Posts Tagged ‘theme units’
In search of a unit study
My unit studies are a way to combine education plus fun. They start with an interesting topic, then as the child learns more about the topic they will also learn aspects of English, Art, Math, Geography, Science and more. The idea is to get kids interested in learning by making learning fun.
I started writing unit studies when homeschooling my youngest son. He was not the type of child who like to sit and read. It was a bit more of a challenge teaching him as his attention span was not long. So at first I created a unit study about Pirates. He was thrilled to learn about pirates, to read about Blackbeard, figure out weights according to cannon ball size, draw a wanted poster and even learn map and compass skills. And so, we continued with Soldiers Through Time which was a seven module unit study that ranged in history from Ancient Roman Soldiers to Soldiers of World War II.
After helping my son get interested in learning I thought maybe the unit studies could help others enjoy learning too! And so came a unit study on Spies, one on Cowboys and Superheroes as well as a three part unit study on Forts Across Canada. These unit studies became known as Education with a Bang series to help add excitement to education, specifically for boys.
Fashion Through Textiles, a four part unit study featuring wool, silk, cotton and linen as well as the unit study on Herbolgy are part of the new line of unit studies which would be more appealing to girls but equally combine fun with education.
I continue to create unit studies and have many ideas in my head for new ones but sometimes I am not sure which one to start next. Constellations and the Mythology behind them sounds very interesting. What about the History of Pets and how they became domesticated? Or what about Biomimicry – technology inspired by nature?
I just love to research the various topics and put them into a fun and interesting unit study that will help inspire children to learn. One 11 year-old boy who was reviewing Science Inspired by Superheroes was blown away by the fact that you could learn science from superheroes and chose to do the unit study instead of play on the Wii! What a great reward!
And so I continue, finding interesting topics to put into fun and educational unit studies – always on the look out for new ideas!
Sandra Wilson is an experience home educator that is dedicated to putting the fun back into education!
You can view the full list of completed unit studies at http://www.homeeducationresourceemporium.com/unit-studies!
Education + Fun = #1: Unit Studies
“The big thinkers in education emphasize customized or individualized learning as the wave of the future.”
This is not a new concept to homeschoolers who teach individualized learning every day. One of the great methods to customize this individual learning is through unit studies. With a unit study, the concepts of English, Math, Science, Geography, History and Art can be reinforced, while the student is learning about a subject they really enjoy. If the subject is interesting and enjoyable, it will be easier to learn and the student will be more willing to learn. Unit studies focus on a specific topic, they can create an introduction to that topic and inspire further study. They can supplement other educational resources to provide a bit of learning on their own, or even on the go. Unit studies are adaptable to a child, you can use only the activities/lessons that fit your child’s learning level or interest level rather than using everything and possibly causing a student to not have fun while learning. You can create your own unit study about a topic that interests that child right now. Maybe your son wants a pirate birthday party – why not spend the week before on a pirate unit study that teaches as well as adds some fun. In the spring you can start a garden, keep a garden journal, learn about plants etc in a unit study based on the wonders of the garden. There are so many unit studies available for download, or in magazines and books that you could find one for almost any topic of interest to your child. Why not try your hand at putting one together. Search for worksheets, reading comprehension, crafts and science experiments that fit in to that theme!
If you need some help, check out all the great ideas on squidoo.
Theme units – boredom buster
Sometimes school work can be boring. If a child is not enjoying the subject or is struggling with the lesson it can be hard to teach them.
Theme units are a great way to beat the boredom. Pick a theme your child enjoys and develop it into a lesson plan. Or find a theme unit that already exists and use it. Because theme units encompass cross-curricular activities all geared to that specific theme, your child can get a well-rounded lesson on something they enjoy. It is amazing how keen they will be to do their school work when pirates or princesses are involved!