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