LOOK INSIDE

SPACE
Thematic Model Integration

Done By:
Hawraa Maki - 20184691
Kawthar Kadhem - 20184593
Zamzam Sayed Yaser - 20184857
Year 3 \ Section 6
Course Instructor: Dr. Bashirah Ibrahim
Introduction

As teachers under construction, merging new ideas and methods in the

teaching process is necessary to improve the profession and the quality of
what we will deliver to our students in the future, as well as enhance the
students’ engagement since we are trying our best to depart from the
traditional way in school teaching.
One of the teaching ways in schools nowadays is integration and especially the
one we are designing in this assignment, which is Thematic Model Integration,
where the content is woven from one subject area to the other in a specific
theme the teacher design that combines multiple subjects with different
learning goals and different lessons. This type of integration will broaden the
students’ thinking area and give an opportunity to reinforce the linking skill
between subjects besides different aspects of life. Also, it emphasizes
fundamental skills, content, and higher-order thinking and gives a better
understanding of what the students are learning. Add to this, students’ active
participation in relevant real-life experiences will be encouraged.
In this particular assignment, we were asked to design an outline for a
thematic unit for 4 subjects by using one unit of Math or Science from the
Bahrain curriculum that should be taught in almost one week. After thinking
about the most attractive theme the students will interact and engaged in,
and since space provokes the students' interest and curiosity, we decide to
choose unit 4 in the second semester of the 4th grade Science curriculum to
design our theme on and integrate other subjects with which are (Science,
Art, English, and Math).
While planning our activities on each subject, we try to make sure to merge
different levels of bloom’s taxonomy especially the higher levels like creating
and analyzing to expand the students’ thinking skills and abilities and give them
rich content to make sure of this thematic integration benefit.
THEMATIC
INTEGRATION

Science
Students will demonstrate
an understanding of the
Art
solar system by answering
the questions in the Students will be able to
board game. design a creative wall
hanging by using
cardboard and different
materials.

Look inside
SPACE!

Math
students will be able to
compare decimals
English
correctly without using By the end of the lesson,
the textbook.
students will be able to
analyze the story for
specific information.
Science

Subject Science
Lesson Solar System
Learning Objective By the end of the lesson, students will demonstrate
an understanding of the solar system by answering
the questions in the board game.
Bloom's Taxonomy Understand
Required Time 1 -2 sessions

Activity Description:

In this activity, we have designed our own educational board game that aims to enhance the

student's understanding of the solar system.

"Guide Me Home" is an originally designed board game that talks about a lost rocket in space and

the students have to guide it back to Earth. This game is designed to be used in science class

time as a challenging and engaging activity.

Assuming a class has 20 students, in order for the students to play this game, the teacher

needs to divide the class into four heterogeneous groups, each group represents an

independent team in the game. Each team will choose a counter with different color and will

move it over the board game after rolling the dice in turn. The board game includes 3 colors:

yellow, which refers to the question cards, pink, which refers to the luck cards, and blue, which

refers to the facts cards. The color the team's counter lands on will determine the type of card

the team will get.

Science

QUESTIONS LUCK FACTS

1. Do you think that humans can live on 1. Don't play in the next turn.
gaseous planets? Explain your answer? 1. Venus is the hottest and brightest
planet.
2. Why does the sun appear larger and 2. Play again!
brighter than any other star? 2. Earth is the only planet that sustains
3. Use your own words to explain the life.
3. Move a step forward.
phenomenon of the alternation of day and 3. Mars is the red planet.
night.
4. Move two steps forward.
4. What would happen to the four seasons 4. Jupiter is the giant planet.
if the Earth's axis was not tilted?
5. Move three steps forward. 5. Saturn is known for its ring.
5. Why do celestial bodies seem to move in
the sky? 6. Uranus is the coldest planet.
6. Move four steps forward.
6. Why do you think it is safe to watch a
lunar eclipse? 7. Neptune is the windy planet.
7. What is the time period between the full 7. Move five steps forward.
moon and the waning crescent? 8. The sun is the only star in our solar
system.
8. Do you think that the sun's energy is 8. Move six steps forward.
harmful or beneficial? Support your 9. The sun is the center of our solar
answer with examples. system.
9. Move seven steps forward.
9. Why does the moon seem to us to be the
largest and most luminous between the 10. Earth is only a very small part of The
celestial bodies? 10. Take a step back. Solar System.
10. What is the similarity between the 11. The Solar System has Eight Planets.
Earth and the sun? 11. Move two steps back.
11. How are lunar eclipses and solar 12. The Solar System formed 4.6 Billion
eclipses similar? 12. Move three steps back. years ago.
12. When you see full moon at night, is the
moon in a different phase somewhere 13. The Sun is 93 million miles from the
else on earth? Explain your answer. 13. Move four steps back. Earth.
13. What causes a solar eclipse? 14. There are 181 moons in The Solar
14. Move five steps back. System.
14. What is the differences between the
moon and the sun?
15. Move six steps back. 15. Neptune was the last planet to be
15. Explain the relationship of a star's discovered in The Solar System.
color to its temperature.
Science

HOW TO PLAY?
1. Each group puts their counter on the space that says "START" .
2. Take it in turns to roll the dice.
3. The board game includes 3 colors: yellow which refers to the question cards,
pink which refers to the luck cards, and blue which refers to the facts cards.
4. The color your counter lands on will determine the type of card you get.

