COMPONENTS IN DESIGNING INTEGRATED THEMATIC UNITS

A. Classification of Instructional Objectives

Instructional Objectives (also known as behavioral objectives or learning objectives) are
statement’s that describe what learner’s shall be able to do upon completion of a given learning
experience. These are the objectives formulated by teachers for a particular lesson or unit of
study that drive the performance of learner’s. Essentially, instructional objectives are the actual
behaviors that the learners are expected to accomplished.
Cognitive Domain (knowledge-based). This refers to the intellectual operation from the
lowest level of simple recall of information to complex, high-level thinking process.
Original Bloom’s Taxonomy of Cognitive Domain (1956)

 Level 1 – Knowledge. It involves the recall of specifics and universals, the recall of
methods and processes, or the recall of a pattern, structure, or setting.
 Level 2 – Comprehension. It refers to a type of understanding or apprehension such that
the individual knows what is being communicated and can make use of the material or
idea being communicated without necessarily relating to other material or seeing its
fullest implications.
 Level 3 – Applications. It refers to the “use of abstractions in particular and concrete
situations.”
 Level 4 – Analysis. It represents the “breakdown of a communication into its
constituent elements or parts such that the relative hierarchy of ideas is made
clear and/or the relations between ideas expressed are made explicit.”
 Level 5 – Synthesis. It involves the “putting together of elements and parts so as
to form a whole.”
 Level 6 – Evaluation. It engenders “judgments about the value of material and
methods for given purposes.”
Revised Bloom’s Taxonomy of Cognitive Domain (2001)
Affective Domain (Emotional-based). Describe the way people react emotionally and their
ability to feel other living things’ pain or joy. Affective objectives typically target the
awareness and growth in attitudes, emotions, and feelings.
The Taxonomy of the Affective Domain
 Receiving. It is the lowest level of the affective domain. It is simply the awareness of
feelings and emotions. It involves passively paying attention and being aware of the
existence of certain ideas, material, or phenomena. Without this level, no learning can
occur. If information is never received and cannot be remembered.
Examples: Listening attentively to someone, watching a movie, listening to a lecture,
watching waves crash on the sand.
 Responding. This level involves actively participating in the learning process. You are not
only aware of a stimulus, but you react or respond to it in some way.
Examples: Having a conversation, participating in a group discussion, giving a
presentation, complying with procedures, or following directions.
 Valuing. The ability to see the worth of something and express it. Valuing is concerned
with the worth you attach to a particular object, phenomenon, behavior, or piece of
information.
Examples: Proposing a plan to improve team skills, supporting ideas to increase
proficiency, or informing leaders of possible issues.
 Organizing. Involves putting together different values, information, and ideas then
relating them to already held beliefs to bring it into an internally consistent philosophy.
The focus of this level is on comparing, relating, and assessing values to create that
unique value system.
Examples: Spending more time studying than playing sports, recognizing the need for
balance between work and family, or prioritizing time effectively to meet goals.
 Characterizing. The highest of the affective domain. It is about internalizing values. It
means acting consistently in accordance with the set of values you have internalized and
your characterization or philosophy about life. Essentially, you internalize values and let
them control or guide your behavior.
Examples: You spend time with your family, you reframe from using profanity, and you
make friend based on personality and not looks.
Psychomotor Domain (Action-based). It is specific to physical function, reflex actions and
body movements to interpret information and learn. It implies that physical activity supports
or is a vehicle for cognitive growth and furthering knowledge or skills. The learners use
physical action to achieve a cognitive or affective objective.
The Taxonomy of the Psychomotor Domain
B. Preparing Instructional Objectives
As instructional process becomes successful when a well-organized list of instructional
objectives is prepared. It satisfies two goals:
a) To obtain a complete list of instructional objectives.
b) To state the learning objectives clearly so that it will indicate the expected learning
outcomes.
Instructional objectives in the learning process can be divided into two types:
a) General Instructional Objectives. It is a goal or intended learning outcomes stated in
general enough terms. It includes a set of specific objectives in it.
b) Specific Learning Objectives. A goal or aim serving as a guide for a teaching unit,
directed toward the eventual achievement of a general objective. It is stated in terms of
specific and observable pupil performance. It describes the specific behavior, a learner
will exhibit after learning a particular unit.
Characteristics of Instructional Objectives
 Specific
Objectives are very specific. It should describe exactly what the learner is expected to do.
 Outcome Based
Objectives are outcome based. Objectives is going to state what the leaner should be able to
do after the instruction is complete. The process of how the instruction happens is not
considered in an objective.
 Measurable
Objectives should describe learning outcomes that can be measured; objectives should be
seen or heard.
 Describe Student Behavior
Objectives describe student behaviors. Objectives should relate what the students should be
able to do after the instruction.
Writing S.M.A.R.T Objectives
Before training is designed, instructional designers first identify the instructional objectives
of the course. Instructional objectives are measurable terms that describe what learners will
be able to do after the instruction. It is essential to have clearly outline instructional
objectives to make sure that what is taught in the courses matches the intended outcome.
The acronym S.M.A.R.T is used to remember the guideline for writing clear objectives.

