Unit studies are wonderful resources for homeschoolers, no matter what homeschooling method or schedule you follow!
Unit Studies really are lots of fun and great for times when you need to put the book work away or when your kids want to wander off onto a rabbit trail.
What are Unit Studies?
Put simply, a unit study is any topic that you focus on for an extended period of time in your homeschool.
Through the “unit”, you incorporate as many subjects as you can. This then allows you to build your entire lesson plan around that single thematic topic.
What are the Benefits of Unit Studies?
There are several advantages to homeschooling with unit studies, but these three are definitely at the top of the list.
- They are flexible. One of the major benefits of homeschooling is flexibility. It is the flexibility of homeschooling that allows you to decide what you will teach your children, the manner in which they will learn it and how quickly they will get it done. Unit studies are a perfect fit for this style of teaching as they allow you complete control over what, how much and how long.
- They’re adaptable for all ages. A lot of homeschooling families have more than one child, which can make lesson planning a challenge. Using unit studies, you can cover several of the same subjects together using your primary theme. For example, for any unit study you’re completing, you can choose a graded reader for each child’s level and spend time reading them together.
- They are easy to plan. If you buy a packaged unit study, you won’t have to do any planning at all, except deciding which day to get started. If you create your own unit study, you’ll find that the planning stage can be much shorter than the amount of time you’d spend scheduling a traditional curriculum. Since you’ll be covering the same topic with all of your students, you won’t have so many topics to keep track of during the week.
Just How Hard Is It to Write Your Own Unit Studies?
Honestly, it’s pretty simple. The first step is to pick your topic. From there, you’ll want to create a list of resources and activities you’ll use throughout the study. Finalize by creating as simple or as detailed lesson plans as you prefer.
While you don’t have to use a specific resource to help you create or plan out your own unit studies, you may find step-by-step directions or a planner specifically for unit studies to be just what you need.
A great way to try out this style of teaching is to start with a topic that your kids are interested in and see where it takes you!
However, if you’d like a few ideas to help you get started using, planning or creating your own unit studies, below you’ll find a free download of unit study ideas organized by subject for you!
Be sure to follow my unit study board on Pinterest below to see, save and share my unit studies content and printables!
