Mini-Theme Unit: Camping
Instructions
Understanding Your Theme Unit
The Camping theme unit includes a variety of fun and engaging activities to
use during circle, centers, independent work, and group activity times. The
focus of this theme unit includes:
• Camping-related activities, games, vocabulary words, and concepts
• Art and cooking activities with a camping theme
• Learning in groups
• Working with a partner
Use this theme as part of a comprehensive behavioral curriculum (The STAR Program). All students will benefit
from direct instruction focused on teaching essential skills in receptive and expressive language, academics and
social/play skills. The activities in the theme unit can assist instructors with generalizing and expanding skills
students have learned in more structured teaching sessions. All activities provided throughout the theme unit
address a wide range of student skill levels.
A Few Easy Steps for Successful Theme Unit Instruction
Camping
Month:
MONDAY
WEEK 1
CIRCLE
GROUP
WEEK 2
CIRCLE
GROUP
WEEK 3
CIRCLE
GROUP
WEEK 4
CIRCLE
GROUP
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY
Fisherman,
Scaven- Fisherman, Where
Camping Roll and Camping
ger Hunt
Is Your Fish?
Graph
Art:
Cooking:
Game:
Marshmallow
You
Camping Memory A Campfire
Painting
Can Eat
Game
Fisherman,
Scaven- Fisherman, Where
Camping Roll and Camping
ger Hunt
Is Your Fish?
Graph
Game:
Hungry Camper
Game
Cooking:
Beans and Franks
Art:
Fireflies in a Jar
Fisherman,
Scaven- Fisherman, Where
Camping Roll and Camping
ger Hunt
Is Your Fish?
Graph
Art:
Game:
Cooking:
Marshmallows
Forest Animal or
S’more on a Stick Over a Campfire
Camping Supply?
Fisherman,
Scaven- Fisherman, Where
Camping Roll and Camping
ger Hunt
Is Your Fish?
Graph
Art:
Cooking:
Popsicle Stick
Game:
Trail Mix
Tent
Let’s Go Fishing
THURSDAY
FRIDAY
What Time Is It,
Mr. Sun?
Marshmallow
Toss
Book:
Maisy Goes
Camping
Video:
A Camping We
Will Go
What Time Is It,
Mr. Sun?
Marshmallow
Toss
Book:
Little Critters: Just
Me and My Dad
Video:
Catch a Fish
What Time Is It,
Mr. Sun?
Marshmallow
Toss
Book:
Biscuit Goes
Camping
Video:
S’mores
What Time Is It,
Mr. Sun?
Marshmallow
Toss
Book:
Peppa Pig and the
Camping Trip
Video:
Camping Show
© Star Autism Support 2017.
1.Follow the suggested Monthly Calendar for activities focusing on campingthemed vocabulary and concepts.
2.Introduce the theme unit concepts during Circle and Group Activities. Using
the lessons provided, teach students important vocabulary and concepts that
will be used in centers and independent work.
3.Group Activities incorporate art, cooking, and games. Activities introduce and
practice the concepts taught throughout the theme unit.
Themes First! - Camping
Student Learning Outcomes
Theme vocabulary:
•Camping vocabulary
•Colors: Red, Yellow, Purple, Orange, Green, Brown
Social Skills:
•Turn-taking, waiting, sharing, asking questions, commenting, working
in a group
Camping Concepts:
•Safety, Vacation, Sharing, Conservation
© Star Autism Support 2017. Themes First! - Camping
Utilizing Learning Objectives
Each activity, lesson, worksheet, and task opens with a learning objective that clearly outlines the skills and
concepts reinforced in that specific piece of material. All objectives work off of learner-based outcomes in regard
to students’ individual skill levels. Learning objectives can be used to reinforce state and district educational
standards and individual IEP goals; they can also help maintain documentation of the skills and tasks students
exercise and master during these activities.
Circle
The circle activities and visuals include icons for calendar, songs, song-books and themed activities.
It is important to have a structured circle routine. View the “Circle Routine: Ideas and Visuals” in the STAR
media center. Once the circle routine and visual supports are in place, add more fun to circle time by
introducing new themes. Each theme unit includes circle song icons, books, and activities.
