Unit Studies

Yes, subjects like history, science, and geography CAN be learned from a textbook.  But what if you could make these subjects COME ALIVE?! 

My mother discovered the concept of “unit studies” when my sisters and I were in elementary school.   It was my very favorite thing about our family’s home school – hands down. 

You see, why would you want to read just a paragraph about Abraham Lincoln, if you could read a whole biography?  Why would you want to stop at a quiz about this famous president, if you could build a cabin out of Lincoln Logs, memorize a portion of the Gettysburg Address, visit a Civil War Museum, and learn how to bake homemade cornbread? 

The “unit study” approach can be taken as far as you like!  Not feeling very creative?  Google project ideas and coloring pages.  Visit your local library and order books that fit your child’s reading level.  Choose some adult volumes for awesome photos and illustrations.  Look up YouTube videos.  See what catches your child’s interest and run with it! 

Every person’s “unit study” schedule will look completely different.  Some will set apart six weeks for “pioneer days”, another six weeks for “health and safety”, etc. Others will take an entire year and dedicate it to one portion of history.  Some will use a textbook for historical and scientific framework but spend extra time on each chapter, stretching a one-year program to two years instead. 

You might be a mom who loves “themes” so much that you incorporate everything from math to writing assignments.  You might be a mommy with a newborn, who decides to plan just one fun “activity day” each week – preferably when Daddy is home. SMILE!  “Unit Studies” can be whatever you’d like them to be! I highly recommend this “immersion” method to learning history, science and geography.