 Specific (says exactly what the learner will be able to do). Instructional objectives
should precisely describe what is expected of a learner.
 Measurable (can be observed by the end of the training session). A measurable
instructional objective is one that can be observed or one that generates data points.
 Attainable (for the participants within scheduled time and specified conditions).
Learners cannot feel defeated by the intended outcomes of the learning objectives.
Instructional objectives should not ask learners to prove themselves under unfeasible
circumstances. Give learners ample time to prove their new skills.
 Relevant ((to the needs of the participant and the organization). Most learners do
not care about learning things that they cannot use right away. The information
presented in the course and the outcomes should be relevant to their personal lives or
day to day work.
 Time-framed (achievable by the end of the training session). Learners need a
deadline for when they should achieve and demonstrate the use of the skill set. One
month is the time-frame for the objective mentioned above. A learning objective that is
 not time-framed gives learners the false impression that they have an indefinite
amount of time to learn the skill and apply it.
Four Fundamentals of Good Objectives

 Audience. Does the statement clearly define who the learner is? Since the purpose of
an objective is to define the outcome of a learning experience, it is important to
specifically define who the learner is.
 Behavior. Does the statement clearly define what the leaner will be doing after
completing the learning sequence? The behavior component of the objective
emphasizes the observable behavior that will occur after the learner completes the
instruction. This will identify the type of performance that will be used as evidence to
show that the learner has reached the objective.
 Condition. Does the statement clearly describe the condition under which the learner
is expected to perform? When stating objectives, it is important that you include the
condition in which performance is to be observed. Condition is the setting or
circumstance the learner will be in at the time of assessment.
 Degree. Does the statement set the degree or standard of acceptable performance?
The final criterion of a well stated objective is the standard by which acceptable
performance is measured. The clarity and communication of the objective is enhanced
greatly by specifying how well (to what degree) the learner will be able to perform. By
specifying at least, the minimum acceptable performance, a standard will be developed
by which to judge the instructional program.
C. Choosing Themes
Theme is a topic of interest that provides the core for group activities.
Themes serve as reference points in conceptualizing, analyzing, synthesizing, and consolidating
learning experiences for a given unit.
Be guided by the questions below in selecting a theme for a unit of study (Kellough, 2003).
a. Is the theme within the realm of understanding and experience of the teachers involved?
b. Will the theme be of interest to all members of the teaching team?
c. Are there sufficient materials and resources to supply the needed information?
d. Does the theme lend itself to active learning experiences?
e. Can the theme lead to a unit of proper duration; that is not too short and not too long?
f. Is the theme helpful, worthwhile and pertinent to the instructional objectives?
g. Is the theme one with which teachers are not ready so familiar that they cannot share in
the excitement of the learning?
h. Will the theme of interests to students and will motivate them to do their best?
D. Organizing Bodies of Knowledge
Organizing bodies of the knowledge drawn from multiple disciplines is the key to effective
instruction. These are topics that combines facts, concepts, generalizations, and the
relationships among them. In planning thematic units, the content of instruction could be
presented this way.
Note:
Organized body of knowledge are not just concepts, although concepts are building blocks that
support them and even form the basis for their organized structure.
E. Teaching Approaches
The approach that an educator takes in the classroom is as individual as their accent: it is a
culmination of their background, context and personal preference. A teacher may use any
combination of these different methods, and may change their approach depending on context,
teaching phase and the content they are delivering.
Very broadly speaking, teaching approaches can be split into two different categories: teacher-
centered and child-centered. However, many teachers will draw on elements of both of these.
The teacher-centered model positions the teacher as the expert in charge of imparting
knowledge to his or her students via lectures or direct instruction. In this setting, students are
sometimes described as “empty vessels,” listening to and absorbing information.

