(i) The objectives of a unit must be stated very clearly and the unit should contribute to the achievement of stated objectives. A unit is expected to contribute in the development of problem solving skills, democratic behaviour, group action skills, significant concepts and understandings.
(ii) A good unit is one that includes sizeable topic related to the requirements and interests of students.
(iii) The unit should emerge out of the pervious experiences of the child.
(iv) A good unit must help to broaden interests and training experiences of the child and to the continuity of child’s learning
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(v) It should include various activities, materials and different modes of expression in order to meet the individual needs of the children.
(vi) It should provide opportunities of creative experiences.
(vii) It should allow the free use of text-books and other learning materials.
(viii) It should be in accordance with the mental level of the students.
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(ix) It should include various audio-visual aids.
(x) It should contribute sufficient learning.
Phases and Functions Developing Units
The three important phases of developing units are:
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(i) Introductory phase,
(ii) Presentation phase, and
(iii) Concluding phase.
Functions
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The two important functions are:
(i) It helps the teacher to break up the whole years work into a smaller number of units, and
(ii) It entails the procedures to be used in developing units.
Problems in Constructing Units
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(i) For planning a unit the teacher should be familiar with various types of units which can be developed and used.
(ii) The teacher should be familiar with the basis of selection of units.
(iii) Before adopting the units to class needs, the teacher must know the nature of learning activities which are used in different kinds of units.
(iv) After selection of unit there is problem of developing and understanding essential steps. The philosophies of education be used for unit planning
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Classification of Units
Mainly the units may be classified as:
(i) Subject matter units,
(ii) Experience units, and
(iii) Resource units.
Steps in Unit Planning
The three important steps in unit planning are:
(i) Introducing or initiating the unit,
(ii) Developing the unit, and
(iii) Culminating the unit.
(i) Introducing the unit
Its purpose is to orient motivate the students and to initiate the work of the unit. During this step the main objectives are
(i) To emphasise the significant aspects of the unit.
(ii) To correlate new work with previous experiences of the child.
(iii) To make clear the relationship of unit to the work of the course.
(iv) To make an overview of the whole unit.
(ii) Developing the Unit
It aims at the attainment of the objectives set for the unit. It is devoted to learning experience so as to attain the objectives. Teacher should see that the learning experiences are unified and integrated and this period may be characterised as a period of functional learning.
Culminating the Unit
It aims at retouching and remedial work self-evaluation etc. In this step the work of the unit is integrated.
(i) It helps in growth and development of activities and skills, in critical thinking, problem solving, discussing, reporting and experimenting.
(ii) It leaves a lasting impression of relationships, concepts etc.
(iii) It has significant content.
(iv) It involves students in learning process.
(v) It minimises individual differences among children because it provides on logically arranged system of instructions.
(vi) It modifies the behaviour of the students to such an extent that he can cope with new problems and situation more competently.
(vii) It fixes attention on important details of the specific subject.