1. Choose a topic and time frame

What will your unit study be about? How many days or weeks will you spend in the unit? A topic for a homeschool unit study can be almost anything from frogs to roller coasters to Ancient Egypt. Consider your child’s age and interests when choosing a topic. For a kindergartner, a fun unit of study could be about dinosaurs, our five senses, nursery rhymes, bugs, or princesses. An older student might enjoy a unit of study on the government, horses, Australia, baseball, or even the Narnia books.

2. Choose subtopics

If possible, try to find a resource that you can use as a backbone for your unit study. A spine is simply a book that provides the structure for your study. Children’s encyclopedias or nonfiction books with good illustrations, charts, and diagrams make good spines.

Whether you use a spine or not, you should choose subtopics relevant to your unit study. An example of a subtopic for a unit of study on China could be Chinese history, Chinese landmarks, Chinese food, Chinese language, Chinese fairy tales, Chinese holidays, Chinese zodiac, etc.

3. Gather resources

Look for resources at the library, the Internet, or you may already have resources on hand. Resources can be novels and nonfiction books, websites, videos, craft books, cookbooks, or music. Look for a variety of resources. It’s better to have more materials on hand, but don’t feel overwhelmed by the amount of information available. Choose a few books or videos for each subtopic, and then move on to the next step.

4.Choose activities

Let your imagination run wild and think of all the hands-on activities your children might enjoy related to the topic. This can involve cooking, experiments, or arts and crafts. Also try to plan at least one field trip based on your unit’s topic of study. Great excursion destinations include local businesses, parks, restaurants, neighborhoods, history, art, or children’s museums. With a unit study on China, for example, you might plan a trip to China Town or a Chinese restaurant.

5. Create a Plan with Academic Goals

What learning objectives and life skills will you cover in the unit? You will want to use a planner and schedule your activities over time. You can be as specific or as flexible as you want in your planning. It may be helpful to list academic areas (geography, history, language arts, writing, fine arts, mathematics) and document which standards you will address in each subtopic. Please note that skill-based subjects such as Math, Grammar and Spelling must be scheduled as a daily activity. Other subjects may fit into your schedule a few times a week, such as sports or fine arts.

6. Begin Unit Study

Start with enthusiasm! It is a good idea to keep an activity journal to record your notes and observations. Remember to be flexible; Don’t be afraid to follow some rabbit trails. Education is about discovery, encourage your children to become active participants in the learning process.

7. End with a bang

Highlight the last activity. You can throw a themed party, go on a special trip, watch a documentary, and invite homeschool co-op. Your children will remember the culminating activity and recall the topic with positive memories.