Search Results for: unit study

Introduction to the Unit Study Approach

by THSM Contributor

Unit studies, sometimes called thematic units or integrated studies, are very popular with homeschoolers. Homeschool unit studies usually use a hands-on approach for effective learning. The child learns by actually experiencing or discovering through different methods and activities, rather than just reading a chapter from a textbook. Studies show that children using unit study methods retain 45% more than those using a traditional approach. The unit or theme part refers to the idea of studying a topic as a whole instead of several subjects. Thousands of years ago, the Greeks decided to break whole topics into subjects. For example: most… Continue reading »

Elections Unit Study / Notebooking Unit (FREE)

by Mary Ann Kelley

Each November, political candidates take to the airwaves, plan town hall meetings, and go door to door looking for votes. The Elections A to Z Unit Study covers the history of elections and how they work in the United States. Using online resources to complete the election unit, students will research the election process and learn about the process of voting for our political leaders. You can use the questions on this page to create your own election unit study pages if you are not a newsletter subscriber, or you can subscribe at the link below and download the PDF… Continue reading »

“We Salute You, Mr. President” President Unit Study (FREE)

by Mary Ann Kelley

I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. – Oath of Office of the President of the United States We Salute You, Mr. President is a president unit study guide/president report/president notebooking unit that can be used to research and report on the president(s) of your choice. The unit guides students with a variety of historical, professional, and fun facts to learn and report about a U.S. president. The report makes… Continue reading »

Ideas for Creating a Pet Unit Study

by Jeanne Faulconer

Jeanne Faulconer

Your dog, cat, bird, fish, ferret, hamster, or lizard may be a pet unit study waiting to happen. Many children are fascinated by domestic animals, and their strong interest will motivate them to read, write, solve problems, and create projects. Here are some ideas for developing a unit study around our pets. Choosing a pet When a child wants to add a pet to the family, he or she will be especially motivated to research which pet will fit into the household. I have seen children who had previously been reluctant readers consume book after book on the pros and… Continue reading »

US Constitution Unit Study

by Mary Ann Kelley

“We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.” So begins the Constitution of the United States of America. This notebooking unit introduces the document, the Republic, and the day chosen to honor our Constitution. Newsletter subscribers can download the PDF file here » Not a subscriber? Sign up below for access to all of our downloads…. Continue reading »

Unit Studies

by Mary Ann Kelley

…you make as you help your child follow an interest or a question from one resource to the next. Read More… Suggested Books: Unit Studies Made Easy by Valerie Bendt From amazon.com Valerie’s popular book How to Create Your Own Unit Study is back! This updated, expanded version includes all four of Valerie s previously published unit study books in one big volume: How to Create Your Own Unit Study, The Unit Study Idea Book, For the Love of Reading, and Success with Unit Studies. Read more at amazon.com How to Create Your Own Unit Study by Valerie Bendt From… Continue reading »

All About the Presidents Unit Study (FREE)

by Mary Ann Kelley

All About Presidents is a free unit study guide for researching and reporting on the office of the President of the United States. TheHomeSchoolMom’s US Presidents and Office of the President of the United States pages contain links to the resources needed to complete this unit. Newsletter subscribers can download the PDF file here » Looking for the President Report unit study? [feast_advanced_jump_to] Presidents’ Day What is Presidents’ Day? When is Presidents’ Day celebrated? When was Presidents’ Day first celebrated? How do people celebrate Presidents’ Day? History of the U.S. presidency The office of the president was formulated within the… Continue reading »

Unit Studies

by Mary Ann Kelley

…her life dedicated … Read More » Elections Unit Study / Notebooking Unit (FREE) Every November political candidates take to the airwaves, plan town hall meetings, and go door to door looking for votes. The Elections A to Z Unit Study looks at the history of elections and how they work in the United States. Using online resources to complete the unit, … Read More » Martin Luther King, Jr. Unit Study The period during which civil rights were at the forefront of American news was tumultuous, often violent, and at once divisive and uniting. One name is associated with this time more than… Continue reading »

Using Current Events & the U.S. Presidency as a Unit Study

by Jeanne Faulconer

Jeanne Faulconer

[feast_advanced_jump_to] 🏛️ Using Current Events as an Ongoing Politics Unit Study You might have noticed that the presidency of Donald J. Trump is generating a lot of attention and controversy. But are you homeschooling the presidency? No matter our political views, there are issues brought up by the current presidency that our children can learn from. I happen to be homeschooling an older teen, who, if he were in school, would be a senior enrolled in a U.S. Government class. Kids in middle school, often 8th grade, also frequently take a course called Civics, which includes the study of government…. Continue reading »

Subscriber Downloads

by Mary Ann Kelley

…Unit The seventeen page Country Notebooking Unit is perfect for notebooking, lapbooking, or a country report. Download now » State Notebooking Unit / Province Notebooking Unit The seventeen page State/Province Notebooking Unit is a great way to learn about your state or province. The 13 page notebooking unit covers state history, symbols, facts, geography, and more. For our Canadian friends, we have a province notebooking unit. Download for States » Download for Provinces » “We Salute You, Mr. President” Unit Study We Salute You, Mr. President is a notebooking unit that can be used to research and report on the… Continue reading »

