Creating a Unit Study

There are plenty available. Just do a quick search and you are bound to find more than one unit study for the very next topic in your lesson plan. Some will cost you. Some are free.

One of them may just be perfect for you and your family. The topic, lessons, and activities are spot on. It couldn't get any better. After all, the work is done for you. You just have to implement it.

But what about those of us who actually want to plan our own? Maybe customize it completely? How do you plan a unit study?

Today, I'll walk you through a few quick steps to planning your own unit study. These steps will work for almost any unit study, whether it be a multi-subject unit study or a simple history unit.

How to Plan a Unit Study

1. Pick a topic. Perhaps you'd like to study a time period in history, a specific culture, or science topic. Maybe you would like to build a unit study around a book you will be reading with your children.
2. Find one main reference book, resource, or website. This resource will serve as a guide or starting point, depending how you choose to use it. Generally, if you want to build a unit study based on a piece of literature, this becomes your reference book.
3. Create a list of subtopics. Good reference resources can be used to glean subtopics or areas of further study within one main topic. Some can be used as spines for the entire study. Usborne, DK, and other books like them lend themselves well to this usage. Their typical one topic per two page layout easily creates an outline for more in depth study. Unit studies based on literature, might use elements from the plot, characters, setting, and author. For instance, a unit study on Charlotte's Web could include subtopics like farm life, barns, spiders, farm animals, rats, and fairs.
4. Collect {or create your own} ideas. Find books, projects, activities, and worksheets for each of the subtopics. Be sure to include ideas below, at, and above grade level. Generally, anything can be altered a little, and sometimes you may want an activity to serve as a review or a challenge for your child. In the past, before Pinterest, I used to collect all my ideas in a file. Now, I simply pin the idea onto a board.
5. Find field trips. List local places and events which could relate to one or more of the subtopics. Check into virtual tours as well. Sometimes it may not be possible to visit a place, but students can 'tour' it through a website.
6. Outline the order of study. It may seem backwards to place this step so far down the list. However, once you have the details collected, then you can decide which of the subtopics you'll likely spend more time covering or which are more important in the unit study.
7. Assign a schedule for the unit study. Judging by the ideas you have found or created, you can decide how much time to allow each one. Be sure to keep it flexible and include a few extra days for topics of interest. Children often want to explore a specific topic further. Allow them the freedom to do so, by setting aside extra time.

If you are creating a unit study which is cross curricula, then you will need to pay careful attention to include subtopics, activities, and field trips which are indeed cross curricula. Balance your unit study by finding or creating lessons which include all the areas of study you want to cover.

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Dorie and her drummer husband, Jerry, began the homeschooling journey over ten years ago. Currently, they home educate four children ranging from early elementary to high school. Dorie can be found at Homeschooling Just Next Door, Facebook, or Pinterest.

Do I Have to Stick to the Curriculum?

Recently, I had a conversation with a friend who is a new homeschooler.  Due to being new at homeschooling and not having a teaching background, she has chosen to use a boxed curriculum this year (which I think was a fantastic choice for her and for many people, so please don't think that I am criticizing curriculums).  

My friend expressed to me her concern that getting her daughter to do the reading work included in the curriculum was a huge challenge every day.  Each day, her daughter asks her if she can read some early readers they have on the shelf instead.  My friend had been saying "no" because she believed she must follow the curriculum, but she wanted advice on what to do.  

My response was to ask her what her reading goals are for her daughter.  As I expected, her goals are for her daughter to become a proficient reader and to enjoy reading.  So, my response was "who cares what she is reading as long as she is reading?  If the early readers on your shelf are more interesting to her than the curriculum reading passages, have her read those instead (or do a combination of both)."

In my house, I have 4 sets of early readers and a Dick and Jane bound collection.  Before the school year started, I had carefully chosen which books we were going to read and in what order.  I had even made worksheets and writing prompts to go with each story.  However, Abigail (kindergarten) quickly changed those plans when she begged for me to purchase some early readers she saw at the local book store and wanted to read Dick and Jane (which I had not planned for).  Now, I give her options for her main readings each week.  I choose two or three little books or Dick and Jane stories that are at her reading level and let her choose which one she prefers.  Reading is often her favorite part of our school day and she has is making very fast progress in her reading skills.

While having a curriculum is wonderful, we, as the teachers of our children, should not feel bound by them.  We have the freedom to change the curriculum, add to it, delete parts, or completely change the curriculums we are using.  Our curriculums should be a guide for our teaching, but not our teaching bibles!

Marla is a former special education teacher and homeschooling mom of two little girls (ages 3 and 5).  She has her PhD in Special Education and loves to put her knowledge to use teaching her children and sharing learning/teaching ideas.  She blogs about raising and teaching her children at Marla's Motherhood Musings and her family's experiences living in Zambia at Our Life in Lusaka.

Breaking Out of the Box (Taking the First Step Away from Boxed Curriculum)

Today, we are very excited to have a guest post by Dusty from To the Moon and Back!

When I first started homeschooling four years ago, I barely knew anything about the journey that I was about to embark on.  I had never expected to educate my children on my own and I didn't know anyone else who did it either.  I was all alone in a great big new world.  Lost.