QUESTIONS LUCK FACTS

GUIDE ME HOME
The rocket is lost in space,
can you help it reach the Earth?

Art

Subject Art
Lesson Design a Wall Hanging
Learning Objective By the end of this lesson, the student will be able to

design a creative wall hanging by using cardboard

and different materials.
Bloom's Taxonomy Creat
Required Time 2 sessions

Activity Description:
“My own solar system” is an Art activity where the students will create a solar system wall
hanging with simple materials that are available and at hand for almost all students. It is
integrating with the solar system unit from the science curriculum in general, and specifically
with the solar system lesson since the students ought to put all the system planets with the
Sun in it. This activity is focusing on improving students’ imagination and ingenuity and refining
students' craft skills, as well as giving them the space to show their abilities.
Before the day of the activity, the teacher will tell the students about the materials they need
to design this wall hanging. Also, she will write the materials needed in the school’s weekly
newsletter. On the day of the activity, the teacher first will explain the idea of the activity in
general, then she will clarify the activity steps with supporting her clarification with photos.
After that, she will show to the students a tangible example of what they will work on (this
example should be almost perfect to give the students a push to do their best). This activity will
take 2 sessions (days) to be completed! On the first day, the students will work on their wall
hanging and design it, and on the second day, they will present what have they done to their
colleagues and share some ideas of what they used to create their crafts.
Art

My Own Solar System

Before starting your hanger you should have:

Cardboard Yardstick Scissors Glue colors Thread

Let's Start ...

1. Draw circles on cardboards for all the planets. Make
sure to vary the circles’ sizes depending on each
planet’s size.

2. Add some decoration to your circles to fit the theme

and use watercolors. Make sure not to forget Saturn’s
ring. Then, draw some stars on black cardboard, You
can use the star paper punch if you have it.

3. Now, cut 9 pieces of thread as the long you want to be. Cut one
more to use it as a hanger.
4. Bring your yardstick. Then, tie the pieces of the twine to the
stick with square knots, let the excess hang down.
5. With glue stick each planet to each string, then do the same
thing to the stars. As shown in the picture, make sure to end each
string with a star except for the Sun string.
6. Now, you have all the planets and stars in place. Cut the ends of
the knots you tied to look neater, then tie the hanger onto the
opposite ends of the stick.

Your hanger is ready know!

(Ferguson, 2017)
English

Subject English
Lesson Extensive Reading: Fiction
Learning Objective By the end of the lesson, students will be able to
analyze the story for specific information.
Bloom's Taxonomy Analyze
Required Time 2 sessions

Activity Description:

"When the Sun Meets the Moon" is a story we wrote specifically for the “Extensive Reading:
Fiction” lesson from the fourth grade English curriculum. This activity aims to integrate English
with science by presenting scientific information related to the solar system lesson from the
science curriculum in the form of a story.

In this activity, students in groups of five will be asked to read the story that includes a dialogue
between the sun and the moon and then analyze it by designing a poster showing the
properties of the sun and moon mentioned in the story.

This activity will take two sessions, the first session in which students will read the story,
analyze it, and work on designing the poster, while the second session will be for each group of
students to present their work to the rest of the class.

Although the activity focuses on the primary skill of the lesson, which is analyzing a story for
specific information, it enhances other skills such as communication and teamwork skills, design
and creativity skills, and presentation skills that will serve students in advanced academic levels.
English
Instructions:

In groups,
- Read the story below carefully.
- Analyze the information in the story.
- Design a poster in your own style that shows the characteristics of the moon
and the characteristics of the sun mentioned in the story.
Note: In the next class, each group will present their work.

When the Sun Meets the Moon

One day the Sun met the Moon, and the following
dialogue took place between them:

Sun:
"I shine in the day so people on the Earth can see.
I give energy to all plants and animals.
It takes the Earth 365.25 Earth days to revolve
around me, which means an entire Earth year.
What about you, Moon?”

Moon:
"I have a lot of mountains and I also have big pits.
I am the cause of the tides in the sea.
It takes me a whole month to go around the Earth.
I appear to humans on Earth in different shapes called
phases.”
Math

Subject Mathematics
Lesson Comparing decimals
Learning Objective By the end of the lesson, students will be able to

compare decimals correctly without using the textbook.

