How To Create A UNIT STUDY | Free Homeschool Lesson Plan

[@yessumify]

Im soooooo happy to have discovered unit studies!!! My only regret is not trying it sooner. Hope everyone enjoys their homeschooling journey!!

[@Vss7788]

This makes soooo much more sense, and makes learning so much easier. Thanks for posting!

[@yousunjang6412]

Thank you~ I am a Korean doing homeschool in S. Korea. I am so thankful that I can be with my kids and I take this as a huge privilege!! Your cheerful explanation gives me an encouragement to try it. Sadly it is very hard to find homeschoolers around me. So I appriciate your sharing your own expriences.

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

Thankful for the online community when there isn’t much in person! Wishing you all the best!

[@Magdalena287]

Youre doing such an amazing thing for your kids, you got this! 💖

[@jaclynmarie5747]

I wish I could watch all of your videos at the same time, RIGHT NOW. THAT IS HOW EXCITED I AM!

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

❤️❤️

[@ms.anonymousinformer242]

This is going to make my son much happier. I can't wait to try doing a unit study based on something he wants to learn about.

[@jaclynmarie5747]

I am so excited to have found you!!!!! God bless you, thanks so much for sharing your beautiful homeschooling approaches. The joy of The Lord is just shining from you

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

🥰 Oh, bless you, mama! That makes my heart happy!

[@HomeSweetHomeschoolLife]

We switched to unit studies last September. It made such a difference in our homeschool and my son has learned so much.

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

That’s great! What’s been your favorite unit?

[@HomeSweetHomeschoolLife]

The Eclectic Homeschooler Oceans has been our favorite.

[@kellybailey9063]

Thank you so much for your video and for all of your videos! I watched this one because I was interested in trying to pursue more unit studies in our homeschool but I’m watching this realized that I already do all year long! We use a history curriculum that allows us to learn biblical history alongside the geopolitical history that was happening at the time. It also ties in geography. And for science and art I follow curriculums that tie in with the time period we are learning about. Science in the Ancient World by Berean Builders has been great to do this with. For science and history I have them narrate on paper what they learned. So I suppose our homeschool is one giant unit study which I never realized! It really is a great way to learn since you can delve so deep into a time period or topic. Thanks again for sharing!

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

Love that!! ❤️

[@DC-S]

Yay! Fellow Washingtonian here and I seriously thank you for this video. I just wrote a huge list of possible U.S. My brain was just coming up with tons of ideas with questions to be asked and researched and my daughter loved like 90% of them and I got excited but then I realized... I now have to make a whole plan around each subject. And that's when the panic started!

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

You're so welcome! Glad the video was helpful! I'm in the same planning mode for this coming year right now too! ;)

[@alwaysaperdue1]

Thank you!! My son has been begging to learn all about the Titanic and this really helped!

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

That sounds like a really fun unit study! Science about how and why it sunk. Could build a model and try sinking it. History obviously. Writing about what he learned. Health could talk about hypothermia and how to prevent it. Geography could chart a map showing where it took off and plot the course to where it sank. Could learn about some of the famous people who were on it. All kinds of good stuff! Have fun!

[@alwaysaperdue1]

@@TheEclecticHomeschooler wow thank you for all of this!!!!

[@MissDaftM]

I think unit studies may just save me! We are looking at the Solar System, I’m in the process of planning to start in a few days. Wish me luck! Love your channel. Where is the link for the unit study outline please?

[@coleman3406]

We are (eclectic) Charlotte Mason homeschoolers, but I’ve been drawn to unit studies lately. I love the idea of bringing the two ideas together if you have any ideas on that. Also wondering, do you worry at all about going in chronological order with history or trying to cover world and American histories? That’s probably been my biggest hesitation with unit studies.

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

We combine Charlotte Mason style with unit studies! My video next week will talk a little about how we do that. I have kind of gone in chronological order for history, although we certainly haven't covered every subject because we spend more time on each time period. We have covered some world history topics as well as American history. I generally plan 2-3 history units per year and then we do 1-2 science units, and then a health related unit, and maybe one more unit if we have time. I'm going to try switching things up a little for next year a try a more traditional Charlotte Mason history curriculum and see how it works for us, partly because we are moving and I don't know how much time I'll have to plan my own units this fall.