 Lecture
The lecture style puts the teacher at the front of the classroom, delivering the content,
while the students take notes. Sometimes referred to as “chalk and talk”, a modern
lecture might also include visual images, written notes on a handout, or a display of key
points on a projector or whiteboard.
 Direct instruction
In this approach, the teacher delivers the content by explicitly explaining a concept,
rather than relying upon the student to discover the information on their own. They will
give examples of what they mean and what they don’t mean, and check understanding
through questioning. Direct instruction will usually lead into guided practice activities,
before students begin independent practice.
 Scaffolding
Scaffolding involves offering targeted support to help students complete independent
work. This might take the form of sentence prompts, mind maps, essay plans or teacher-
led explanations of the thought processes behind an idea. Types of scaffolds vary
depending on the phase or focus of the class.
 Questioning
Questioning occurs in both teacher-centered and child-centered approaches, but the
types of questions may differ. With a teacher-led approach, questioning may be used
primarily to monitor students’ understanding and correct misconceptions. Types of
questioning technique might include: cold-call questioning, dialogic questioning, oral-drill
questions, open questions, closed questions and questioning using the Bloom’s
Taxonomy of remembering, applying and evaluating. Hinge questions and key questions
could be planned as key formative assessment points; if students are unable to answer
these questions, teachers can plan re-teaching to eliminate misconceptions.
 Drilling
The term ”drilling” refers to the use of repetition to support the memorization of
information. It might involve: call and response (sometimes called choral response) or
repeated practice of written responses.

Child-centered approaches, on the other hand, emphasize the child’s role in the learning
process. In these approaches, the child may be given the opportunity to decide what is learned,
how it is learned and where the learning takes place.
 Inquiry-based learning
In inquiry-based learning the teacher sets the students a task, or poses a question, and
then facilitates them in their discovery of information. The teacher may provide students
with books or technology needed to uncover the information. They may also teach the
thinking skills needed to determine whether information is reliable or relevant.
Inquiry-based learning may be split into four categories: confirmation inquiry, structured
inquiry, guided enquiry and open inquiry.
 Questioning
With a child-centered approach, questioning in the classroom often prioritizes critical
thinking skills. Teachers may refer to Bloom’s Taxonomy in their questioning to
encourage students to draw on what are known as “higher order” thinking skills - asking
students to analyses or evaluate, rather than simply recall information.
  Expeditionary-based learning
In this approach, students go outside the classroom to find real-world examples of what
they’re learning about. For instance, if students are learning about coastal patterns, they
might go to the coast to try to observe these patterns for themselves.
 Pair work and group work
Activities in which students work together in pairs or small groups may be used in
teacher-led classrooms. However, these activities are more often prioritized by teachers
who favor a child-led approach. In pair work or group work the students work
collaboratively on an activity with peers. The make-up of the groups may be decided by
the teacher or chosen by the students. The teacher may take on the role of facilitator,
while the students are in charge of their own learning.
 Personalized learning
When a teacher adopts a “personalized learning” approach, students are given the
freedom to choose their learning method for themselves, and then produce their own work
in a form of their choosing. The teacher may even give the freedom of allowing the
students to choose their topic and make choices based on their own prior learning and
interests.
 Project-based learning
Project-based learning is when students work independently of the teacher to solve a
problem or respond to a question, over a period of time. The teacher may set a task or
students might devise their own task under guidance from the teacher. The project could
last a week or as long as a half-term.
F. Graphic Organizers
A graphic organizer is a visual display that demonstrates relationships between facts, concepts
or ideas. It specifically guides the user's thinking as they build up and fill in the graphic
organizer.
Benefits of Graphic Organizers

