Literature illuminates the human side of important issues and offers powerful opportunities to enhance literacy instruction.
Many teachers consider themed literature units to be important components of a literacy program.
However, some units developed by publishers or teachers still reflect only superficial integration of literature with substantive conceptual learning. Basing literature units on a foundation of a meaningful theme and its important concepts and generalizations is one way to promote more cohesive and meaningful learning. This article will guide you through the process of developing a themed literature unit to enhance literacy instruction. We will examine the key elements of themes, outline the steps for creating a unit, and present two sample units. As used in this article, a theme explores the human dimensions of any important topic.