Writing a Unit Study for Homeschooling
Homemade Unit Studies and Making Child-Led Themed Lesson Plans
Aug 15, 2009
Learning to write unit studies for homeschooling is a valuable exercise for homeschooling parents. A lot of lip service is given to “making learning fun” but the fact is, learning doesn't need to be “made” fun because it already is. Unit studies are a way to integrate child-led learning for parents who aren't quite ready for unschooling.
What is a Unit Study
A unit study occurs when every academic subject is taught through the use of a consistent theme. In kindergarten, for example, a lady bug unit study may consist of counting ladybugs and counting spots. Several ladybugs who each have 3 spots can be a mathematical introduction to multiplication. Observing ladybugs and understanding their bodies, catching ladybugs and their habits is one way to teach science.
Reading and writing stories and poems about ladybugs would fulfill a language arts lesson. Since all of life is intertwined, unit studies are a more natural approach to learning, especially when compared to textbooks that try to bounce around, not focusing on one topic long enough to give academic subjects life. Indeed, unschoolers and natural learning advocates report that it is through an in-depth exploration of topics that interest us, that humans learn best, joyfully.
Child-led Unit Studies
In kindergarten, a child may willingly follow whatever unit studies a parent presents, but as children get older it's more effective to allow them to choose the lens through which they see the world. For example, a child who is interested in photography may enjoy history more if he were to hear about the history of the camera or biographies of notable photographers, or even to read interviews of modern photographers. Science in a photography unit study can be learned by visiting a lab where film is processed using chemicals, and then trying it.
Another photography-based science lesson would involve light; different “colors” of light, the reflective qualities of light, mirror and lenses and of course taking plenty of pictures. Keeping a photographer's journal would qualify as writing, as would its modern equivalent, a photography blog. For mathematics, integrate the geometry discussed while learning about camera and lens angles, or for a younger child, compare film prices, processing prices and divide it by how many exposures to see which is the best bargain.
Or, figure out how many images the memory card holds. Another practical application of photography math is to upload the images to a stock photography website, and calculate how much would be earned if each photo sold.
Writing a Unit Study
Families who are considering introducing a unit study approach to children who haven't had the freedom to choose their own lessons may be feeling overwhelmed, or unsure of whether or not the approach would work for them. One way to ease the stress is through research.
Begin by researching the child. Ask him to create a list of the top twenty things he's interested in. Every hobby, interest or activity is acceptable here. Facebook's FarmVille can teach algebra and the 4H animals program teaches public speaking. Since everything in the world is connected, there aren't 20 things in the world that don't have elements of language arts, science, math or history. Period.
Researching Themed Lesson Plans
Create a folder named after each list item in the “bookmarks” or “favorite places” section of the internet browser. Inside each topic folder, create one for science, one for math, one for language arts and one for history. While browsing, note that since life and websites overlap, choosing a folder may be complicated. Only in an institutionalized educational setting will mathematics and science ever be approached as separate subjects. Embrace this, it's a positive step closer to real life learning, as opposed to "schooling."
Offline research can be used as well, with a master notebook, or notebooks for each topic. Real-life resources can be recorded for future use, or learning experiences can be recorded journal-style, for record-keeping purposes. Use it as a scrapbook of experiences, as well. A homeschool tracking software program is another way to organize real-life experiences into academic credit.
Teaching with Homemade Unit Studies
Older students can browse the websites themselves, reading, learning and trying new things. Written or verbal reports can be “assigned” simply by asking “So, what was that website all about?” After a while, some kids might begin bookmarking the sites they come across on their own. The bookmarking tool on most major browsers includes a “description” field which can help families track which sites have been reviewed and which have not. Maintaining site descriptions is another language arts lesson. Keep on the lookout for real-life experiences, like field trips, local professionals, and even vacation activities that can add to the experiences in the theme.
Parents who feel better planning everything ahead of time may want to create unit study lesson plans and further organize the results of their research. A basic list of subjects for each day, along with activities that fit into each category, every day, can help meet this need. Spend time on each of the child's favorite topics, letting one unit blend into another seamlessly.
During the course of a 40 week school year, this would allow 2 weeks for every subject. Having precise lesson plans is a requirement of some homeschooling programs. Themed lesson plans are one way to stay in compliance of local regulations without sacrificing a child's love of learning, or presenting a disjointed body of knowledge.
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