[@coleman3406]

The Eclectic Homeschooler Looking forward to the next video and how you combing CM and unit studies! I’ve really enjoyed your channel this past month as I prepare for our next school year. We used A Gentle Feast last year and really enjoyed it! However one of the reasons I’ve started looking into unit studies is to simplify our number of subjects. CM has a lot going on each week!

[@hayleybosshard2406]

Thankyou, this video was so helpful, printable is download and printed already!

[@jerilyn-ourhomeschooltable]

I am from Oregon currently, but I grew up in SE Washington! Last year for the first half of the year we used Five in a Row which felt similar to a unit study. I love your printable! My daughter is very interested in animals. So I think I will start there. 👍🏻

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

Sounds like a great plan!!

[@blessedandbusymama54]

Hi! I know this is an old video but I’m sure still fully relevant! How do you know how much to include content wise? To be able to get a well rounded overview?

[@consciousbeing912]

Thank you! I can relate😜

[@amymacdonald8396]

Love to learn more. 8 grade 10th grade.

[@jasonhubbard4406]

Thank you for this! We have been doing a curriculum we really like but want to break it up by adding unit studies. My children want a Halloween/Día de los Muertos first then possibly Ireland

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

You’re welcome! They are super fun to do!l and those sound like great topics! Good luck!

[@ourfamilyvideos7283]

Great video!! Pinterest has great cut outs to use...we started late but if we would’ve started at an earlier grade lapbooks,unit studies would’ve been awesome!!!! One of our regrets..so mamas if you’re on the fence,pray about it, talk with someone...and go for it

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

What wonderful encouragement! Thanks for being here!

[@malynptrp2005mc]

I hope this will help us in our 1st year in homeschool!

[@alesjanosik1545]

This sounds very interesting, I am totally going to try this. We are going on a long trip soon and what an opportunity to mix history, geography, language, etc. together

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

Sounds like a perfect opportunity!!

[@jamieheater2210]

Thanks for this video! I loved your honesty about the printable!

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

Thanks for watching! ☺️

[@lovingthesearrows8718]

Soo helpful and just the kick in the pants I needed. We are moving cross country to a state we have literally spent 5 days in total ha! I don’t have history and science curriculum for the rest of this year so I was considering a unit on our new state.... I think I’m going to go for it!!

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

So glad to hear that! Great idea for a unit study! What state are you moving to?

[@lovingthesearrows8718]

@@TheEclecticHomeschooler from CA to TN!

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

Sounds like a great decision! 😉 Best wishes!

[@coeuradorateur]

This was so helpful. Thank you

[@bb15027]

Maybe you said this in the video and I missed it but do you plan all of your unit studies for the year before the school year starts, or do you at least know all of the topics? In our state we have to submit our curriculum plan in the summer prior to school starting and then send quarterly updates on work covered, so I feel like I would have to know the resources and subjects covered for everything well in advance. But I do love the idea and I am proud to say I did my very first little mini unit on maple trees and maple syrup as that is the time of year here, and the boys are remembering it! We’re going to even see someone tapping trees next week! I had to do this in addition to all of our other subjects because it was kind of a last minute thing but it’s been really fun to put together!

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

Oh wow! Your state is involved. We don’t have to submit anything so we’re a lot more unstructured. We do normally know what subjects were going to cover but I don’t always have everything planned out yet. You could always try a purchased unit study, like Gather Round if that would be easier! Super cool about the tree tapping! Sounds like a fun unit!

[@bb15027]

@@TheEclecticHomeschooler Thank you! Yes I am definitely eyeing gather round, and also some more literature-based ones like five in a row and progeny press that i could use as a spine to work with later. Love your channel and the peace and joy it brings, thanks so much!

[@AmeepleFamily]

I would love to see you do a review on teacheve.com unit studies I can’t find much on them and would love to see/hear your thoughts!!

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

I haven’t heard of that! I’ll have to look into it. ☺️

[@Captain_Spaulding]

Hi there! Thank you for the great unit lesson ideas! You got a new subscriber! I'm also a homeschool momma from WA, and I was wondering with that 6 week on, 1 week off schedule, do you guys end up getting any time for a summer break left over? Or do you do school all summer long? We are starting on the 15th, (getting qualified on the 14th) and I am trying to decide what would be the best schedule for us. Also, do you still take the usual 2 weeks off for Christmas break? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!!! -Amanda

