Whether you’re a homeschooling veteran, or a public school parent suddenly finding themselves in charge of leading your own kids through the motions of learning at home, you’re probably walking into this week wondering what it’s all going to look like. Those of us who have been in the trenches of homeschooling for years are suddenly wondering how to fill the gaps left by the closing of the public library and our co-ops, and with the new revelations that many districts will count online learning as “enrichment” or “optional” and not actual instruction time, many folks who didn’t sign up for this homeschooling gig voluntarily are disillusioned at the prospect of forcing their child to sit through hours of online classes and printable worksheets that are nothing more than time fillers.
Enter the tried-and-true homeschool standby of unit studies.
What is a Unit Study?
Unit Studies are, simply put, a collection of learning opportunities and adventures based around a single theme. Chances are, you’ve already done a small-scale unit study in your own home. Remember when your 3 year-old loved dinosaurs to the point of obsession? You checked out every dinosaur book the library had to offer, printed off coloring pages featuring his favorite beasts, had long, involved conversations about which creature was biggest, strongest, or most unique. You took online, virtual field trips to archaeological digs and museums. You stood in awe as your kid told you that pachycephalosaurus had a huge, thick bone-dome on its head, and wondered how on earth he’d picked that little tidbit up… as you were handing him some mini-marshmallows and pretzels sticks with instructions to build his own dinosaur skeleton for a snack.
That, my friends, is a unit study.
The good news is that you can do a unit study on anything. Anything. Trust me on this— my kids have tested the theory many times. If your child has an interest, you can create a unit study, and with just a little work, it will teach him or her more than sitting in on 6 hours of lectures in a classroom.
How do I do it?
- Determine what your child would be most interested in learning. Broad topics (“the Middle Ages”) are easiest, but narrow ones (“honey bees”) can be rich as well.
- Check for pre-written studies. Some sites compile free unit studies (Homeschool Share, Faith and Good Works, AtoZ Homeschooling, Eclectic Homeschooling, Homeschool Helper Online) and others, like Amanda Bennett, offer their own. Lapbooks can also be added for an extra bang. Even if you don’t use these resources word for word, sometimes the ideas create a framework that you can customize for your own family.
- Think through what you already have. Maybe you have books, activities, or other ideas you’ve set aside for “some day.” Now’s the time to make a list of those things and bring them to the table.
- Time for the hunt. Google resources. I’ve found that the using the “topic + YouTube,” “topic + museum,” “topic + coloring sheet,” method brings more specific results. If your library is closed, see if Hoopla, Libby, or Overdrive are services you can access from home.
- Consider how you can bring in other, not-as-clearly-related subject areas. Yes, you can absolutely make a math lesson that relates to the arctic—time to pull out those little plastic penguins and seals as manipulatives! You can give any topic a language arts tie-in with a simple writing prompt. Think creatively, and you’ll be surprised at what you come up with.
- Hit Pinterest. This is where you will find games, crafts, food ideas, and more to round out your study. Make sure you have a good balance of these memorable, hands-on aspects because they will be the fuel that leads your child to remember what he’s learning for years to come!
- Go out with a bang! I am a big fan of ending a unit study with a themed meal, a presentation for dad, or a final project that can be kept and cherished. It brings a sense of closure to the unit, and builds anticipation for the next learning adventure.
Can I Do This While Socially Distancing?
While trips to community resources like museums, historical sites, and more, are definite bonuses to unit studies, they can be just as successful at home thanks to online tours and videos. Bonus: when it’s all over, you can hit those places and relive the learning!
Social distancing and self-quarantine might give you a little direction in your choices, though. How about a unit study on gardening, with a focus on your own backyard? Or on songbirds, with a starting project of placing feeders near your window, and a final goal of building a birdhouse in your garage?
With just a little ingenuity, you can use this time for a family-building, curiosity-igniting educational adventure that will be remembered for years. Which of your child’s pet interests would make a great unit study this week?