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Thematic Unit

Gladys Yellowhair

Kayenta Primary School

Grade Level: K-3

Length of Unit: 3-4 weeks in the Fall

Unit Objectives:

1. To promote an interest in agriculture, farming, cultivating and preparation.

2. To develop an awareness of the importance of preserving the Navajo language.

3. To develop an understanding of the traditional value of consuming healthy food to prolong one's life expectancy.

4. To develop an appreciation and recognition of the importance of most traditional food and its usage in the Din6 culture and other Western Tribes.

5. To become aware of the importance of the five senses and how they are helpful.

Language Arts:

1. The students will assist the teachers to make jingle stories of each fruit or vegetable introduced using Navajo and English words.

2. The students will tell about what senses they've used to tell about their favorite fruit or vegetables using both Navajo and English.

3. The students will color, cut and paste pictures of the fruits and vegetables introduced to make a reading booklet using both Navajo and English words.

4. The students will construct a texture book using assorted materials using both Navajo and English words.

5. Tell the stories of the time the seeds were brought into the fourth world and how each animal helped.

6. Compare and contrast how old farming and modem farming are the same or different.

7. Research and compile stories of how some of the fruits or vegetables are used as traditional foods.

8. Invent stories of a favorite fruit or vegetable and then develop props to dramatize the story in the Navajo or English language.

Social Studies:

1. Construct a map of where some of these favorite fruits or vegetables might grow.

2. Begin to learn about land formations.

3. Begin to learn map skills (N,S,E,W)

4. Construct a map of other countries where a certain fruit or vegetable might grow.

Reading

1. The student will construct his own fruit jingle or story about the fruits and vegetables and read them during group activities.

2. Students will read stories written in Navajo about fruits or vegetables.

3. Students will read rhymes about fruits or vegetables.

4. Students will construct a five senses storybook

5. Students will read research done on cultural stories about some of these fruits and vegetables.

Writing

1. Students will write short stories in Navajo about some of these fruits.

2. Students will write poems about some of these fruits or vegetables in Navajo.

3. Students will write jingles about each fruit and vegetable they've chosen in English and Navajo.

Science

1. Identify the five senses using the Navajo and English language.

2. Identify the five body parts that are used to perform the five senses in Navajo and

English language.

3. Discuss the growth of a bean plant, draw and label the parts of the bean plant in Navajo and in English.

4. Create a chart on where some of these fruits and vegetables are used during a ceremony.

5. Brainstorm on how and why fruits and vegetables are healthy foods.

Math

1. Make up math stories on each number using various types of seeds

2. Sort and classify seeds

3. Pattern with assorted types of seeds

4. Construct story problems on adding and subtracting fruits and vegetables learned.

5. Estimate length, weight and amount of seeds in a fruit or vegetable.

6. Measure fruits and vegetables using strings.

7. Weigh the fruits and vegetables using the unifix to find out how heavy, how light or are they equal weight to another fruit or vegetable.

8. Graph how many like certain fruits or vegetables and find out more/less or equal (the same amount)

Art/Music

1. Construct and sing songs about some fruits or vegetables learned.

2. Make corn husk dolls

3. Make necklaces with corn

4. Make seed collages

5. Make texture collages using assorted textured materials

6. Make a model of the five senses

7. Construct a vegetable man or a fruit face

Special Activities

1. Make a fruit salad

2. Make a vegetable salad

3. Watch VCR tapes on healthy foods for a healthy body