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

We do still get a summer break (this mama needs it! 😅). With having to do 180 days in Washington, that makes 36 weeks of 5 days a week schooling, so we still have a couples months off. I usually take 3 weeks at Christmas time. This video shows how I used to schedule our year when I followed the 6 on/1 off schedule. We’ve had to changed things a little due to life circumstances since then but it’s still similar. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eZ2qmXV4lKhphKM

[@Captain_Spaulding]

@@TheEclecticHomeschooler Thank you so much! I got it figured out perfectly! : ) I sure appreciate it! Love your channel, I'm so glad I found it! I start homeschooling on this week after my parent qualifying course. I've been doing online public school for a long time with my kiddo, so not a huge jump. She's an 8th grader. I am pretty nervous about figuring out how to keep transcripts, lol but other than that, I think I'm good for now! Lol. I will learn that soon though! Thank you for your help!!! Have a great day!!!

[@marykeTerr]

Thank you! This might be a silly question, but is a “unit study” and a “study unit” the same thing?

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

I'm not totally sure without understanding the context... A unit study, in the homeschool world, is generally where you have one topic that covers a variety of subjects all in one thing (ex. language arts, history, geography, art, etc all combined while you learn about a certain topic). Hope that helps!

[@blessedhomeschoolmess]

We tried a ocean unit and I am just lost. I feel overwhelmed lol. My child doesn’t seem to really ask questions so I never know where to go or how to talk about things. It seems chaotic where it’s more relaxed and unplanned and I need the plans but unsure of how to go about them to not bore her. We also have a math and reading curriculum so that’s hard to add unit studies too.

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

Sorry you’re struggling! Sometimes it’s really nice to have things planned out for you. Have you tried purchasing a unit study to do? The Good and the Beautiful has quite a few that I know a lot of people love. I’ve also heard really good things about Gather Round Homeschool.

[@blessedhomeschoolmess]

The Eclectic Homeschooler I didn’t realize the good and the beautiful had that! We do their language arts and math curriculum currently. I’ll have to check that out thanks

[@ryanlenz3455]

Are you the one who did simply piano add?

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

I do have a video review of it here on my channel.

[@spacemetalande]

What kind of subjects do you recommend in a unit study style of homeschooling for younger children?

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

Truly, anything they are interested in, especially for the younger ages. For elementary, I would try to find a topic within typical school subjects like science, history, etc. Space and dinosaurs are fun for younger kids. Lots of people do units on things like bees/honey, types of flowers or plants, gem stones, volcanoes, the weather cycle, musical instruments or genres of music, ancient Egypt, Japanese Samurai, Native Americans, farm animals, the Revolutionary War, etc. Really, anything they think would be fun! Wishing you the best!

[@schugfamily4972]

How do you know what to have each child do that is the right “level” of work?

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

I don't worry about "level." I focus on my child's ability and pushing them just enough to grow without feeling overwhelmed.

[@lynnetteward5063]

Soooo, I have an 11 yr old son. I'm thinking the book "Oh, Yuck! The encyclopedia of everything nasty" by Joy Masoff will be my first attempt.

[@jessicabaird868]

What curriculum do u use for math?

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

We use Teaching Textbooks for younger years and Saxon once we hit middle school.

[@ReiverGrad14]

I asked my kid what he wanted to learn and he said summer stuff and SQUIRRELS. Yes SQUIRRELS. I got nothing

[@hannahc1072]

You can study the habitat that squirrels live in, what trees do they like, what foods they eat, do they have predators or are they prey to anything? Study their life cycles, are they mammals? How have humans damaged or helped them? You could do a squirrel count on your neighborhood? Ask others to join in and tally all the polls? Create an art collage of different printed pictures, draw your own even! I’m sure there are lots more ideas out there :)

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

Great ideas! I'd add to check out books from the library about squirrels or other woodland animals as well. Maybe it will spark interest in other creatures!

[@mchobbit2951]

My only problem? That darn MATH. It just never seems to fit in when everything else is just added in so easily and nicely. I love the six weeks school, one week off idea. Much better than taking off all summer, a little time around holidays and having these long stretches of no breaks plus that endless summer. Especially when summer is so perfect for a survival unit. We need to do that as my son started getting interested in Bear Grills. When we spend a "lazy day" at the library followed by reading, educational games and Netflix I totally call it "a day school". I mean, they were learning.

[@TheEclecticHomeschooler]

Yeah, math is a challenge to incorporate into unit studies. We’ve always just done a separate math curriculum... Enjoy your survival unit! We’ve done something similar and incorporated foraging. It was fun!