Shark Week: A Thematic Unit for 1st Grade

This is a thematic unit for first grade. It includes activities for phonics, reading, writing, social studies, science, math, and STEAM.

Included in this unit:

-Hungry for digraphs- sort for beginning digraphs ch, sh, th, and wh

-R-controlled vowel sharks- differentiated word building activity for r-controlled vowels (ar, er, ir, or, and ur)

-Resources for read aloud: If Sharks Disappeared- if/then pocket chart cards, cause and effect graphic organizer, two writing prompts

-Resources for read aloud: Shark Lady- sequencing pocket chart cards, graphic organizers, two writing prompts

-Resources for read aloud: Clark the Shark- sequencing pocket chart cards, graphic organizer, two writing prompts

-Reading comprehension passages- 12 reading comprehension passages about different sharks, each includes 5 comprehension questions

-Shark research- shark cards, graphic organizers, publishing paper

-Labeling sharks- 2 labeling activities (parts of a shark, common kinds of sharks), both in three levels for easy differentiation

-Shark fin hat-pieces to make a shark fin hat, includes three different options for subject (sh digraph, ar r-controlled vowel, or kinds of sharks)

-Acrostic poem craftivity-shark craft and acrostic poem sheet

-STEM challenge: diver cage- directions, cards, and recording sheets for a STEM challenge where students build a cage to keep a diver safe from sharks

-STEM challenge: diving boat- directions, cards, and recording sheets for a STEM challenge where students build a boat that can hold the people cards and diving equipment (snap cubes or similar manipulatives)

-Fossil dig- directions for making and using shark teeth fossil digs in the classroom, also included is a recording sheet for drawing/writing about what they find

-Observing sharks- directions and recording sheets for observing sharks with live cameras in the classroom

-Shark float experiment- directions and recording sheets for an experiment about why sharks float

-Place value- 24 cards for identifying and building numbers with tens and ones

-Story problems- 24 story problems on first grade targets (addition, subtraction, measurement, place value) with three different recording sheets

-Measuring sharks- students use nonstandard units (fish) to measure different kinds of sharks and compare lengths, also included is a recording sheet to use with a ruler

-Shark food graphing- recording sheets for graphing with shark food (colored goldfish crackers or colored fish gummies)

-Addition puzzles- 2 sets of addition puzzles from 1-20, with a recording sheet

-Reading and making maps- a pre-made map with questions and a map for students to create

-Fun stuff- shark jokes, bookmarks, coloring sheets, shark word search, shark expert certificates, two kinds of celebration charms

-Diver kits and decor- mini notebook templates, diver badges, shark week banner, shark week water bottle labels, shark zone sign, o-fish-al shark food sandwich/snack bag tags