After many, many hours of researching on the internet and stalking homeschooling blogs, I finally found the perfect answer--a boxed curriculum that laid everything out for me.  It made me breathe a heavy sigh of relief and a weight lifted from my shoulders.  I had found a way for my hand to be held as I took those first steps into home education.

We loved it.  Every day was a joy.  My oldest daughter was thriving and with each new skill she gained, I started to gain a tiny bit of confidence that yes, I could do this. Just a tiny bit though.  I still needed more time to grow in my new "teacher" role.

We continued to use that boxed curriculum for the next three years.  We still love it!  But as time has passed, I've slowly started to realize that our family just doesn't fit in the box.  We began to want to explore and stretch outside of it.  So we took breaks from our regular curriculum here and there to learn about other topics.  We started to supplement what was planned out for us because we wanted more than what was offered.

Now with the end of the current school year nearing, I've been pondering if we were ready to move on to different pastures.  Not necessarily greener pastures, because I believe that prepackaged curriculum can be a great blessing to the right family at the right time. It's just time for our family to break free.

So just like in the beginning of my journey, I poured over catalogs and websites and more blogs but rather than look for a hand to guide me, I was looking for the resources that allowed me to lead. 

It's been a little overwhelming and intimidating at times, but I now know that I can do this.  I'm not scared of bumps or forks in the road anymore.  God gave me these children and He knows that I'm capable, even if I'm not so sure all the time.  What are my tips for taking this step?

*Pray.  Ask God to calm your nerves and show you the way.  Even if we can be the leader when it comes to curriculum choices, we should never forget who is leader of us all.

*Take your time.  Don't rush things.  Grab a highlighter and some post its and really delve into the catalogs, reading the descriptions and taking the time to weigh if what you are looking at is a good fit for you family.  Ask questions on forums or groups.  Search the internet for reviews.  Research thoroughly.

*Ask your kids what they want to learn about.  You might be surprised with what they say!  Learning happens best when children are interested in the content of what they are being taught!

*Take into account your children's learning styles AND your teaching style.  If your child is a kinesthetic learner, it's probably best not to load up on workbooks.  Likewise, you need to think about if you want the curriculum to be teacher intensive or more independent.  Do you want to have to do a little planning with some outlines or do you want to map it all out on your own?  These are all important things to consider when choosing what you will use. 

*Don't be afraid to take a risk.  It isn't the end of the world if you purchase something new and then find that it just isn't going to work.  Sell it, return it, or shelve it for another time.  It's okay to make mistakes.

*Remember that if it doesn't work out, that's okay too.  If you get into your first year and things just aren't going well, there is nothing wrong with you or your homeschool if you decide to back to the boxed curriculum.  Some things just work better for some people and not others.  One of the best things about homeschooling is that you aren't tied down to one method, one curriculum.  You have the freedom to choose what works best for you and your children.

I'm obviously not an expert on this subject matter, as I'm only about to do this for the first time myself, but I'm excited for the new direction our homeschool is taking and want to encourage other moms who might be unsure if they have the ability to do it too.

Do you use a boxed curriculum or do you pick and choose different sources?

Dusty is a stay at home mother of three who is expecting her fourth child this summer!  She has been married to the love of her life for nearly 8 years and is trying to figure out her own path while devouring chocolate and leaning on the Lord. She blogs about homeschooling, homemaking, motherhood, and faith at To the Moon and Back.  

Academic Progress at Their Pace

There is freedom in homeschooling.  We choose curriculum, or opt to use outside resources like classes, tutors, or co-ops for some subjects.  When needed, we can alter lesson plans to suit our families, or change directions when something isn't working.

In any given school year, many choices and decisions are made, but probably one of the most daunting responsibilities is determining the pace a child progresses through their academics.  As a homeschool teacher, you can allow a child to progress at their ideal pace for them, but what if this is far outside the norm? 

Typically, a child finishes the school year and they are promoted to the next grade.  They have completed satisfactory work and progress to a harder level.  However, not all children do. 

A child who struggles greatly may need remedial work or increased tutoring time over the summer break.  Perhaps, they need a different academic approach or some specific interventions throughout the coming year.  Lightening their academic load by concentrating only on core subjects may help.  Sometimes, they may even need to repeat a grade level in one or more subjects.

On the other hand, a child may excel quickly through their academic work.  This child sails through all your lesson plans, completing near perfect pages with very little evidence of effort.  Perhaps, they need a more challenging approach or a few extra courses in the coming year.  Sometimes, they may even skip a year to reach a more challenging level.

No matter what the situation, both children need their academic progress paced in some fashion. 

Regardless of what curriculum or method you use, the pace you employ is vital. 

A child who struggles should not be expected to complete as many lessons in as short of time as a child who excels academically.  We all understand this innately.  However, what about when your child only struggles with one aspect?  Maybe multiplication or sentence diagramming presents difficulty for your otherwise good student.  Do you progress at the child's pace, slowing down for their understanding, or do you press forward, trying to complete the curriculum on someone else's schedule?

Recently, I was reading through a book which cited the literal meaning of curriculum as 'to run a course.'  Wanting to determine the validity of that statement, I checked out the definition from Oxford Dictionaries on line.   This is what I found.

