Universal ThemesUniversal Themes

Bakersfield City School DistrictBakersfield City School DistrictExtended Programs Department Extended Programs Department

GATE ProgramGATE ProgramOctober, 2010October, 2010

PowerPoint adapted from Riverside Unified School District’s GATE Program

Philosophy Behind Universal Philosophy Behind Universal ThemesThemes

Gate teachers are to take the Gate teachers are to take the core curriculum and look at core curriculum and look at ways to ways to get greaterget greater depth.depth.

This means demanding This means demanding more more sophisticated thinkingsophisticated thinking of of your students.your students.

This is achieved by This is achieved by weaving weaving connectionsconnections to get a greater to get a greater fabric of understanding.fabric of understanding.

Developing Greater Intellectual Developing Greater Intellectual DepthDepth

The The process to achieve thisprocess to achieve this combines the use of universal combines the use of universal themes, and knowledge of specific themes, and knowledge of specific disciplines with complex thinking disciplines with complex thinking strategies.strategies.

Simple Simple

ConceptConceptComplex Complex ConceptConcept

Universal Universal ConceptConcept

desertdesert environmentenvironment systemssystems

iglooigloo sheltershelter adaptationsadaptations

flower flower structurestructure

plant growthplant growth systemssystems

How is Using a Universal How is Using a Universal Theme Different from Theme Different from

TraditionalTraditionalThematic Instruction?Thematic Instruction?

Thematic InstructionThematic Instruction

In thematic In thematic instruction the instruction the teacher develops a teacher develops a theme and makes theme and makes the connections for the connections for the students.the students.

All this does is ask All this does is ask students to know students to know the content and the content and how it is related.how it is related.

Insects Community

Plants

Growth

Interdisciplinary Thematic Interdisciplinary Thematic InstructionInstruction

Students have a Students have a universauniversal l themetheme and what appear to and what appear to disparatedisparate parts or pieces. parts or pieces.

They They must apply knowledgemust apply knowledge in order to make connections.in order to make connections.

Often, this approach requires Often, this approach requires that students that students begin with the begin with the complexcomplex and work backward and work backward to connect to the simple to connect to the simple concept.concept.

Content Areas Mathematics

Language Arts

Systems

ConnectionsConnections

When one steps back to view the knowledge, When one steps back to view the knowledge, not from within the discipline, not from within the discipline, but from but from withoutwithout, one sees that all the parts touch, , one sees that all the parts touch, overlap, and form a tapestry of overlap, and form a tapestry of interconnection.interconnection.

Therein lies meaning for the child Therein lies meaning for the child seeking order in a world which seeking order in a world which appears disjointed and chaotic.appears disjointed and chaotic.

The true test of an individual’s The true test of an individual’s intellect may not be in their ability to intellect may not be in their ability to describe the uniqueness of an item, describe the uniqueness of an item, but rather in their ability to state the but rather in their ability to state the commonalities that binds us all.commonalities that binds us all.

Generalizations Generalizations

In making connections between In making connections between seemingly disparate concepts, seemingly disparate concepts, students begin to form students begin to form generalizations.generalizations.

Generalizations are the basis of Generalizations are the basis of connections.connections.

Universal ThemesUniversal Themes

ChangeChange CommunityCommunity ConflictConflict ExplorationExploration ForceForce OrderOrder

PatternsPatterns PowerPower StructureStructure SystemsSystems RelationshipsRelationships AdaptationsAdaptations

Universal Themes and Universal Themes and GeneralizationsGeneralizations

ChangeChange Can be natural or man-made.Can be natural or man-made. Different kinds of change.Different kinds of change. Is inevitable.Is inevitable. Necessary for growth.Necessary for growth.

CommunityCommunity Has members.Has members. Members share a common environment.Members share a common environment. Follow patterns of growth and change.Follow patterns of growth and change. When one community comes in contact with When one community comes in contact with

another community, change may occur.another community, change may occur. ConflictConflict

Composed of opposing forces.Composed of opposing forces. Natural or man-made.Natural or man-made. Intentional or unintentional.Intentional or unintentional. May allow for synthesis and change.May allow for synthesis and change.

Themes and Generalizations Themes and Generalizations continued continued ExplorationExploration

Requires recognizing purpose and responding to it.Requires recognizing purpose and responding to it. Confronts the unknown.Confronts the unknown. May result in new findings or the confirmations of May result in new findings or the confirmations of

old findings.old findings. ForceForce

Attracts, holds, or repels.Attracts, holds, or repels. Influences or changes.Influences or changes. And inertia are co-dependent.And inertia are co-dependent. May be countered with equal or greater force.May be countered with equal or greater force.

OrderOrder May be natural or constructed. May be natural or constructed. May allow for prediction.May allow for prediction. Is a form of communication.Is a form of communication. May have repeated patterns.May have repeated patterns. Are reciprocals.Are reciprocals. Lead to one another.Lead to one another.

Themes and Generalizations Themes and Generalizations continuedcontinued

PatternsPatterns Have segments that are repeated.Have segments that are repeated. Allow for prediction.Allow for prediction. Have an internal order.Have an internal order. Are enablers.Are enablers.

PowerPower Is the ability to influence. Is the ability to influence. May be used or abused.May be used or abused. Is always present in some form.Is always present in some form. May take many forms.May take many forms.

StructureStructure has parts that inter-relate.has parts that inter-relate. Parts support and are supported by other parts.Parts support and are supported by other parts. May be combined to form larger structures.May be combined to form larger structures. Is no stronger than its weakest component.Is no stronger than its weakest component.

Themes and Generalizations Themes and Generalizations continuedcontinued SystemsSystems

Work to complete a task or a mission.Work to complete a task or a mission. Are composed of sub-systems and parts.Are composed of sub-systems and parts. Follow rules.Follow rules. May be influenced by other systems.May be influenced by other systems.

RelationshipsRelationships Everything is related in some way.Everything is related in some way. Are powerful.Are powerful. Change over time.Change over time. Have rules.Have rules. Are everywhere.Are everywhere.

AdaptationAdaptation Occurs over time.Occurs over time. Can be positive or negative.Can be positive or negative. Leads to change.Leads to change. Can be planned or spontaneous.Can be planned or spontaneous.

Learning to use Universal Themes Learning to use Universal Themes and Generalizations can be and Generalizations can be overwhelming in the beginning, but overwhelming in the beginning, but the concepts will add to the overall the concepts will add to the overall growth of your students knowledge growth of your students knowledge making the time investment in the making the time investment in the beginning worth it.beginning worth it.

PowerPoint adapted from Riverside Unified School District’s GATE Program