We’ve used A LOT of curriculum over the years. Really good curriculum, mind you. But, when it comes to history and science in the elementary and middle school years, nothing has quite matched the success of unit studies in our homeschool.
The reasons? SO much learning can take place in a reasonable amount of time. We can read wonderful living literature, take amazing field trips, and include as many (or as few) hands-on projects as we like. We can include whatever lessons from other subjects that we like – research, writing, experiments, cooking, art, poetry – the possibilities are endless.
Unit studies can be fully planned from the beginning or flow based on students’ interests. They are wonderful to use with project-based learning. And, best of all, they can easily be used with multiple ages. In the articles that follow, you’ll find several unit study plans, how-to’s for creating your own unit studies, tutorials for project-based learning, and tips for successful interest-based studies. Have fun!
Eli and I have certainly enjoyed a meandering pace through Story of the World for history. Because we’re never rushed to move on to the next chapter, it provides plenty of time for rabbit trails when he shows special interest in a topic. One of those special interests this year was the Vikings. We had…
If you asked me to name a few things that have made THE most impact in our homeschool over the years, one of the answers I would give without hesitation is living literature. Many precious hours have been spent together around books. Those moments have built strong bonds between us, created warm memories, and sparked…
These Thanksgiving and gratitude living books have been favorites around our house for years. Some help explain the history of our Thanksgiving celebration, while others are just sweet stories with a Thanksgiving theme. And, yet others really have nothing to do with Thanksgiving, in particular, but focus in on a spirit of gratitude that’s such…
My children don’t typically jump for joy when given a writing assignment. Do yours? I’ve found several ways over the years to take writing from dreaded to enjoyable in our home, though. One of the most beloved of those ideas is writing newsletters. Several years ago, I wrote the monthly newsletter for our church. I…
Do history textbooks ever fit into a living literature-based homeschool? Of course they do! But, if we’re being honest, they often don’t fit in very well because dry text isn’t the name of the game in the Charlotte Mason style. Think about this, though. If we only used living literature when teaching history, for instance,…
I love to teach simple machines through hands-on, experimental lessons. While it took just a bit of time to gather materials, the engagement factor made this quick and simple unit study a hit with my children. Simple Machines Unit Study Before even reading the first book about simple machines, I set up some little centers…
We’re a Charlotte Mason homeschooling family, yet we enjoy learning history and science through unit studies. Can those two things go together? If you’re a Charlotte Mason purist, the answer is no. Remember, though, I’ve said for years that we are “eclectic Charlotte Mason homeschoolers with a dash of Classical education and unit studies thrown…
The study of astronomy with my 7 and 10 year old children was surprisingly fascinating! As usual, we used bits and pieces of this and that, with lots of living literature, a field trip and projects to learn tons about our solar system. I hope you find something useful to add to your own astronomy…
Studying the Middle Ages is so much fun! And, it really keeps the attention of my children with all the excitement of knights and castles and such. To keep our unit to six weeks, I pulled the best-of-the best hands-on ideas from the two reference books below. After adding in some living literature and a…
Westward Expansion Unit Study Our time spent learning about pioneers and the Westward Expansion was so full, fun and meaningful. As with most of our unit studies, this one was very literature-rich and included a healthy portion of project-based learning. What Did We Learn? I tried to pulled together a unit plan that was as…
Our history unit about slavery and the Civil War has been completed, and what a wonderfully rich unit it was! Slavery and Civil War Teaching Resources You might remember from my post about Planning a Large Unit Study, that I pick and choose the best ideas for our learning styles and learning objectives from many…
We love living literature! If you’ve been around at all, you know I LOVE living literature! It’s been such a blessing to our homeschool. Need to know more about living literature? Start with my Living Books post. Our Favorite Books Not too long ago, I pulled together a 10-day series (that turned into an 11-day…
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