Curriculum - noun (plural curricula or curriculums): the subjects comprising a course of study in a school or college; origin - early 19th century: from Latin (see curricle)

Curricle - noun historical: a light, open, two-wheeled carriage pulled by two horses side by side; mid 18th century: from Latin curriculum 'course, racing chariot', from currere 'to run'

{definitions from Oxford Dictionaries}

Curriculum is the course set before the student.  There is an end in sight, but there doesn't have to be a standard speed.  Children walk it at their own pace, finishing as they are able.  As parents, who happen to be teachers, may we continue to encourage and lead them along the way to progress at their own pace. 

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Dorie enjoys being outside, photography, art, writing, a strong cup of coffee, and good conversations seasoned with much laughter. She and her drummer husband, Jerry, share a life built on faith in Jesus, love, and grace. They have been blessed with four active children. Each day, whether easy or trying, is a wondrous part of this grace filled journey, and Dorie blogs about them all at These Grace Filled Days. Their homeschooling adventures can be found at Homeschooling Just Next Door.

Designing your own free curriculum - resources

We pulled our children from their school after spring break when the boys were in second grade and kindergarten.  We wanted the nine remaining weeks of the school year to "try it out" in case homeschooling wasn't for us.  We had no curriculum, no experience, and no idea how things would turn out.

We did, however, have internet access.

And library cards.

And lots of people who found out we were homeschooling.


This became our trifecta of curriculum through which our early experiences of homeschool flowed.  If you are interested in designing any or all of your own homeschool studies, these can be your greatest aids.



The Internet


I can't imagine how much effort homeschooling was before the internet.  I could type in 'kindergarten science' or 'second grade math' and seven billion sites would pop up with unit study materials, other moms blogging about their great ideas, free printable worksheets or coloring pages, and lists of scope and sequence (which I would then google because I had no idea what scope and sequence even meant - it's okay if you don't know what that means either).

I ordered gently used copies of the "Core Knowledge" series of books and based most of what we did for an entire year off of those books; they were an essential resource for guiding our learning by grade level. Their website states:

"In one convenient volume per grade — from What Your Preschooler Needs to Know through What Your Sixth Grader Needs to Know — the eight-volume Core Knowledge Series provides parents, teachers, and children with an engaging, illustrated introduction to the important knowledge outlined in the Core Knowledge Sequence. Each book suggests related readings and resources. The kindergarten and first grade books also include sections on how children learn to read."

I also searched several variations of "homeschool for free" or "homeschool resources" and listed the books and read the blogs and fell into internet rabbit holes full of magical ideas and tips.  I wrote lists of books that looked helpful.

I knew what my children had been doing in school up to this point, so we tried to pick up from there.  We finished the math workbooks the school sent home with them.  My kindergartener had only the letter "Q" left in his phonics studies, so I printed off worksheets and coloring pages.

I asked my children what they wanted to learn about.  I wrote down those topics under the list of books I had made for myself and off we went to the next critical stop on our journey:

The Library


Our library contained a small but rich homeschooling section.  Among the books I read were "Homeschooling on a Shoestring"  by Melissa Morgan and Judith Allee, "The Ultimate Book Of Homeschooling Ideas" and "Homeschoolers Success Stories" both by Linda Dobson, "How to Write a No-Cost/Low Cost Curriculum for Your Homeschool Child" by Borg Hendrickson, and racks of homeschool magazines - full to the brim with lessons, activities and tips.

We spent a great deal of time in the non-fiction sections of our library.  We found books covering the topics the children were most interested in, as well as resources recommended by the Core Knowledge books and suggested by internet sources.    We discovered DK Eyewitness books; three years later they are still our favorites.  We chose fictional books to read out loud together, including the first Harry Potter book and several Newbery Medal winners.

We branched out into the Audio-Visual section of the library.  We checked out classical music CDs, books on tape or playaways, and instructional DVDs.  Our favorites were the "Signing Time" series, "Families of the World" series, and (surprise!) DK Eyewitness.

Then, I discovered an entire "Teacher's Resource" section.  Just a few steps away from the homeschooling area!  There were reams of pages for copying to create classroom-type crafts (we did a Halloween skeleton from one of these books the next October) as well as themed books for different subjects, different times of year, month-by-month, and even fully written curriculum for certain subjects.  It was a goldmine for free curriculum planning.  As far as directly impacting the work my children did each day, though, the teachers resource area remained a distant second to...

People Who Heard We Were Homeschooling


We tried to quietly fade into the nine weeks away from school, to privately decide whether or not we were going to continue with this crazy idea.  It didn't work out that way.  First of all, people want to know where on Earth  you have gone.  Secondly, people care about you and your kid(s) and want to show it. Third, everyone has tons of stuff sitting around their house taking up space and are all in a constant state of decluttering.

Paper bags started appearing on my doorstep pretty quickly.  A cousin's unfinished math book from the previous school year, a barely used stamping set, puzzles, educational games, an expensive math manipulative set, and flashcards became part of our curriculum.  My sweet mother unearthed a box of worksheets with wipe-off plastic covers and black, oily pencils that we used during the preschool years at my own childhood home.  We were given old textbooks, garage sale books, early reader books, coloring and activity books, matching sets, art kits, craft boxes, jewelry making packs, clay, sorting kits, beads, prizes, and more stickers than you can imagine.

