artworks;
(B) design original artworks

Science
and
technolog
y

Do I know
how to
incorporate the
three Rs?
What do the
three Rs stand
for?
What do I see
on the floor
when Im
walking
outdoors?
How do I
recycle at
home?

In groups
students are
going to
research about
the
importance of
Reusing,
Reducing and
Recycling.
Searching for
pictures on
the web and
on their daily
lives. Having
them discover
and remember
where theyve
seen the
recycling
symbol. With
a powerpoint
presentation
students are
going to
present to the
class the
importance of
the three Rs
and their
going to
explain how
each of them
use the three
Rs in their
daily lives.

Students
will
research
the web for
information
about the
three Rs
and a
camera to
picture how
the three
Rs are
being
incorporate
d in their
surroundin
gs.

Student are
going to be
qualified on
their topic
comprehension
. They must be
able to define
the three Rs
and provide
with a real life
example.
Pictures or
images should
be provided
related to the
topic. Students
should also
show the
ability of using
technology
when working
on other
subjects.

Students
powerpoint must
be well organized
and should include
images and text.
Text related to
recycling and the
three Rs.

Each student
should participate
as a group and
help each other.
Each students is
going to be graded
based on what
they presented and
worked on when
creating the
powerpoint.

112.15. Science, Grade 4, Beginning with

School Year 2010-2011.
Knowledge and skills.
(1) Scientific investigation and reasoning.
The student conducts classroom and outdoor
investigations, following home and school
safety procedures and environmentally
appropriate and ethical practices. The
student is expected to:
(A) demonstrate safe practices and the
use of safety equipment as described in the
Texas Safety Standards during classroom
and outdoor investigations; and
(B) make informed choices in the use
and conservation of natural resources and
reusing and recycling of materials such as
paper, aluminum, glass, cans, and plastic.