| Regardless of what methodology you normally | | | | your child read a book about the topic then write |
| use for your homeschool, unit studies can provide | | | | a narrative telling you about what he/she read in |
| you with a nice break from the norm sometimes. | | | | the book. |
| They are especially nice whenever you're trying | | | | (3.) Science - Sometimes a unit study lends itself |
| to teach your child(ren) to think a little more | | | | quite easily to science, but other times you'll find |
| about how the different parts of life actually fit | | | | yourself having to work a little bit harder. For |
| together, and they can also give you a break | | | | instance, a unit study on bugs will let you off the |
| whenever you're faced with the doldrums. | | | | hook since the entire unit study is about science. |
| So, how do you decide what subjects to persue | | | | However, if you are doing a unit study about |
| whenever you're ready to do a unit study? Well, | | | | ancient Egypt then you may need to take some |
| take a look at your child and see what he/she is | | | | time to look at the creations of the Egyptian |
| deeply interested in. Those are the subjects to | | | | engineers, study mummification, think about |
| pursue with your unit studies. Another way to | | | | ancient medicine, or consider the tools that the |
| decide what would make a great unit study is to | | | | Egyptians used to do their work. |
| look through your year's studies and notice if | | | | (4.) Social Studies or Geography - This may be |
| there are any "holes" in subject matter that you | | | | your main topic, but if it isn't, then you'll need to |
| think should be filled. Once you find that "hole," | | | | work some information into your topic. Some |
| you can find a unit study on that topic, and take | | | | questions that can help you here include: Where |
| a week or two to teach it. For instance, if your | | | | was your topic first seen or invented? What |
| child finds black holes fascinating, but your science | | | | culture surrounded the time or event? Where did |
| text book covers them in just a paragraph or | | | | this take place? You may also want to learn more |
| two, then there is the perfect opportunity to do | | | | about the people of that time period and place. |
| a unit study on astronomy. | | | | (5.) Art - Take time to draw, build, act, design or |
| Once you've figured out what you'd like to do a | | | | create. You could design a Roman mosaic, sketch |
| unit study on, all you need is a little time and | | | | an insect's genetic makeup, build a temple from |
| creativity, and you can create your own unit | | | | clay or LEGOs, create a tapestry to illustrate the |
| studies. Assembling your own curriculum around | | | | unit that you're studying (felt shapes work for |
| one topic sounds difficult, but if this wasn't the | | | | quick tapestries when needlepoint takes way too |
| case, then educational companies such as | | | | long), or paint the flowers that you're learning |
| "Teacher Created Materials" wouldn't publish and | | | | about. |
| sell as many great unit studies as they do. | | | | (6.) Music - Sometimes music fits into a unit study |
| There are 2 main drawbacks to designing your | | | | nicely. For instance, you could always listen to |
| own unit studies. First of all, it takes time. If | | | | some folk music while you explore the civil unrest |
| you're a busy parent, this could be enough of a | | | | of the 1960s. However, if you're studying |
| reason to take a trip to your nearest teachers' | | | | something more scientific, then you may need to |
| supply store with your credit card in hand. | | | | work a little harder to fit music into that unit |
| Secondly, it may require access to a couple of | | | | study. |
| grade-level subject books (ie science, language | | | | (7.) History - Adding history to a unit study should |
| arts, or math) so that you know which skills are | | | | be relatively easy, regardless of the topic. You |
| typically covered at a particular grade level. If you | | | | could simply research when an event began or an |
| have a good library with an educational books | | | | item was invented or you could talk about the |
| department, then you may also have the perfect | | | | events and times that affected an item's inventor. |
| excuse to spend a long Saturday with a pocket | | | | (8.) Physical Education - Here again, you may need |
| full of change at the library with a stack of books. | | | | to be a bit creative. However, when you discover |
| Another idea is that if you have a good set of | | | | that physical education fits into your unit study, |
| Internet research skills, you can spend your | | | | then you should definitely use it! For instance, if |
| Saturday tucked away at home. | | | | you're studying the ancient Greeks, then you |
| Now that we see the drawbacks, what are the | | | | could run footraces like they did. |
| benefits of a unit study? You can teach whatever | | | | If you're still not certain what to do for your very |
| your heart desires. Plus, if you decide to create | | | | first unit study, try "following" your child(ren) |
| your own unit study, you'll find that it is cheaper | | | | around for a couple days and watch what they |
| and more economical than tracking down a | | | | do. For instance, if your child spends all of his/her |
| pre-made unit study. Furthermore, nobody knows | | | | time engrossed in books, then think about a |
| your child as well as you do, and therefore | | | | literature-based unit study (ie how books are |
| nobody can prepare a unit study for your child as | | | | made). On the other hand, your child may spend |
| well as you can. | | | | his/her time outside digging for rocks. Then why |
| Whenever you're creating your own unit study, | | | | not do an archeology or rocks and minerals unit |
| you need to keep in mind that your unit study | | | | study? |
| needs to cover all of the subjects that you'd | | | | Of course, there are some topics that you can |
| normally teach, unless you plan to skip a specific | | | | use numerous times as your child(ren) grows |
| subject and keep working through your regular | | | | older. These include: |
| curriculum for that subject. However, to create a | | | | (1.) Animals, horses, or mammals |
| complete unit study, you need to include the first | | | | (2.) Baseball, basketball, fencing, or sports in |
| 2 subjects from the following list and as many of | | | | general |
| the other subjectss as you can logically fit in | | | | (3.) Cooking or catering (which may include |
| there too. Now for the list: | | | | business and economics information) |
| (1.) Math - You need to create math problems at | | | | (4.) Kites |
| your child's level. For instance, if you're working | | | | (5.) Flight |
| with a young child on a unit study about baseball, | | | | (6.) Transportation |
| then you can practice addition with bats and balls, | | | | (7.) Weather |
| write a story problem that talks about number of | | | | (8.) Historical cultures (ie medieval history, ancient |
| pitches thrown until the team reached the final | | | | Egypt, etc.) |
| out, etc. However, older children would need | | | | The spark of a unit study is lit whenever your |
| something that is more on their level. For instance, | | | | child(ren) mentions an interest. Whenever they do, |
| you may discuss the speed of the bat, distance | | | | you need to write it down somewhere. Keep a |
| the ball travels, or the number of hot dogs that | | | | running list of interests and you'll soon have more |
| individual team fans eat. | | | | than you'll know what to do with. However, even |
| (2.) Language Arts - This area includes reading, | | | | if your child only shows a deep interest in one or |
| comprehension, grammar and writing skills. While | | | | two topics, you should take time to explore |
| you don't need to include every one of these | | | | those. You may discover that you're able to |
| items in every unit study that you write, you | | | | create several unit studies based on the first one |
| should have your child write something about the | | | | as new interests are developed. |
| topic. A great suggestion here would be to have | | | | |