And we used them.  We used them all.

I started meeting and talking to other homeschooling families.  I was also fortunate to already be friends with three homeschooling families and related to a fourth.  They showered me with curriculum samples, borrowed books, group introductions, and reassurances.  They let me use their curriculum books, look over their children's work, ask questions about what they used and other families used. The best things that came from these friendships included the book "Designing Your Own Classical Curriculum: A Guide to Catholic Home Education" by Laura M. Berquist and invitations to used curriculum sales, where I continue to gather information and materials - even as we enter our fourth year at home.





Was designing curriculum for my children easy?  Actually, yes.  It was pretty simple.  I'm not going to say it wasn't a lot of work or a great deal of time, but the information and resources are abundantly available.  What required the most work was the sorting, organizing, storing, copying and printing of the materials.  The researching and teaching parts were fun!  Do we still school in this way?  No, we purchase a planned curriculum now.  But if I weren't also contributing to running our family farm or we were in a tighter financial situation I would want to go back to this method of curriculum design.  I still exert a similar technique and level of control over some portions of our children's education.  And it was a great way for me to learn what sort of style and rhythm where best going to fit my family.

There is something else I took from my experience of homeschooling without a curriculum:  I loan my curriculum out.  I give away the manipulative sets, puzzles, craft kits and unfinished workbooks we don't need anymore.  I try not to bombard them, but I give entire boxes of borrow or keep items to new homeschooling families when they tell me they are going to give it a try.   I loan out science, language arts or reading packages and sets to anyone who is interested in what we have used.


And then I tell them all to get out their library card and start making friends with the most knowledgable librarian working in that wonderful place.

Tackling the Trivium

I have been eagerly waiting for two years to begin this next year. Up until now, we've focused on reading skills, math, and some basic geography. This fall, my son will be entering first grade, and we will begin our first year of a classical education.

Our core curriculum for this year will be Tapestry of Grace, a classical curriculum that beautifully integrates classical study for multiple ages with a strong foundation in Bible and church history. Eventually, our writing, literature, and art will tie in with the history, geography, Bible, and church history studies. But for right now, just starting out, we'll use Tapestry for history and Bible with a little geography sprinkled in, enjoying the fun projects and read-alouds without adding a lot of pressure to "do it all."

For first grade phonics and spelling, we will be continuing with A Beka, adjusting it as we need to fit our family and our homeschool style. His reading will be a mix of the A Beka readers, saved from the days when I was homeschooled, and some Tapestry books.

We'll be using A Beka first grade math as well, but this year, I'm armed with materials to supplement when we get stuck or when A Beka moves too quickly. Math Mammoth has been the perfect solution for us to supplement A Beka. I love how smoothly the material presents each concept and progresses through the drills. The curriculum is a download program, which makes it extremely affordable and very convenient for use as a supplement. It also provides a number of games suggestions and internet resources for each concept being introduced. I love this curriculum! (Math Mammoth also offers a ton of free samples on the website.)

These are our priorities, our everyday subjects. I also intend to add science and art appreciation into our school year, but more as activities than as a complete subject. I ran across the idea of "one more thing" in the afternoon that is perfect for what I want to do with these activities. For science, I'm putting together some unit studies on anatomy and nutrition using a mix of resources from our own library of Usborne books and some internet resources and notebooking pages.

For art, we usually pick one artist and one composer to study sporadically throughout the year. This summer, for instance, we will be learning about Monet and Mendelssohn. I haven't yet decided which artist we'll be using in the fall. For our art study, I usually use the material from Harmony Fine Arts first grade curriculum (this is my second year to use this one year's worth of curriculum; it's immense!).

My daughter is starting K4; and instead of buying new books for her, I'm collating the papers we did not use from A Beka's ABC-123 book and A Beka's K5 book. We'll have more than enough when I supplement with Letter of the Week K4 and School Sparks downloads. So, essentially, I'm getting by with a free year of school for her. She'll also be tagging along in our other subjects as much as she wants to.

That's our year, in as much detail as I've planned out so far. We've had so much fun these last two years  that I absolutely cannot wait to begin this next stage of our journey.

Tracy is a pastor's wife and homeschool mom of three. She herself was homeschooled from 1st grade to graduation and, after college, had the opportunity to write and edit for the Christian textbook publisher A Beka Book. Tracy loves a rainy day, a cup of coffee (lots of cream and sugar), and Rachmaninoff. She blogs at Growing In Grace.

What to Do with Used Curriculum

You've finished the year, or are getting very close to wrapping up the year, either way, congratulations!

You've evaluated your year, are making changes, and are getting ready for next year, but what about all the books and resources you used this past year? What should you, or could you, do with them? No matter what homeschool resources you have, you always have a few options.

If you will use it again:


Keep It - If it is something you will use again, and you don't mind where it is, then keep it right there on that shelf or in that bin. {I personally love when this happens! No need to deliberate or decide.}
Pro - You know exactly where it is all the time.
Con - Items take up precious space on bookshelves.


