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 thorough and chronological as possible. While there might be a few holes here or there, or even some overlap, I felt like my upper elementary and middle school children soaked in a great deal of understanding about the time period. The person or event listed in bold was the focus, while the following events or people were covered with lesser importance. Daniel Boone ... Read More
Unit Studies
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 your 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!
Slavery and Civil War Unit Study
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 resources. While this particular study was mostly literature-based, there were some fabulous materials that provided many of my lesson plans. By mostly literature-based, I mean: we chose really good books and learned about the life of slaves and struggles of the Civil War through the living literature (listed below.) Between books, field trips and hands-on projects, I don't ... Read More
World Geography Living Literature
(This post contains affiliate links.) Yes, I've told you many times before how much we love literature around here. While I do teach geography through maps, quizzes and games, the best way to make a real connection to the maps and their culture is through really good books. While there's no way for me to list each and every geography-themed picture book we've ever enjoyed, I have listed many, many of our favorites below. Remember, a good living book places you in the time or culture. For that reason, you'll only find a handful of books that purposely teach facts about geography. That's okay, as long as you're pointing out the places on a map or making some other map connections, your ... Read More
Interest-Based Ocean Study
(This post contains affiliate links.) Interest-Based Rabbit Trails After our early autumn trip to the beach, Eli was immensely interested in beach life. When I found him pouring over one of our souvenir attraction maps, I knew it was wise to capitalize on his enthusiasm. So...a quick, delight-directed ocean study started immediately. Map Skills: I just let him explore the souvenir map. We talked about things we remembered seeing, where we stayed, how far the attractions were from us, why all those businesses would be there, our favorite memories, the difference between the bay and the ocean, and more. Collage of Memories: Rather than keeping piles and piles of brochures as ... Read More
Living Literature Top 10 Index
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 series) of our favorite living books for several subjects. I know you're going to enjoy these books as much as our family! & Mega Book Lists What more can I say? The literature lists in these posts are giant. Themed Book Lists Often, when I write about our studies, I also include lists of great living literature we used during our learning. ... Read More
Around the World: Mexico
(This post contains affiliate links.) Around the World: Mexico To see where all our “spine” learning comes from during this unit, be sure to check out our main resources for the Around the World Studies. Inspirational Books Look What Came from Mexico Off We Go to Mexico Diego Rivera (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists) The Goat in the Chile Patch (BookFestival) Mexico ABCs: A Book About the People and Places of Mexico (Country ABCs) P is for Pinata: A Mexico Alphabet (Discover the World) Too Many Tamales Frida Kahlo (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists) The Legend of the Poinsettia The Little Red Ant and the Great Big Crumb The Tortilla ... Read More
Winter Homeschooling
Winter: long days, anxious kids, homeschool monotony? No way! At least it doesn't have to be that way. There's lots to do to keep your homeschool vibrant in the winter! This post rounds-up the the best of my winter learning ideas for you. You really can enjoy the cold, gray days! Nature Study Fresh air, sunshine and exercise are just as important during the winter months as they are the rest of the year. Why not enjoy some nature study? There's more to study than you might think! Literature What better time to snuggle up with some living literature than winter? Of course, you don't have to read only winter-themed books, but I've compiled a list of some ... Read More
20 Must Read Winter Books for Kids
Winter is the perfect time for snuggling up with books - and lots of them! Over the years, we've gone back to certain books time after time during the winter season. I thought I'd share our winter book list with you and give you an idea of some of the book extension activities we've done to turn the books into great lessons. We don't always do extension lessons when reading, but the long days of winter often call for a little extra. This post contains affiliate links. Our Winter Book List Picture Books Snowflake Bentley is a great book to kick off a study of snow. I've included more ideas than you can shake a stick at for snow study in NaturExplorer's Snow and Ice. Stopping By ... Read More
Around the World: China
(This post contains affiliate links.) Around the World: China Be sure to see all the "spine" resources we are using throughout this unit study on the main Around the World post. Inspirational Books The Story about Ping The Five Chinese Brothers Three Pigs, One Wolf, Seven Magic Shapes Tikki Tikki Tembo Two of Everything Look What Came From China! Chinese Food and an Historical Craft Chicken Low Mein and (store bought) Egg Rolls made a yummy supper. While a brief history of Chinese lanterns and a simple construction paper craft made for an easy activity. Science Connection Homeschool Share came through once again with a wonderful {free} lapbook to help make ... Read More
10 Living Books to Teach Modern American History
(This post contains affiliate links.) Well, now...quite a lot happens in the time period known as Modern American History! In order to cover everything from slavery and the Civil War to WWI, WWII and following, it would take a much bigger list than this. Rather than a Top 10, I've chosen to give you a Top 12 today. These books just tip the iceberg of various important events in modern history. They're the best of the best, though! You'll likely notice that a few of these have nothing to do with America, per say (like a book about concentration camps), but the events played an integral role in the shaping of our country which is why I included them. The list is ordered chronologically ... Read More