Martin Luther King, Jr. Unit Study

by Mary Ann Kelley

…data will be handled as set out in the Privacy Policy and terms and I can unsubscribe at any time. Email address Thanks for subscribing! Visit the Martin Luther King, Jr. page for more resources. Martin Luther King, Jr. Unit Study [feast_advanced_jump_to] Martin Luther King, Jr. – The Man Find or draw a picture of Martin Luther King, Jr. Timeline: Create a time line of the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. Answer the following questions: When was Martin Luther King, Jr. born? Where was he born? What is the name given to him at birth? Why was his name… Continue reading »

Pi Day Unit Study

by Mary Ann Kelley

Learn all about pi and why it is important (and fun!). Newsletter subscribers can download the PDF file here » Not a subscriber? Sign up below for access to all of our downloads. Yes! I would like to receive newsletters and sponsored mailings from TheHomeSchoolMom. I understand that my data will be handled as set out in the Privacy Policy and terms and I can unsubscribe at any time. Email address Thanks for subscribing! Pi Day Unit Study [feast_advanced_jump_to] Pi Day What is Pi Day? When is Pi day celebrated? Where was the first Pi day held? Give a brief… Continue reading »

20 Topics for a Nutrition Unit Study

by Jeanne Faulconer

Jeanne Faulconer

…We Feeding Our Kids? by Michael Jacobson. You might choose other books, but it helped us to have the chapter titles and information to think of topics to cover. My twenty favorite topics for a nutrition unit study for middle schoolers include: Fast food. How is it produced? How does its nutrition compare to home cooked meals? What is the role of fast food in our economy? How does our lifestyle contribute to the proliferation of fast food eating? Food advertising. How are our eating choices influenced by ads on television and the internet? School lunches. How do schools decide… Continue reading »

A Vital Unit Study Topic: Emergency Preparedness

by Jeanne Faulconer

Jeanne Faulconer

…or because you don’t live in a safe neighborhood. Plan an Emergency Preparedness Unit Study Working on emergency preparedness as a unit study is a great way to develop important life skills. FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency in the U.S.) offers emergency planning resources for kids, parents, and educators, including this supplemental curriculum differentiated for lower and upper elementary levels, middle school, and high school. The American Red Cross also offers a guide to prepare your home and family for emergencies, as well as an online Red Cross Be Ready learning module . There are also numerous fire safety programs… Continue reading »

KONOS Unit Study Topics

by Mary Ann Kelley

KONOS is a Christian unit study curriculum help that is based on character traits. Many families use it for all but the three Rs, and others use it simply as a curriculum supplement. For more information on KONOS, visit their website or read reviews of the curriculum. Those who already use Konos timeline figures can download a legend of symbols used on the KONOS timeline figures. Units are listed alphabetically and all units are on other websites. The below links are all to pages on TheHomeSchoolMom that contain multiple links to resources for each topic. Volume I Attentiveness Five Senses… Continue reading »

Kids Blogging Unit Studies

by Jeanne Faulconer

Jeanne Faulconer

What do you get when your child combines a unit study and notebooking with a blog? A homeschool learning trifecta. Kids easily adapt to new technology, and integrating blogging with unit studies and notebooking is a way for kids to not just showcase their learning but actually continue it. Homeschooling parents can use what they already know about unit studies and notebooking to have their children create their own unit study blogs on specific topics. Helping Your Child Create a Unit Study Blog To get started with helping your child create a unit study blog: Use free blog sites like… Continue reading »

Homeschooling on a Budget

by Mary Ann Kelley

…can use what they already know about unit studies and notebooking to have their children create their own unit study blogs on specific topics — their own VLE’s. Read More » Instead of Curriculum: The Great Courses Our family has greatly enjoyed using The Great Courses audio and video recorded classes. The first of The Great Courses we used was The Story of Human Language, presented by leading linguist John McWhorter, who gives 36 lectures about the development of human language, why languages change or become extinct, dialects, how languages and their grammars affect thinking, and what the study of language can… Continue reading »

Pirates Unit Study

by Mary Ann Kelley

Ahoy, mateys! Get to know the pirates of old in this unit for ages 8-13. You will gather information on the history of pirates, where they sailed, what their lifestyles were like, what jobs they did, how they dressed, how they divided their spoils, and more. Newsletter subscribers can download the PDF file here » Visit the Pirates page for more pirate resources. The History of Pirates Earliest mention of pirates in history: Make a list of pirates known to have operated in the following centuries: 1500s, 1600s, 1700s, 1800s, 1990s and current day. Create a timeline using the data… Continue reading »

Homeschooling Styles

by Amanda Beaty

…the skills of wisdom and judgment. Read More » Unit studies are a popular homeschooling method because they can be hands-on, literature-based, or even geared towards the Charlotte Mason method. Unit Studies typically encompass all of the scholastic subjects through the study of one topic (Weaver units or KONOS character units, for example), although they can be specific to a specific subject (like Evan-Moor science units or Teacher Created Materials units). Since it is easier to teach different ages the same topics with multi-level unit studies, they are popular among homeschoolers wanting to keep all of their children on similar… Continue reading »

Free Homeschool Downloads

by Mary Ann Kelley

“We Salute You, Mr. President” President Unit Study (FREE) We Salute You, Mr. President is a notebooking unit that can be used to research and report on the president(s) of your choice. The blank template includes a variety of historical, professional, and fun facts to learn about a president. Read More » All About the Presidents Unit Study (FREE) All About Presidents is a notebooking unit that can be used to research and report on the office of the President of the United States. TheHomeSchoolMom’s US Presidents and Office of the President of the United States pages contain links to… Continue reading »