I have a 4-week summer unit study because learning doesn’t have to stop while you enjoy the change in weather. Also, look at my page Best Homeschool Unit Studies for more fun unit studies.
Today, summer is about relaxation and travel.
Also, I have some fun facts about starfish and how to make this adorable starfish craft.
Besides, in some places where the temperature doesn’t soar too much you can get outside and explore the great outdoors.
From geography to oceans to the history of summer and the flora and fauna, a summer unit study is a great way to involve all ages.
Too, many educators talk about the summer slide but when you homeschool summer is just another season of fun learning.
Also, if you’re looking for more ideas or ways to summer learning, look at my post A to Z List: 100 Fun Summer Homeschool Unit Study Ideas.
And if you’re new to homeschooling, look at How to Use Summertime to Put a Foot in Homeschooling and 7 Advantages to Starting Your Homeschool Year in the Summer to get your year off to a great start.
SUMMER BOOKS FOR KIDS
First, look at some of these books to add to your home library.
Additionally, I prefer living books when I can find them and then add reference books.
13 Books About Summer to Read to Kids and For Kids to Read
Grab some of these fun books about summer to add to a summer unit study or to lean about the change in the season.
In a companion volume to Autumn: an Alphabet Acrostic and Spring: an Alphabet Acrostic, sandy beaches, juicy watermelons, and porch swings are just a few of the warm-weather delights featured in acrostic poems about summer.
Are trees social beings? In The Hidden Life of Trees forester and author Peter Wohlleben convincingly makes the case that, yes, the forest is a social network. He draws on groundbreaking scientific discoveries to describe how trees are like human families: tree parents live together with their children, communicate with them, support them as they grow, share nutrients with those who are sick or struggling, and even warn each other of impending dangers. Wohlleben also shares his deep love of woods and forests, explaining the amazing processes of life, death, and regeneration that he has observed in his woodland.
There’s a small green frog on a half-sunk log in the middle of the bog. He eats one tick, two fleas, three flies, four slugs, and five snails. And the frog gets a whole lot bigger. Then a hungry gator shows up, ready to eat the big fat frog. The frog opens his mouth wide to scream and out comes everything he’s eaten! And the frog gets a whole lot smaller.
It's not easy to teach a cat to read, but one boy tries to anyway in this sweet and silly picture book debut that captures the challenges and rewards of learning to read.Nick loves to read books--and he loves to play with his cats, Verne and Stevenson. So naturally Nick decides it's a great idea to teach his cats to read.
When the days stretch out like a slow yawn, and the cheerful faces of Johnny-jump-ups jump up . . . then it’s time to get ready for summer! From flip-flops and hide-and-seek to fireworks and ice-cream trucks, from lemonade stands and late bedtimes to swimming in the lake and toasting marshmallows, there’s something for everyone in this bright and buoyant celebration of the sunny season.
Dr. Seuss’s beloved story teaches kids to treat the planet with kindness and stand up and speak up for others. Experience the beauty of the Truffula Trees and the danger of taking our earth for granted in a story that is timely, playful, and hopeful. The book’s final pages teach us that just one small seed, or one small child, can make a difference.
It was such a hot summer. The sky was deep blue and the sun never faltered. All along Brambly Hedge, the mice did their best to keep cool. Poppy Eyebright sought refuge in the mossy shadows of the mill wheel; Dusty Dogwood took to walking by the banks of the cooling stream. Dusty and Poppy spent more and more time together, so no one was at all surprised when they announced their engagement. They decided on a very unusual setting for the wedding ceremony, but even they didn't realise just how unusual it was prove to be!Also look out for Spring Story, Autumn Story and Winter Story!
Nicky is convinced that his summer with his grandmother in the Wisconsin woods is going to be the worst summer ever. She cooks food that he doesn’t like, there’s an art studio where her living room should be, and he’s expected to do chores—including fishing, the most boring chore ever.
But one afternoon, while Nicky is trying to catch their dinner, a raft drifts down the river towards him. The raft has a calming magic about it, affecting both Nicky and the wildlife of the river and woods. Through the raft and the adventures it brings him on, Nicky finds new common ground with his grandmother, a fellow river rat, who encourages him to explore his newfound talent for art.
The winter is finally over, and now it is summertime. Laura and Mary are busy all day helping Ma in the garden and playing outside.
"We were tired of living in a house.
So we packed a bag with
sweaters and socks and scarves
and mittens and woolen caps.