 Helps students to classify ideas and examine relationships

 Improves students' reading comprehension by making information digestible
Here are some graphic organizer examples:
1. Circle Map Graphic Organizer
A circle map graphic organizer is used to explain related concepts or brainstorm ideas.
There is one large circle in this organizer and one small circle inside it. The main topic is
defined in the small circle, and then the large circle is filled with related information.
2. Spider Map Graphic Organizer
A graphic organizer used to describe the attributes and functions of a central idea or
theme. Each central theme has four or more branches to organize details, resembling a
spider.
3. Idea Web Graphic Organizer
The idea web graphic organizer is a combination of two spider maps. It's basically a
comparison organizer that defines differences and similarities between topics.
4. Concept Map Graphic Organizer
A concept map is a visual organizer that can enrich students' understanding of a new
concept.
5. Venn Diagram Graphic Organizer
A Venn diagram is a graphic organizer that compares and contrasts two (or more) ideas
6. Tree Chart Graphic Organizer
 Tree chart is a type of graphic organizer that shows how items are related to one another.
The tree's trunk represents the main topic, and the branches represent relevant facts,
factors, influences, traits, outcomes, etc.
7. Organizational Chart Graphic Organizer
An organizational chart is a visual representation of a company's internal structure. Also
known as organograms or org charts, these assets show how teams and departments are
organized, showcase relationships across an organization, and each individual's role and
responsibilities.
8. Sequence of Events Chain Graphic Organizer
Chain diagrams, also called sequence of events diagrams, are a type of graphic organizer
that describe the stages or steps in a process.
9. Cause and Effect Map Graphic Organizer
A cause-and-effect graphic organizer is a fantastic tool that helps students organize and
internalize complex information and ideas. With this technique, you can figure out any
cause's effects and any effect's causes. It visually represents the relationship between
ideas or events.
10. Timeline Chart Graphic Organizer
A timeline is a type of graphic organizer that shows specific events in sequence, usually
with dates, in a linear fashion. Timelines are particularly useful for studying or reviewing
history, because the timeline will visually display major events over a period of time.
G. Study Skills
Study skills (academic skills or study strategies) are approaches applied to learning. Study
skills are an array of skills which tackle the process of organizing and taking in new information,
or dealing with assessments. In other words, study skills are the skills you need to enable you to
study and learn efficiently—they are an important set of transferable life skills.

There are Four Key points about Study Skills

1. You will develop your own personal approach to study and learning in a way that meets your
own individual needs. As you develop your study skills you will discover what works for you,
and what doesn't.
2. Study skills are not subject specific they are generic and can be used when studying any
area. You need to understand the concepts, theories and ideas surrounding your specific
subject area. To get the most out of your studies, however, you'll want to develop your study
skills.
3. You need to practice and develop your study skills. This will increase your awareness of how
you study and you'll become more confident. Once mastered, study skills will be beneficial
throughout your life.
4. Study skills are not just for students. Study skills are transferable - you will take them with
you beyond your education into new contexts. For example, organizational skills, time
management, prioritizing, learning how to analyze, problem solving, and the self-discipline
that is required to remain motivated. Study skills relate closely to the type of skills that
employers look for
What is the importance of Study Skills?
Study skills can increase your confidence, competence, and self-esteem. They can also reduce
anxiety about tests and deadlines. By developing effective study skills, you may be able to cut down
on the numbers of hours spend studying, leaving more time for other things in your life.
How to Improve Your Study Skills?

 Behavior modification can work for you

 Do not study more than an hour at a time without taking a break
 Do not study when you are tired.
 Use the best note-taking system for you.
 Memorize actively, not passively

H. Integrating Values
Values are integrated today in all learning areas in the elementary and secondary schools.
Values are the standards or criteria that we use in making judgments about whether something
is positive or negative, good or bad, pleasing or displeasing.
A channel of values development through the teaching-learning activities in the different
learning areas.
Values integration in all subject areas is a vital component of learning. We define learning as a
behavioral change of a person by acquiring new knowledge that we may encounter in our daily
life.
In teaching language subjects like English and Filipino as well as Math, Science, Araling
Panlipunan (Social Studies), Sibika (Civics), and MAPEH, we should always put values on our
lessons every time we teach. As teachers, we touch the lives of our students; we mold them to be
globally competitive citizens of our country and to help them to reach what they want to be in
the future. Keep in mind that our students might forget what we teach, like solving fractions,
and the governors-general during Spanish colonization, still they will always remember the
values that they’ve learned from us.
What is the importance of value integration in our education?
The integration of values in our education teaches deep understanding of different cultures of
the people and foster respect and appreciation. The main key to achieve harmonious
relationship between individuals’ despite of differences. Education is considered as a major
vehicle for inculcateting values among learners. It is a process of transmission of values, which
help them to lead a good life in accordance with societal aims. Therefore, value form an integral
part of the school curriculum.