How to Build a Unit Study in 6 Easy Steps

Unit studies are growing as a popular homeschooling style. And rightfully so! They are highly engaging. You can easily pick from thousands of topics your kids are interested in. And you can study one topic as a family with each child getting something out the unit.

You can buy unit studies and even find many online for free. But what if your kids are found a subject they are really into and you can’t afford the curriculum or you can’t find any for your child’s rare topic choice.

In that case, you can build your own and it’s actually very easy. Just follow these 6 simple steps. We’ve even got a Free Printable PDF to help you build your own!

1. Pick a topic

You have to start by picking a topic. Once you’ve decided on your topic, decide what subjects you want to hit while you doing this unit. I often recommend trying to hit no more than 3 or 4 subjects in a single unit.

2. Books

Find some books on the topic. Gather anything you can find. Picture books, poetry books, non-fiction, field guides and novels.

I also like to try and find one big book, a novel or chapter book that we can read throughout the study. I look for something that is related to the topic if possible (like Charlotte’s Web in an Insect unit study). Sometimes, it’s a little bit of a stretch but we make it work.

3. Hands-On activities

We like to keep our unit studies to about a 4-6 weeks, with a month being our most popular timeline. So in a month-long study, I’ll aim to find 3-4 hands-on activities to do with the kids. Pinterest is my go to for ideas.

4. Media and TV

TV, movies and media can be a great learning tool in your homeschooling. I like to find something educational for the kids to watch every now and then. Sometimes a 5 minute YouTube video can explain something better than I could in an hour. Look for YouTube clips, documentaries or educational shows like Magic School Bus for ideas.

5. Field Trip

Get out of the house and find a cool place that is related to your topic. Go and visit a museum, a specific floor of a science centre, a play or literally a field.

6. Big Project

A big project can be helpful way to pull all you’ve learned together. Sometimes we do it at the start of our unit (Like planting a garden when we’re learning about plants and seeds). Sometimes we do it at the end (like a big experiment at the end of our Scientist unit).

7. Recipe (Bonus)

If I can find a fun recipe, then it’s a little bonus. I get the kids to help me make it and include it during our poetry teatime.

Unit studies can be a fun way to get kids excited about learning at home and are often a great pick-me-up idea when things get a little blah. We often do a unit study in January, after the excitement of the holidays wears off and we’re feeling a little unmotivated.

To help you create your own unit study, we’ve created an awesome PDF. You can download it for free! It’s designed to help you create any unit for your unique family!