And we moved to a tree...."
So begins this whimsical tale of four small children, a dog and a cat who decided they were tired of living in a house. They try a tree, a pond, a cave and the seashore, but in each place something unusual happens to make them move on to the next place-and finally home.
Sal and her mother a picking blueberries to can for the winter. But when Sal wanders to the other side of Blueberry Hill, she discovers a mama bear preparing for her own long winter. Meanwhile Sal's mother is being followed by a small bear with a big appetite for berries! Will each mother go home with the right little one?With its expressive line drawings and charming story, Blueberries for Sal has won readers' hearts since its first publication in 1948."The adventures of a little girl and a baby bear while hunting for blueberries with their mothers one bright summer day. All the color and flavor of the sea and pine-covered Maine countryside.
Over and Under the Canyon takes young readers on a thrilling tour of a desert canyon ecosystem. Over the canyon, the sun scalds the air, baking desert mud to stone. But under the shade of the cliffs hides another world, where bighorn sheep bound from rock to rock on the hillside, roadrunners make their nests in sturdy cacti, and banded geckos tuck themselves into the shelter of the sand. Discover the wonders concealed in the curves of the canyon, the magic of a desert wildflower bloom, and all the unexpected creatures that bring the desert to life.DISCOVER AMAZING ANIMALS: Kids are endlessly curious about the natural world and the wildly varied animals living in it—and the desert is FULL of amazing and surprising animals!
Award-winning duo Kate Messner and Christopher Silas Neal return in this latest addition to the Over and Under picture book series, this time exploring the rich, interconnected ecosystem of the ocean!Over the waves, the sea lions bark and seagulls wheel and call. The bay is smooth and bright in the sun. But under the waves, there's a whole hidden forest, full of whales and wolf eels, sardines and sea bass, leopard sharks and luminous jellies, as well as the waving kelp that shelters them all. Discover the magical depths of the kelp forest, and all the fascinating creatures living just a paddle's length away—over and under the waves.SO MANY FASCINATING FACTS: Kids are endlessly curious about the natural world and the wildly varied animals and plants living in it—and the ocean is FULL of amazing and surprising life!ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS MADE WONDERFUL: Preservation of our wilderness—and of our oceans in particular—is essential, and this book makes such a great, upbeat jumping-off point for discussions of the importance and wonder of our world's natural habitats and ecosystems.
Next, look at ideas for how to add each subject to this summer unit study.
Keep in mind that not all school subjects may fit naturally into a unit study. Don’t force a fit with a subject.
However, it is a chance to tie concepts in and fit as many ideas as you can in a fun way.
HISTORY & GEOGRAPHY SUMMER UNIT STUDY IDEAS WEEK 1
For example, talk about the early origins of summer.
Summertime has been a time of focus on agriculture for thousands of years.
Besides, the Mesopotamians and Egyptians relied on the sun to grow crops.
In addition, other countries celebrate summer through festivals. Like the Swedes during the Middle Ages.
They began raising midsummer poles decorated with flowers and danced around it.
Research about how different countries celebrated the beginning of summer.
Ancient countries like Rome and Celts celebrated the day to honor the sun for a good harvest.
Then here are some history topics/ideas to learn about.
- summer festivals
- countries to visit during the summer
- Titanic
- create a summer geography travel journal
- history of baseball
- history of lighthouses and why they were needed
- history of solstice
Here are some posts with hands-on ideas.
In addition, the idea of a summer vacation is a relatively new concept in the 19th century.
A summer break allowed children to help with farming during the busy summer months.
As you can see public school then built their schedule or school year around the harvest time.
Because of that public schools started in the fall to allow the children to help their parents in the field.
NATURE & SCIENCE SUMMER UNIT STUDY IDEAS WEEK 2
Additionally, the topic summer study makes for a heavy on the nature and science topics.
Next, here are some nature/science topics/ideas to learn about.
- camping
- nature study
- seeds
- berries
- ice cream
- tadpoles to frog and toads to amphibians
- study animals found on an island
- coral reefs
- weather patterns
- gardening
- seashores, oceans, marine animals and ponds
- tide pools
- watermelon
- butterflies
- dandelions
- farming
- summer sensory bins
- organize cooking classes
Then, look at some of these hands-on ideas to teach about the topics above.
