Building Your Own Unit Studies

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Something I have learned over the years is that my children learn best with unit studies. A unit study brings flexibility, meshes all the various ways to learn into one seamless process while teaching multiple children and levels super easy! Something else I have learned is that not always are there unit studies for things that my children want to discuss. For that, I have to build our own unit studies.

 

Tips for Building Your Own Unit Studies:

 

Sitting down to map out a unit study can seem to be a very scary process. When in fact it really can be a lot of fun. Also creating the unit study helps you the teacher have a jump start on the new material and you can adjust things to your children’s current level. So here are a few things I have learned by subject!

1. Language Arts, writing and vocabulary/spelling can be all looped together: Each topic you are studying will have it’s own vocabulary for you to pull keywords from, language arts can be thrown in as your children learn to master how to use those words. Don’t forget to create fun writing topics that encourage your student to use those vocabulary words and grammar rules. If your children are younger throwing in a fun themed worksheet or two can really bring it all home.
2. History and reading can go together: If you have an older child have them to help you research the history of the particular subject. Include reading materials that your young ones can read so that they can also practice their reading. Create or find fun little notebooking pages for them to put into words what they are learning.
3. Math can be made a little bit more exciting: While we have to really strive to stick the plan with our math we can pull our unit studies into our math lessons by making them themed! Talking about pirates, what about some pirate themed worksheet, boat-shaped counters and word problems dealing with buried treasure all can add a new dynamic to math time.
4. Science-themed activities: It may be hard to see but science is all around us so of course any unit study can have a science element and it is important to include it because science is extremely helpful to those who need to have a hands-on learning approach.
5. Include videos and encourage note taking: Note taking is such an important skill! It helps one to recount things that they have just learned about which will also help your student later on in college. So watch fun videos that match your unit study. These can be found on YouTube, Amazon and even Netflix. Include a fun questionnaire sheet to help them focus.
6. Don’t be scared to get creative: Unit studies should be fun for everyone including you. Allow yourself to enjoy the journey. Plan fun field trips, plan unit themed meals (gold star if you have them cook it) and just let the process led you all.
7. Learn how to make as many of your own printables for flexibility: Unit studies can be made expensive if you end up buying everything. Honestly, making printables can be a fun project for yourself or even your older student. Currently, Living Life and Learning has a course that is on sale that will walk you through each and every signal step of the creative process. Trust me your mind will be blown when you realize that you can pull this off (not to mention you could sale the worksheets you make on Etsy, Teacher Pays Teachers and well anywhere else you can think of.)

 

Until Next TIme Just Keep Soaring 4 Him,

 

I would like to invite you to my Facebook group Christian Homemakers in Training where we dive into homemaking, motherhood, marriage and group devotions. After all, we all need a safe place to grow together, right?

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