Theme-based lesson plans: ALL ABOUT ME

Why the theme about children themselves is important? Why is it important for children to learn what makes them (and their peers) special and unique?

It is crystal clear: every child is important, unique, good, loved, and special the way they are. This theme is all about celebrating the magic of children! Children will get to have a joyful journey that celebrates everyone's individuality and personal self-expression.

Through the playful activities, children will delve into the captivating world of names, empowering the children to embrace their unique identities with pride and enthusiasm. These activities have been thoughtfully curated to nurture a strong sense of belonging, foster name-recognition skills, ignite creativity, and foster meaningful connections among the children.

 

Kindiedays Theme-based lesson plans

Theme-based lessons make learning engaging and meaningful for children. By exploring a central theme, children can see how different subjects are connected, participate in hands-on activities, and develop their language, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.

Themes provide context for learning, allowing children to relate new information to their own experiences. This fosters motivation, active participation, and a deeper understanding of the subject matter, laying a strong foundation for future learning.

The Lessons are also connected to 5 learning areas and their objectives derived from the Finnish National Curriculum. However, the learning areas and objectives are often similar to other international curriculums and can easily be used in any Early Learning Center.

Example of an All about me -themed lesson plan

 

1. Children's personal histories: My life story -collage

Encouraging children to share their own stories, preferences, likes, and dreams helps the class to create an atmosphere where children learn to respect others' choices, rejoice in their friend's individuality, and understand one another.

 

Activity steps

1. The educator gathers all children who participate in the activity together, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere. (Having a small group of children at a time makes the activity time smoother.) Play a song that suits the theme, for example, and an introduction song that repeats everyone's name: "Hello hello Stella, come and play with us! Hello hello Max, come and play with us! ..."

2. The teacher introduces an exciting activity, explaining that the children will have the opportunity to create a personalized poster showcasing their favorite things.

3. Each child is provided with magazines and newspapers. Children can look for pictures that they think are nice and that represent their individual interests, hobbies, preferences, and likes.

4. With the educator's guidance, the children cut out the chosen pictures and skilfully arranged them on a piece of vibrant construction paper, creating a captivating collage. As they glue the pictures in place, their personalities and interests come to life, forming a visual representation of their personal histories.

5. The educator invites each child to show and describe their own collage. As children express themselves, the educator attentively observes and writes their descriptions down on the collage paper. For example: "Hi, I am Stella! My favorite color is yellow. I love to eat pizza and oranges. I like to play with Legos and paint. I love dogs. I have a dog and her name is Bobbie."

 

 Lesson focus and goals

• Encourages children to reflect on and share their personal histories, fostering a sense of self-awareness and self-esteem.
• Builds connections and empathy between children as they learn about each other's backgrounds and experiences.
• Supports language development as children share stories and communicate with each other.
• Encourages active listening skills and respect for others' perspectives.
• Provides opportunities for teachers to learn more about each child and tailor their teaching to their individual needs and strengths.
• Serves as a foundation for further learning and exploration of cultural diversity, family traditions, and personal identity.

 

Theme ALL ABOUT ME:

Get a preview of a lesson plan here!

 

Kindiedays theme-based lesson plans are available online