Store It - If you think you will use it again, but not this year. Are you willing to store it? Find a tucked away shelf or closet, and put it there. Or, maybe box up all your first grade curriculum, label it, and store it in your attic or basement? {A thank you to Tristan for this great attic storage idea! She wrote it in a comment to this post.} If you are worried about moisture, plastic bins may be a great option.
Pro -  You will save money by not having to repurchase items.
Con - There will be space used.  If you are tight on storage space it may be difficult to find a spot.


Share It - You'll use it again in a few years, but a friend is looking for that exact resource for this upcoming school year. Then, lend it to her. Be sure to write your name somewhere inside/on the resource and write down who you lent what. Most planners have a list as part of the pre-made forms, but notebook paper works as well. Be sure to keep it in a safe place, a school year is a long time to remember who has what resources. {We've lent out curriculum and have been blessed to borrow from others as well.}
Pro - Helping out a friend is wonderful.
Con - The materials may not come back to you in pristine condition.



If you will never use it again:


Toss It - You don't need it, and will never use it. No one else can use it, because it is falling apart and missing pieces. Feel free to toss it into the nearest recycling bin.
Pro - Technically, it is being reused.
Con - You could have used it as kindling. {kidding, sort of}


Give It - Have a friend who is looking for a math book you have, you could give it to her. Don't know who needs it? Perhaps you could bring it to co-op, a homeschool support meeting, or play date. Chances are someone will take it off your hands. If not, maybe consider The Book Samaritan, a non profit organization which will take donated curriculum and give it to other homeschool families who need it.
Pro - Helping out a friend is always a blessing, and it far out weighs the following con!
Con - You could have gotten cash. {sounds crass, but it is true}


Sell It - Need some money to buy next year's curriculum? Perhaps you could sell this year's unwanted stuff. Ebay, used book sales, and online stores are a few markets to consider. There may even be a store nearby that does consignment for used curriculum.
Pro - You get cash that you can put toward next year's books.
Con - It can be a lot of work, and if your items don't sell you still have to figure out what to do with them.



Can't decide what resources and books 
you will use again and what you won't?
Perhaps this article by Tracy will help you decide.
Already decided what to get rid of,
but can't decide what you need for next year?
Perhaps this article by Jessica will help guide your decision process.

Homeschool "Enrichment"

In most fifth grade classes here in Kansas, children begin their year determining if they will participate in beginning band, and if so, which instrument they will play.  Band was a great part of my childhood and I wanted my children to be offered the same opportunity if it was possible.

As it turned out, we were homeschooling when fifth grade rolled around.  I had met several other homeschooling families who utilized other public schools for many different resources, so we decided to check into our town's band program.  We aren't sorry we did!

The principal (and all of the staff) were courteous, helpful, and happy to have us.  We were the first homeschool family to be partially enrolled in the intermediate school, and we found their attitudes to be refreshing and interested.  At enrollment I paid a $20 fee and the principal himself gave my son a tour of the school.  We worked together with the secretary to create a safe system of drop-off and pick-up.

The band program itself was the big seller for us - there are three teachers who work with all the children in band from fifth grade clear through high school.  Should our son decide to continue with band, he will maintain a relationship with the same teachers as he continues to grow.  The high school band in our town has the largest amount of student participants compared to all other school activities.  The teaching is well structured and they managed to have four concerts for the fifth grade to showcase their talents.  Our son made several new friends and absolutely loves playing his horn.  He has written papers and journal entries about band and will be giving a presentation about being in band at our end-of-the-school-year party.

I am encouraging him to consider other extracurricular activities through the school.  He can join sports teams, academic clubs, and school organizations if he develops the interest or desire.

I also know that, one day, he is going to surpass my knowledge and abilities in mathematics.  There will be many choices for how he can continue his learning, like internet courses, tutoring, courses structured for homeschoolers, and homeschool group learning.  I will also consider partial enrollment if he is interested.  We have had a wonderful experience this year with band!

Five Steps To Choose Homeschool Curriculum

There is an amazing selection of terrific supplies for homeschooling families. The internet brings this to our fingertips. Are you looking into curriculum for next year, or considering homeschooling for the first time? Here are a few ideas to make curriculum shopping less intimidating:

1) Create a budget.

What is the ideal amount you would like to spend? What can your family afford above/below that amount? Do you have money set aside to pay all at once, or will you be trying to take advantage of a payment plan (many companies offer these)? Nailing this down first will help you make tough decisions as you go, rather than getting your heart set on something only to realize you can't make it happen after all.

2) Create a master list.

Begin with considering which method (or methods!) of schooling best fit with your family. Think about what your mission is a homeschooling parent and what your goals are - as a family and for each particular child. Then list any requirements in your state for the ages of your children. Once you have these parameters in place, you can list the subjects you will be covering, leaving space to fill in which materials you will use as you find them.

3) Research your options.

The internet is the best shopping tool on the planet, hands down. Not only can you look over samples and lists at homeschool curriculum companies, you can also read the reviews of other parents who have used those materials and connect with other homeschooling parents to glean their perspectives on different items. Talk with the other homeschooling families in your area; ask what they are using, what they have used, and what their thoughts are concerning your curriculum quest.