Bloom's Taxonomy Understand
Required Time 2 sessions

Activity Description:
"Let’s travel around planets!” is an educational activity that concentrates on integrating the solar
system unit in the science curriculum with comparing decimals lesson in the mathematics
curriculum. This activity aims to promote students’ engagement in their learning by understanding
the connections between the two disciplines. It will enhance students’ comprehension about
comparing decimals and introduce them to interesting mathematical facts about the solar system!
First, the teacher will divide the students into four heterogeneous groups and assign a number for
each group from 1 to 4. Next, the teacher will present the solar system where each planet refers to
a question related to comparing decimals.
The teacher will start with Mercury and end with Neptune. In each planet station, the teacher will
present the question and ask the students to collaborate in answering the question in 2 minutes.
When time is up, the teacher will choose a group to present their work and explain the process they
follow to get the answer in 2 minutes, while others have the role of evaluating and judging their
colleagues’ work.
To make the evaluation process more organized, the teacher will ask each group separately to
provide their feedback, judge the work of their colleagues and ask questions if there is any.
Math
Let's travel around
the planets! Mercury
The rotational speed of Mercury around
Venus the sun is 47.8 Km/seconds, and the
rotational speed of Earth around the sun
The distance from the sun to is 29.6 Km/seconds. Which planet is the
Mercury is 0.39 astronomical slowest?
units, and the distance from the

sun to Venus is 0.72 astronomical

units. Compare between
decimals using < or > or =. Earth
Earth completes one rotation
Mars around its axis in 24 hours,
while Mars complete one
Read the dialogue given below, rotation around its axis in 24.5
then determine which planet hours. Which planet has the
has the shortest rotation period? longest rotation period?
Mars: I complete one rotation
around my axis in 24.5 hours.
Saturn: I complete one rotation Jupiter
around my axis in 10.2 hours.
The rotational speed of
Saturn Mars around the sun is
23.21 Km/seconds, and the
Jupiter takes 11.9 years to rotational speed of Jupiter
complete one revolution around around the sun is 12.91
the sun, and Saturn takes 29.5 Km/seconds. Which planet
years to complete one is the fastest?
revolution around the sun.
Compare between decimals
using < or > or =.
Neptune Uranus
Read the dialogue given below, The distance from the sun to
then Compare between Neptune is 30.1 astronomical
decimals using < or > or =. units, and the distance from the
Jupiter: I complete one rotation sun to Uranus is 19.2 astronomical
around my axis in 9.9 hours. units. Compare between
Neptune: I complete one rotation decimals using < or > or =.
around my axis in 16 hours.
Conclusion

To conclude, in this assignment, we have designed and prepared a theme that

integrates mathematics, English, and arts with science and especially the solar
system lesson.

"Look Inside Space" is the title of the theme from which we started our work
and then proceeded towards the preparation of various, innovative, and
engaging activities. During our work, we were keen on diversifying the
activities and making sure that these activities include the essential skills that
need to be strengthened in primary school students, such as communication
and teamwork skills.

At the beginning of the work, we had a hard time linking different subjects to a
particular theme, but then the work became more enjoyable and smooth as
we worked cooperatively, with enthusiasm, and passion. Our main goal was to
design a theme that helps students make strong connections between
different disciplines, receive content in a more meaningful way, and allow
them to unleash their creativity and innovation.

This assignment was the first of its kind for us, and as a first experience, we
think that we have done well and reached a satisfactory result. Furthermore,
this assignment was a great opportunity for us to practice the integration of
subjects, as well as to break out of the ordinary and come up with highly
creative and authentic work.
Reflection

This assignment spots the light on demonstrating our understanding of

thematic integration and improving our capabilities in designing different
activities that interact together under one theme. In this assignment, we chose
“look inside SPACE” as a theme and a medium where various disciplines interact
to form one whole such as science, mathematics, art, and English.

We believe that all the activities that we designed are suitable for four-grade
students in terms of the appropriateness of the content and the learning tasks.
All of them included the 21st century skills that students have to master in order
to succeed in their work and life. For instance, the science activity concentrated
on promoting the critical thinking skill that leads students to develop deep
analytical abilities, while the art activity focused on enhancing students’
creative thinking by designing a creative wall hanging for the solar system
using cardboard and different materials. Besides, the mathematics and English
activities aim to develop students’ communication and collaboration skills.

We think that the students will perform well in all the activities because they
are within their age group abilities. Yet, they may find the science activity more
engaging and fascinating than other activities for two reasons. First, this
activity will enhance students' understanding of the solar system and introduce
them to new interesting facts about the solar system that keep them curious to
investigate more information about the topic. Second, this activity goes beyond
the traditional way of using worksheets and papers. It focuses on implementing
a competition that promotes enthusiasm and increases students' intrinsic
motivation to learn.
References

Altiere, M. B., Balka, D. S., Day, R., Gonsalves, P. D., Grace, E. C., Krulik, S., ... Zike, D. (2013).
Math Connects For Grade 6 (Al Obeikan Education Center, Trans.). Riyadh, Saudi
Arabia: Obeikan Investment Group. (Original work published 2008).

Ferguson, H. (2017, July 11). DIY SPACE MOBILE CRAFT. Retrieved from HoneyBear
Land. Retrieved March 4, 2022. from:
https://www.honeybearlane.com/2017/07/diy-space-mobile-craft.html

Hackett, J., LeRoy, K., Moyer, R., Terman, D., Vasquez, J., Wheeler, G., … Zike, D.
(2015). Science: A Closer Look (Al Obeikan Education Center, Trans.). Riyadh,
Saudi Arabia: Obeikan Investment Group. (Original work published 2008).

All graphics used were taken from: https://www.canva.com/