Chapter four discusses topics, themes, concepts and big ideas which are all way of planning and teaching a unit. In social studies topics are clear and concise ideas that define a unit. Topics are usually people, places or events with specific facts on that particular topic. Themes is a topical way to teach social studies with several topics under one theme. Themes allow for integration across the curriculum and allow students to see connections between subjects. Concepts are like themes however they focus on social studies and not integration across the curriculum. Concepts focus on ideas, facts and examples that allow teachers to activate and reinforce prior knowledge all while allowing for connections. The Big Idea is "important, engaging, thought-provoking, and transferable within, across and beyond the curriculum. In our integrated units I believe that building our integrated unit around a theme will best suit the purpose for out activity. Using the idea of themes will allow us to integrate other subjects and be able to pull in other ideas rather than just focus on one topic.
("Task 1" from Teaching Social Studies A Literacy-Based Approach by Schell and Fisher)
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