Where to start with Thematic Planning in Infants?
As I prefer to choose one topic per month in Aistear I try to link the topic across the different curricular areas where I can. Choosing a topic can be tricky, you want something the children may be somewhat familiar with but I always try and link my topics to a storybook too.
Beginning with a story allows you to link it to Literacy straight away, you can use it as your big book and of course the children will need to learn specific language for the role-play area. I like to link my big book to the comprehension strategy for that month also. At times it might link in with the writing genre too.
Each play area will have direct curriculum links.
The construction area alone will always link to 3D shapes in Maths and also the construction strand in Art.
Similarly the sand area will always link to Capacity and Weight in Maths.
Small World and Socio-dramatic will link directly to drama. The junk art area will also link directly to many strands in Art.
In other curricular areas it can be useful to have chosen a storybook that links to your topic. This will link with the story strand of History. Similarly choosing a topic that is within the children’s everyday lives may link to the Human Environments strand in Geography.
Science can be harder to link at times, myself could be linked to the doctor, optician and dentist topic. Some other topics might link easily to environmental awareness and care. It is important to look for links where possible.
You could also choose a song that links to the topic to integrate with Music.
If you use a traditional tale with your topic you might also be able to find the tale as Gaeilge. Bua na Cainte from EdCo have lots of traditional tales and other stories that might link to the topic. The children enjoy watching the little clips and can also learn some language associated with the topic. You could use the Socio-dramatic area during your Irish lessons too if it links directly. In that way the children could see the language being used in the area not just for Aistear time.
There are many ways to link your Aistear topic across all the curricular areas both in discrete lessons and in the Aistear time.
If you have any questions on the above post, please send me an email or a PM.
A.M.
Aistear Múinteoir 