OT: teacher help needed

JessicaT2007

I am still a student on my way to becoming a teacher. I have a class where I need to make a whole thematic unit. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on my topic. I was going to base it on the book "James and Giant Peach" I am having a hard time finding something creative for the math part of the unit. I know there is the basic do a recipe for something peachy, but I was just wondering if there was anything else out there that I just cant think of on my own.

Any help would be appreciated, even from non-teachers I am not sure of the grade I am doing yet, but I can always tweak an idea to make it on level

TIA!

JessicaT2007

I am still a student on my way to becoming a teacher. I have a class where I need to make a whole thematic unit. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on my topic. I was going to base it on the book "James and Giant Peach" I am having a hard time finding something creative for the math part of the unit. I know there is the basic do a recipe for something peachy, but I was just wondering if there was anything else out there that I just cant think of on my own.

Any help would be appreciated, even from non-teachers I am not sure of the grade I am doing yet, but I can always tweak an idea to make it on level

TIA!

michlingle

Check out a teacher store that carries thematic units...it is done for you already!!! I think the grade level, according to amazon, is grades 3-5 if I remember correctly. Check it out! Good luck from a fellow teacher who loves loves loves her job!! You picked a truly rewarding career!

JessicaT2007

thanks michnthecity! I appreciate the idea and also the encouragement!

Phoenix_Rising

I am still a student on my way to becoming a teacher. I have a class where I need to make a whole thematic unit. I was wondering if anyone had any ideas on my topic. I was going to base it on the book "James and Giant Peach" I am having a hard time finding something creative for the math part of the unit. I know there is the basic do a recipe for something peachy, but I was just wondering if there was anything else out there that I just cant think of on my own.

Any help would be appreciated, even from non-teachers I am not sure of the grade I am doing yet, but I can always tweak an idea to make it on level

TIA!

I've never read it. Can you give me a quick synopsis on the book? Without knowing the grade, it'll be hard to pinpoint a mathematical exercise quite yet...

ChubbyBunny

Don't they have a part where birds lift the peach...why not have them figure out how many that would take. Or do a drawing of some sort. It does make a difference on the grade level.

JessicaT2007

Here is one from Wikipedia:
James Henry Trotter, a four-year old boy, has had a happy life but is orphaned as a result of a bizarre accident: his parents are killed and eaten up by a rhinoceros which has escaped from the London Zoo (although rhinos are, in truth, herbivores). He is sent to live with his two repulsive aunts, Spiker and Sponge, who abuse him frequently.

One day, three years later, while crying in the forest, James, now age seven, meets a strange man who mysteriously knows James's plight and gives him a small sack containing the ingredients for a magic potion, which the stranger promises will bring James happiness. Unfortunately, while running back to the house to make the potion, James trips and drops it. It bursts and the magic green slithery 'things' sink into the ground and vanish without a trace – or so it then seems. James is horrified at the loss of what seemed to be his only opportunity for escape from his wretched aunts.

But things take another odd turn when a peach tree in the garden puts forth a single fruit which grows to almost twice the size of the tree. Spiker and Sponge realize they can make money, so they charge people to see the giant peach. One night, James, who has been shoved out of the house to pick up the litter from the crowd, crawls inside the giant peach, where he finds a most bizarre group of friends – all giant creepy-crawlies: the Centipede, Miss Spider, the Old-Green-Grasshopper, the Silkworm, the Earthworm, Ladybug and the Glow-worm. The peach, with the help of the Centipede, breaks off the tree, rolls over, and flattens and kills James's two aunts, cuts a swath of destruction through the countryside, and tumbles into the Atlantic Ocean.

Seeking to float to New York City to begin new lives, the friends embark on an adventure across the sea on the giant peach. Among the things they encounter before reaching the city are a swarm of sharks and air-elemental creatures called Cloud Men, who are responsible for painting rainbows. Also, they meet a large batlike creature. In the end, upon reaching the city, James and his friends have wonderful lives in America. The stone of the marvelous peach is enshrined in Central Park along with the peach, James Henry Trotter's new home for the rest of his life.

Bunny: Yeah, I know grade is important, but it is not up to just me. I have a partner. I am thinking about 2nd-4th grade. Somewhere in there. I like that idea about the birds. I can assign how much they can lift (in lbs) and then go from there... hm.. very cute idea!

Anna_Banana

You could determine the force at which the peach would hit the ground when it falls off the tree.

Or doesn't he make some origomy thing in the begining that floats out the window. You could determine the volume of the object.

Or doesn't the peach have a stair case, you could determine how many steps would be needed if the slope of the stair case had a 1 to 1 rise to run.

Or you could determine the size of the pit, by cutting up several regular peaches and finding an average pit to peach ratio, then apply that to the giant peach.

Anna_Banana

Oh I missed the 2-4 grade part. Sorry

JessicaT2007

LOL Anna. Thanks tho. I can see if we do higher grades or not. :0)

Ezzie

Jessica

Try a google search for integrated thematic units....amazing how many links there are!!!
in2edu.com looked good--lots of resources
which sent me to a web search called
delicious.com


Overwhelming!!!!!!