NAME OF ACTIVITY/VISUAL SUPPORT
PRINTABLE FORMS
CALENDAR DATE ICONS
• Campfire, Tent, Sleeping Bag, Flashlight
SONG ICONS/SONG BOOKS
Support student participation by providing
song choice icons and visual supports for
each song.
• Camping We Will Go
• Let’s Go Camping
CIRCLE ACTIVITIES
Use these activities to introduce the theme
and teach key vocabulary and concepts.
•
•
•
•
•
Icons for each day of the week to identify the date.
Includes repeating patterns. Contains 31 days so you can
customize the unit to suit your specific time frame.
THEME-RELATED VIDEOS
Use the following videos during circle to
introduce the concepts taught in this
theme unit.
THEME VOCABULARY
Introduce new vocabulary and concepts
through written and visual supports.
Camping Supplies: Tent, Sleeping Bag, Fishing Pole,
Firewood, Campfire, Binoculars, Flashlight, Pillow, Canteen,
Bug Spray, Lantern, Plate, Jar, Compass
Camping Roll and Graph
Camping Scavenger Hunt
Fisherman, Fisherman, Where Is Your Fish?
What Time Is It, Mr. Sun?
Marshmallow Toss
See circle activities page for a link to videos.
We recommend that you preview the
YouTube videos prior to student viewing
to ensure appropriate content as video links
can break or change. Also be advised ads
may appear within the videos.
Food: Ice Cream, Snow Cone, Hot Dog, Watermelon,
Popsicle, Hamburger, S’mores, Graham Crackers,
Marshmallows, Chocolate, Lemonade
Nature: Mountains, Forest, Lake, River, Starry Sky, Tree, Den,
Cave, Sun
Colors: Red, Yellow, Purple, Orange, Green, Brown
Camping Food: Hamburger, Hot Dog, Marshmallows,
Graham Crackers, Chocolate, Beans and Franks,
Marshmallow on a Stick Animals: Squirrel, Fox, Snake, Fish,
Bear, Owl, Ant, Raccoon, Skunk, Rabbit, Lightning Bug, Bird
© Star Autism Support 2017. Themes First! - Camping
Group Activities
A variety of group activities are included that incorporate cooking, art, and games.
Small group activities are a great way to build a positive classroom climate and teach social skills. Providing
structure during these activities will create clear expectations for students and promote independence.
Refer to the Small Group Activity routine ideas located in the STAR Media Center for additional ideas.
NAME OF ACTIVITY/VISUAL SUPPORT
PRINTABLE FORMS
GAME: CAMPING MEMORY GAME
(Memory game using camping images)
Camping Memory Game
GAME: FOREST ANIMAL OR CAMPING SUPPLY?
(Sorting game using camping concepts)
Forest Animal or Camping
Supply?
GAME: HUNGRY CAMPER GAME
(Matching game using camping images)
Hungry Camper Game
GAME: LET’S GO FISHING
(Color matching game using camping concepts)
Let’s Go Fishing
ART: MARSHMALLOW PAINTING
Marshmallow Painting
(Art project in which students create their own art using marshmallows)
ART: FIREFLIES IN A JAR
(Art project in which students create their own jar of fireflies)
Fireflies in a Jar
ART: MARSHMALLOWS OVER A CAMPFIRE
(Art project in which students create their own campfire)
Marshmallows Over a Campfire
ART: POPSICLE STICK TENT
Popsicle Stick Tent
COOKING: A CAMPFIRE YOU CAN EAT
(Students assemble a snack inspired by campfire)
A Campfire You Can Eat
COOKING: BEANS AND FRANKS
Beans and Franks
COOKING: S’MORE ON A STICK
(Students make mini s’mores)
S’more on a Stick
COOKING: TRAIL MIX
(Students make this classic camping snack)
Trail Mix
(Art project in which students make their own tent out of popsicle sticks)
(Students follow a simple recipe to make this classic camping dish)
THEME-RELATED BOOKS 1. Maisy Goes Camping by Lucy Cousins
2. Little Critters: Just Me and My Dad by Mercer Mayer
3. Biscuit Goes Camping by Alyssa Satin Capucilli
4. Peppa Pig and the Camping Trip by Candlewick Press
5. S is for S’mores by Helent Foster James and Lita Judge
© Star Autism Support 2017. Themes First! - Camping