4) Attend used curriculum sales and homeschool conventions.

Wether or not you purchase anything at these gatherings, you will benefit from the time you spend. It is one thing to look at an advertised book or system on your computer screen, but it is quite another to hold it in your hands, flip through all the pages and speak with the parent (and sometimes student) who used it. First-hand accounts like this and the option to read over the material helps a great deal in the decision-making process.

5) Fill in the blanks.

Once you get this far, you will have most of the items on your list filled. I usually don't make any purchases online (though I may have a saved 'shopping cart' waiting to click 'check out') until I've been to the events in step four. Then, if I have a few things I didn't find or still need, I can take advantage of bulk rates or discounted shipping when I add to my order. I may beg or borrow materials from a friend or put together lessons from a free resource online.

What have you found to be your best resource for researching curriculum?

The Unintended Curriculum

When I was teaching in the public schools, there was a lot of talk about the "unintended curriculum" (the things that we don't actually teach children, but they learn from us anyway).  Recently, I have been thinking about the "unintended curriculum" in our home.  I have been wondering what my girls are really learning from me every day (both in our homeschool and in our daily lives).  I wonder:

Are they learning that God wants us to help others.  Do the meals we make for our friends who have babies and the letters we write to the children we sponsor through Compassion International teach them about serving others?

Are they learning that caffeine is a requirement for moms to function?  Does my need for multiple cups of coffee during our homeschool lessons teach them that caffeine is a good thing (instead of a drug that I really need to give up)?

Are they learning that reading is a lifetime skill.  Does seeing my husband and I read make reading more appealing to them?

Are they learning to be good wives and mothers?  Does helping me around the house with cooking and cleaning teach them how to manage their households in the future?

Are they learning about the importance of family?  Do family dinners and family outings show them that family is important?

Are they learning that I am too busy (with cooking, cleaning, dissertation work, emails, etc.) for them?

Are they learning that I love them?

What am I really teaching my girls every day?

A Different Angle of Comparrison

It's funny how you can know something in your mind, but your heart can completely ignore it and cause you to fret and worry. We've heard about the dangers of comparing our homeschool to others, but on a more immediate level, we should learn not to compare one child to their sibling.

Alana (6) and Kyra (5) are finishing up their Kindergarten year. Both have enjoyed school and get excited about trying new things (well, except when it comes to food). Both love to learn, play games, and get dirty!

I've struggled this year with the fact that Kyra is exceling at school, while her older sister can't seem to keep up and has her own issues in subjects like reading/phonics.

This is where the knowing and the heart comes into play.

I know that each child is different. Each child has their own passions, their own strenths and weaknesses, and their own path. Part of the reason that we homeschool is to be able to cater to these differences.

Still...

Sometimes when I reflect on Alana's struggles, I can't help but wonder and worry. I mentioned a few posts ago about her speech therapy and possible delays due to being premature--and it could all very well be related. Or it could be something else, or nothing at all.

I worry about Alana's feeling inferior in academics and, in turn, not enjoying the learning process. This year, I've not pushed Kyra to her full potential because I was kind of trying to keep them on the same page--after all, Kyra was already doing Kindergarten stuff a whole year early.

As I consider our curriculum and schedule for next year, I can't help but compare my children and their strengths/weaknesses.

I've realized a few things, though, and trust me, some of them are very "duh!" in nature:

1. I can't expect that both girls will excel at the same things. Kyra is already reading, but Alana can wield a crayon/pencil to create the most amazing things. Alana can put a 100 piece puzzle together in no time and with no help, but Kyra can remember songs and Bible verses like their going out of style.

2. Children learn more when it's something they enjoy or that they can apply to themselves. Incorporating their passions into subjects like Math and Reading, or using unit studies can encourage them in their learning. Unit studies in particular can include children on any level, so they are all learning together.

3. We need to celebrate the differences! For the most part, Alana will only "feel" inferior, if we make a big deal out of the fact that Kyra is passing her--even when there's nothing wrong with her or with Kyra. Alana won't lose interest in learning if we continue to cater to her interests and encourage the stuff she does well. Little things, like giving her a small "art studio" will do far more for her self-esteem than having her sister working in different curriculum and whatnot.

4. Whta works for one, may not work for another. Children, in general, learn in different ways, at different paces. Kyra is remembers most things she sees and hears. Alana is much more a kinesthetic learner. I was using All About Spelling for both of my girls at the beginning of the year. About halfway through, I switched Alana to Horizons because she was having trouble with the auditory/verbal stuff in All About Spelling. She's done better after switching.

5. Comparing doesn't help anyone. What do I gain by comparing an apple and an orange? There is no comparison. And all it results in is useless worry and doubt that is anything but proactive and encouraging.

So, as I finish up this homeschool year and prepare for the next, I'm trying not to compare my children, but instead to celebrate and embrace their differences. I aim to deepen our relationships and encourage their trust in the Lord. I hope to instill and nourish a love for learning that will take them well into their adult years.

None of that has anything to do with comparrison.

