Somerset High School
Bellflower, California

[ Table of Contents | Exemplary Programs Page | CCEA Home ]

Somerset High School has experienced much success over the past seven or eight years through the usage of schoolwide learning programs such as essay writings, spelling practices and tests, various health issues, and Red Ribbon Week. Because these efforts have been, and continue to be so successful, the school has developed and implemented a regularly scheduled and more structured Schoolwide Thematic Learning Program to incorporate a wide range of appropriate topics for more intensive study by all students.

The Somerset High School calendar is a year-round schedule with four seasons. Each

session features a schoolwide thematic unity of study. All stakeholders and students are invited to submit themes from which the Thematic Committee members select. Committee members explore instructional materials with the intent of developing lessons appropriate to all subject areas. Some subjects suggested are: the Civil War, Vocational Career Opportunities, the Vietnam War, Life

Skills Mathematics, the Three Branches of Government, Federal and State Income Taxation, the Solar System, among others.

An example of a Thematic Learning Program is the in-depth study of various United States monuments and memorials that are so much a part of our history and traditions; a subject which seems appropriate in light of the events of the past months. The three- day event features the study of the Statue of Liberty and the various monuments found on the mall in Washington D.C. as well as Mount Rushmore. All teachers have developed appropriate subject area lesson plans related to this overall theme.

We believe that this program not only enhances student understanding of the thematic topic, it also offers an opportunity for small-group activities, individual projects, classroom discussions, and demonstrations of learning through alternative means. There is little budgetary impact from this program as the major resources are current textbooks, the Internet, and supplemental materials already on hand. Some minor additional coast is in the area of duplicating materials for students and teachers.

While this program does take away approximately twelve days yearly from the regular classroom work, the educational benefits to the students far outweigh this loss as it is clear that real learning takes place when students are involved together on a schoolwide basis.