CHAPTER 16
Chapter 16 True/False Questions
Circle T if the statement is true; circle F if the statement is false.
T F 1. The fieldwork portion of the Project Approach occurs in Phase II.
T F 2. Themes should be addressed once per year.
T F 3. Children provide the best source of thematic ideas for teachers to plan around.
T F 4. The first-grade curriculum requires all children to learn about the library. The library
would make an appropriate theme as described in your text.
T F 5. The kindergarten curriculum is planned around a letter each week. This is appropriate
theme planning as described in your text.
T F 6. ‘Cows are mammals’, is an example of a fact.
T F 7. Hands-on-activities and firsthand experiences mean the same thing.
T F 8. Themes should last about one week each.
T F 9. To achieve maximum efficiency and to make sure to secure the props they need,
teachers should plan a year of themes in advance.
T F 10. Children’s books, textbooks, and the internet are all useful resources for developing
TFPs related to a theme.
Chapter 16 Multiple Choice Questions
Circle the best answer.
11. Which of the following is the most suitable theme for preschool age children?
a. Predicting the weather
b. Electricity
c. Plants in the classroom
d. Gravity
12. Which of the following is an example of a theme that could be used with kindergarten
children?
a. A series of mathematics games in which children use play money to learn addition and
subtraction.
b. A series of aesthetic, cognitive, social, and language activities that center on the topic of
plants.
c. A series of art activities in which children make posters to demonstrate how mixing paints
creates different colors.
d. A dramatic play activity in which teachers and parents supply clothing from a variety of
cultures.
13. Which of the following themes would be LEAST appropriate for a group of 4-year-olds who
live in the inner city?
a. Family
b. Birds
c. Community Helpers
d. The Farm
14. Using essential theme criteria, which would be the most appropriate theme for a group of
suburban preschool- age children living in Michigan?
a. Pockets
b. Santa Claus
c. Vehicles
d. The Dessert
15. Select the alternative that has the most appropriate sequence of activities for the teacher to
prepare a thematic unit:
a. Find an exciting prop, select a theme to go with it, generate relevant content and activities.
b. Observe the children, develop an idea around their interests, select a concept, generate
content, and generate possible activities to support that content.
c. Look though several activity books and get some ideas for aesthetics, generate some
content to go with them, then organize the unit.
d. With your colleagues generate 25 to 30 TFPs , create activities to support them, organize
the activities into a weekly plan that addresses the notions of balance and diversity.
16. Which of the following is an example of a project approach activity for a preschool class?
a. A class spends several days on various activities about the plumbing in their building,
including a field trip to the basement to see how the water heater works.
b. At 9 AM every day, half the children in the class do sorting and counting activities while
the other half work on an art project. After 20 minutes the groups switch.
c. All the children who are ready for literacy activities work in a group; those who are not
ready play with the blocks.
d. The children work together painting a large cardboard box that they can use in pretend
play to represent anything they want.
17. Which of the following statements accurately describes the role holidays play in theme
development?
a. Holidays should be incorporated primarily through arts and crafts activities.
b. Holidays should be avoided whenever possible.
c. Holidays should be incorporated into broader concepts meaningful to the children.
d. Holiday activities should be limited to the week in which the holiday actually occurs.
18. Which of the following should be considered when selecting a theme for a particular group
of children?
a. The relevance of the topic to the children.
b. The availability of resources.
c. Curriculum requirements.
d. a and b
e. All of the above
19. Which of the following statements describes the Project Approach?
a. An in-depth study of a real world topic.
b. An elaborate arts and crafts activity that lasts several days.
c. A cooperative activity that is too big or too complicated for any one child to do alone.
d. An activity in which children and teachers cooperate to achieve a common goal.
20. Which part of the Project Approach is happening when the children discuss their experiences
with a topic, then represent their understandings in a variety of ways?
a. Exploratory Phase
b. Phase I
c. The Body of the Project
d. Phase II
e. The Assessment Phase
f. Phase III
21. The children share what they have learned with others. Which part of the Project Approach
is this?
a. Exploratory Phase
b. Phase I
c. The Body of the Project
d. Phase II
e. The Assessment Phase
f. Phase III
22. Which of the following is NOT an essential criteria for selecting a theme?
a. Relevance
b. Hands-on activities
c. Unexpected happenings
d. Potential for project work
23. Field notes include which of the following elements?
a. Words
b. Pictures
c. Symbols
d. a & c
e. All the above
24. Which of the following experiences is most important for every theme?
a. Field trips
b. Hands-on-activities
c. First-hand experiences
d. Relevant visitors
25. What is the best way to find out what children understand about a thematic topic?
1. Observe the children at play
2. Discuss the concept with children
3. Document children’s drawings and constructions
4. Make a web of relevant content using relevant resource materials
a. All the above
b. 2
c. 1, 2 & 3
d. 1, 3 & 4
26. What benefits of thematic teaching do children experience but are NOT available in other
approaches?
1. Opportunities for in-depth investigation of a topic
2. Enhanced concept development
3. A variety of learning experiences across domains
4. Hands-on-learning
a. All the above
b. 2
c. 1 & 2
d. 1, 3 & 4
Chapter 16 Short Answer Questions
Give a short, concise answer to each statement.
27. What is the diagram that adults and children create to identify various elements of a theme-
related topic?
28. Briefly describe the process involved in creating an information base for a theme.
29. Describe what is meant when we say teachers should achieve balance and diversity across
the curriculum in terms of theme planning?
30. List 3 ways in which one might determine how and what children are learning about a
theme/project.
31. Identify the phases of the Project Approach and briefly define each.
Chapter 16 Essay Questions
Give complete responses to each statement.
32. Describe what criteria you would use to decide whether or not to plan a theme on insects for
the children in the kindergarten class with whom you work?
33. Identify 3 pitfalls/drawbacks to theme planning and how you would avoid these in your own
early childhood setting.
34. Consider the theme Plants. How might a plant theme for a three-year-old class look different
from a plant theme for a group of second graders? Provide examples and a rationale for your
answer.
Chapter 16:
Short Answer: Give a short, concise answer to each statement.
Essay: Give complete responses to each statement.