Nourish The Child: Art

Art is a part of our family. It is an effortless joy for us to look and learn from great and beautiful pictures. We have an impressive collection of art books, nearly all of which were bought by my husband and myself before we even met. Because he and I value beauty, our children have inherited a sense of awe and reverence for art.

I realize it isn't so natural for many homeschooling families. There are hundreds of (mostly pricey) art programs that promise to produce little art historians and such. But even for a homeschooler who is completely unversed in the visual arts, I think it's mostly overkill.

An art center in your home doesn't require much space at all. A couple drawers in the kitchen will suffice, plus a place to display some books or prints.

I mostly stock our art center with better quality PLAIN WHITE PRINTER PAPER. Coloring books are a silly invention. Children don't need them. Children are creative. They will get the pictures they want. They will experiment, trace, beg mummy to draw whatever it is they need. "Draw me an 'A', Mommy!" (My children actually call all writing, drawing. They 'draw' instead of 'write' letters and words.) "Draw me a squirrel on a branch, Mommy!" (Um, dear, go find that in your nature book...)

To go with your white paper you'll need crayons, colored pencils, and markers. Don't be sweduced by the fancy brands- beeswax crayons are not magical. Believe me I have used every art supply on planet earth, and for children under the age of ten, and for most children OVER the age of ten, washabe Crayola is fine. Don't buy the cheaper brands because they really don't work as well, but save the fancy Lyra, Prismacolor, Stockmar, and Koh-I-Noor stuff for older children who really want to pursue art seriously.

The best accompaniments I have found for these simple supplies are Ed Emberley's drawing books. Have a child with poor handwriting who hates to practice? Hand him or her Ed Emberley's Make a World or Ed Emberley's Animals on a Saturday morning and see what happens. These books utilize basic handwriting strokes to make very cool, quick, fun drawings of anything and everything. The child is motivated to observe closely and make the strokes properly in order that the item (s)he is drawing comes out right. Just don't require anyone to work out of these books or I think you'll really spoil the effects!

For clay play, regular or homemade play-dough and some fun tools will do the job. Older children may enjoy Plastalina, a clay that never dries. (It's what's used for claymation movies.) A stack of construction paper is all most children need for endless crafts (cutting, glueing, and sculpting masks, teepees, paper dolls, and whatever else), with maybe a couple of magazines for cutting out nice photos and pictures to use. I'm very amused by the kits and packs sold for homeschoolers with pre-cut shapes for different 'crafts', as if children with a pair of scissors and a pile of colored paper needed any of them!

Really, that's all you need. We also have lots of craft sets that have been given as gifts, as well as pan watercolor paints. Any other paints are at your discretion... sometimes too much paint creates insane mothers, if you know what I mean.

The art books and prints you choose to have in your home should be those you love and really enjoy looking at. Some kid-friendly artists include Van Gogh, Da Vinci, Raphael, Pontormo (Italian), Velazquez(Spanish), M.C. Escher, Grandma Moses (a wonderful choice when studying American History), and Rembrandt. Another lesser-known artist whose work is very informative and appropriate for children is the painter Morandi. He is what is called "a painter's painter"- meaning painters love him and most other people have never heard of him! It is very good to have several books of individual artists so you and your kids can get a true feel for their particular styles. For a wide variety of artists is one book, try the Come Look with Me series of children's art books.

Tracing paper can be helpful for a child who wants to copy pictures out of these books- my oldest son recently spent days tracing and freehanding the Mona Lisa. He decided, in the end, that there was a good reason it was one of the most famous pictures in the world!

Used book stores and Barnes & Noble's bargain section are wonderful places to find art books economically. A cheap acrylic or wooden book display that allows a book to be held open is a nice touch, with the book and page changed often. Many libraries have full-sized, framed art prints you can check out for 6 weeks at a time. My husband checks out a diferent print for our home and his office faithfully every month.

None of this promises that your children will become extreme art lovers, prodigy art historians, or draughtsmen of wonder. But it does promise an easy, inexpensive, enjoyable way for your whole family to explore the visual arts.


"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up."
~Pablo Picasso

"Painting is easy when you don't know how, but very difficult when you do."
~Edgar Degas


"When my daughter was about seven years old, she asked me one day what I did at work. I told her I worked at the college - that my job was to teach people how to draw. She stared at me, incredulous, and said, "You mean they forget?""
~Howard Ikemoto

Curriculum Shopping!

It's that time of year again. Time to start making decisions about what worked this year in your homeschool and what didn't.

Did you find some keepers for next year, or was it all a bust?

{Sam's Noggin}

In our homeschool we have had plenty of busts, not as many keepers. It has been hard to find something that works well with the majority of my children, as we try to use our curriculum in a group.

If you are keeping what you used this year, because it works well, good for you! Just bump up the levels and you are set. If you are starting from scratch, please take some time to figure out what didn't work with your current curriculum before throwing books in your cart.

Do you need to change learning styles?

We have found our fit in curriculum with Trail Guide To Learning from Geography Matters. This curriculum is great to use with the family, and is a literature based unit study kind of curriculum that is Charlotte Mason and Ruth Beechick friendly. We will be using it again next year for everyone but our high school student. It will be the easiest purchase year ever, as I already know several things we are going to use for him as well.

