Why would you want to plan instruction around themes rather than subject matter organization?

Question

Why would you want to plan instruction around themes rather than subject matter organization?

Answer 1

Pioneer is correct.  Themes are much more meaningful.  Students have to learn a lot of things in isolation.  Whenever they can connect their learning to something they know about in real life or to another subject area, their brains will see it's usefulness and retain it longer.  The brain is constantly looking for connections between different ideas.

Think back to your schooling.  What are some memorable classroom activities that you remember?  I have several.  I can still picture them in my mind.   But I do not remember the things I memorized in isolation, unless they are math facts that I use everyday in real life situations.  Makes sense, doesn't it?

Answer 2

A theme allows you to plug in content across the curriculum and connect learning to real life situations.

Answer 3

Themes work best in elementary schools. When you reach middle and hich school levels, the standards become more restrictive.  As a middle school teacher I do try to coordinate my instruction with other teachers (I teach Language Arts, Reading) for a Cooperative Learning Experience.  Certain themes don't work for middle school.