Chapter one. The influence of teaching vocabularies

Step 3: Create lesson plans.
This is where it can get fun, and intimidating at the same time. Some teachers struggle with making sense of resources and formulating day-to-day lesson plans. Here are some tips to keep in mind:

Decide how long you want the thematic unit to last. Most teachers find that a week to two weeks is a good starting point. Some themes can be stretched over the course of an entire month. The choice is yours, but also pay attention to your student's cues. If they are really enjoying a particular theme, consider keeping it going. Create a theme calendar as pacing guide for your year.

Consider subjects and developmental domains. In other words, map out your lessons plans according to important subjects and milestones, such as: literacy, math, gross/fine motor skills, dramatic play, creative expression, STEM, and so on. Use a lesson planning template similar to these, to take notes.

​Include a variety of educational activities. With your subject areas in mind, you can begin plugging in educational and developmental activities. This can be theme-related books for story time (and the literacy area), games, puzzles, art activities, field trips, and the like. The idea is to give your students plenty of opportunity to engage, explore, and learn.

Step 4: Stay prepared by being organized.
The key to easily implementing your lesson plans is to be organized. Take some time to order, download, print, and/or assemble the things you'll need for your chosen theme. Another good idea is to decorate your classroom or learning space to coincide with the theme. Remember to change out any books, dramatic play items, independent learning supplies, etc.

To keep your lesson plans, curriculum, and resources organized, consider using some of the following storage solutions:

• 
  file folders (to store daily/weekly lesson plans)
  
• 
  accordion folder or file folder storage box (to keep all lesson plans in one place)
  
• 
  bins (of all sizes)
  
• 
  baskets (small to medium)
  
• 
  bookshelf or filing cabinet (for keeping unused thematic resources together)
  

​In addition to these, it's also a great idea to get labels and label EVERYTHING. Color-coded labels work great for keeping things visually appealing and easier to locate.