Was the curriculum too easy?

Sometimes you just don't have your child in the right fit for difficulty, and they get bored. Ask your child how the school year has gone so far in their opinion, and if they have ideas about what changes they would like moving forward.

Does the curriculum fit your lifestyle?

Perhaps you find yourself in the car often, and love to stop at the park to do your studying. Choose easily portable curriculum, you won't want to pack the car full of books and lug them around with you.

Is it in your budget?

Sometimes we droll over a particular curriculum, but the price is beyond our reach. Try to decide what you most like about the curriculum and try to find something similar. You'd be surprised at how many things are out there with a few differences.

{Sam's Noggin}

I'm looking forward to the day when I don't have as much to buy, and will be reusing what we have used in the past. Now that we have found something we love, it will happen eventually!

Learning Centers: Preparing the Banquet

Thou shalt prepare a banquet for me
Amidst them that trouble me...
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.

-Psalm 23

This week I am going to take you through my main living area (no, I did not clean it first)

and show you how our learning materials are set up. I am an extremely visual person; if it's outta sight, then it's outta my mind. My children seem to be pretty visual, too. They rarely get bored, and I think the way our toys and materials are set up helps with that. I keep things where we can all see them, which makes things get used a lot more than they would otherwise.

I spread the banquet, but each child fills his or her plate.

(Math shelves: Miquon math workbooks and cuisenaire rods, origami and tangram supplies, rulers and measuring tape, subtraction machine, cuties box of fill-able geometric solids, teaching clock, number balance, pattern blocks. Shelf below holds loops for fingerweaving- yep, that's a math activity! We also have tons of math-ish games like SET, Quirkle, Farkle, Connect 4, etc.)

They way I set up, operate, and record-keep in our homeschool reflects my basic philosophies about education:

"What we want is to see the child in pursuit of knowledge, and not knowledge in pursuit of the child."
~George Bernard Shaw

and

"Children have to be educated, but they have also to be left to educate themselves."
~Abbé Dimnet, Art of Thinking, 1928 (Have you not read this book? It is fantastic!)

and the quotation I intended to put here in the first place:

"Education is not the filling of a pail but the lighting of a fire."
~William Butler Yeats

(Math shelves on right, history and geography shelves on left. Atlases, history and geography story books/ fun facts books, unbreakable stuffed globe- finest $19 you'll ever spend, unceremonious stacks of random books we've read recently. The Infant of Prague, in appropriate colored vestments, watches over from above.)

Perhaps the most pervasive influence on how we do things around here is Mari Montessori. She was my original inspiration to homeschool. Although I find that many things about a Montessori classroom do not translate well into a home setting (at least not my home), much of her philosophy can be applied to whatever material or situation is at hand.

(Science shelves: my resource books on top shelf, next shelf has picture books, flash cards, bug catcher, leaf press, rock and bark specimens, flashlight, nature journals, next has more books, nature guides, experiment kits- storebought and homemade, next shelf holds fish box- books, models, shells, puzzle, books, magnetic rod with fish magnets, etc, sink or float experiment, lacing cards, next shelf dinosaur and rock collection box, rice play box for toddler.)

My children are not required to work with their 'school things.' They choose them. If Isaiah wants to play math games for days on end, fine. If he wants to draw for a whole week, fine. Over the course of a month or two, like a toddler with his food, I find him to be balanced in his choices.

It's been a long process to let go of the mental picture of more traditional schooling, and it's been quite an effort. But the joy and self-motivation I see in my oldest, at the time when many of his peers are losing these very qualities, is satisfying.

The little booklet I used as an inspiration to gather all our materials together is "How to Set Up Learning Centers in your Home" by Mary Hood, author of "The Relaxed Homeschool." It's available from Rainbow Resource for about $5 and $1.50 shipping. It has checklists of items you could include in your centers.

We also have an art center and a music center, but those are ever changing and never, um, presentable. I am blessed right now to have room for all these centers in my home, but for less visual families with limited space, a (well-organized) tub holding the same sorts of materials could be just as fun and effective.


"Can you do Division? Divide a loaf by a knife - what's the answer to that?"
~Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass

We Don't Need Fancy Materials

Every time that I go to the store, I find some expensive materials that I would love to have for our homeschool.  There are so many cool curriculums, math manipulatives, computer programs, books, etc.  I would love to have them all!  However, purchasing every cool homeschooling material I see is just not practical!

My family is currently preparing to move to Africa for two years.  Due to the high cost of shipping items overseas, we can only take what we can fit in our suitcases.  That means that I get one suitcase for homeschooling materials for the next year (until we return for Christmas and I can stock up again).  Initially, the thought of having such limited space for teaching materials terrified me.  How could I possibly adequately teach my children without a ton of materials?

Then, I realized that I don't need much to teach.  In fact, on a daily basis, we don't use many materials.  Most days, we use construction paper, markers, a dry erase board, books, and math manipulatives (which are often snack foods or small toys).  

While the thought of having a lot of cool materials is appealing, great homeschooling does not require it.  A quality homeschool is created through hard work, dedication, and love.