- 5 Tide Pool Facts and Create An Edible Tide Pool Diorama Ideas
- Galapagos Islands Animals Fun and Simple Watercolor Flamingo Tutorial
- Shark and Oceans for Kindergarten Fun Sight Word Activity
- Free Carnivorous Plants Lapbook and Fun Homeschool Unit Study Ideas
- How to Create Homeschool Farming Curriculum and Adorable Clothespin Sheep Craft
- 10 Edible Beach Crafts For Teens and Make Edible Beach Glass
- How to Make Fluffy Lemonade Summer Slime With Kids
- 5 Facts About Ice Cream | How to Make Ice Cream In A Bag Science
- Fun Hands-on Coral Reef Activities and Play Dough Invitation to Play
- Coral Reef Unit Study and Lapbook
- The Geronimo Stilton Series: Make a Fun Edible Coral Reef
- Celebrate World Reef Day with a Blow Painting Coral Reef Hands-On Activity
- How Do Sharks Float STEM Activity Free Shark Unit Study & Notebooking Pages
- From Egg to Sea Turtle Nature Unit Study & Lapbook
- Cutest Ever Egg Carton Sea Turtle Craft and Learning Activities for Kids
- How to Make a Watermelon Sensory Bin for Play and Learning
- How to Make Fun Watermelon Seed Slime For Summer Learning
MATH & LANGUAGE ARTS SUMMER UNIT STUDY IDEAS WEEK 3
In addition, there are some fun hands-on ideas to add for fun math and language arts summer unit study ideas.
- track daily temperatures during the summer. Older kids can create line graphs
- look for geometry in nature and patterns in nature
- Use Swiss Family Robinson book to do a whole unit study about living on an island Swiss Family Robinson Unit Study.
- Read The Lost Art of Reading Nature’s Signs: Use Outdoor Clues to Find Your Way, Predict the Weather, Locate Water, Track Animals – and Other Forgotten Skills.
- younger children can keep an easy weather journal
- use summer themed counters like mini starfish, ocean animals or seashells
- keep a nature journal
- do storytelling by creating art on stones
- have older children choose a country and focus on learning its summer celebrations.
- do a math scavenger hunt
- create a summer reading challenge
ELECTIVES & CRAFTS FOR A SUMMER UNIT STUDY WEEK 4
Finally, summer is the perfect time to pursue electives or crafts that we just couldn’t squeeze into our regular schedule.
Too, look at some of these ideas.
- 30+ Summer Activities for Middle School Kids
- Fun Pineapple Candle For Fun Summer Activities for Middle Schoolers
- 20 Fun Summer Ideas for a Teen
- Homeschooling Through the Summer with My Highschooler
- 25 Summer Homeschool Ideas To Keep The Learning Spark Alive
- How to Make an Ocean-Inspired Sea Shell Necklace | 8 Summer Beach Crafts
- Super Easy and Fun Aquarium Jar Craft For Summer Activities for Middle Schoolers
- Fun Making Ocean Layers Soap | Summer Activities for Middle Schoolers
- 11 Fun Summer Activities for Middle Schoolers
- 10 Sea Shell Activities for Kids and Make Crystal Sea Shells
- Summer Wood Crafts: How to Make a Teen Bikini Box
Finally, look at some fun starfish facts and how to make this giant starfish.
7 STARFISH FACTS
- Starfish are predators and eat a variety of animals, including mollusks, crustaceans, and worms.
- Starfish are not actually fish! They are echinoderms, which are a group of marine animals that also include sea urchins and sand dollars.
- Starfish have five arms, but some species can have up to 40 arms!
- Starfish have a water vascular system that helps them move around and capture prey.
- Starfish can regenerate their arms if they are lost or damaged.
- Starfish have tiny tube feet on the underside of their arms that help them grip surfaces and move around.
- Starfish can change their color to camouflage themselves with their surroundings.
GIANT PAPER MACHE STARFISH
Now, look at how to make this giant fun starfish. Most starfish have 5 legs.
But they can have anywhere from 5 to 40 legs, and we had so much fun creating the armature of the legs we ended up with a 6 legger.
You will need:
- Roll of toilet paper
- Aluminum foil
- Duct tape
- Water
- School glue
- Craft paints
- Paintbrush
First, use aluminum foil to create the body and arms of the starfish.
Next, make it any size you would like, squeeze it together tightly.
Then, connect each leg to the body with duct tape. Set aside while you work on the paper mache pulp.
Shred most of the roll of toilet paper into small pieces, put into a saucepan.
Add just enough water to cover the paper.
Bring to a boil and stir.
STARFISH CRAFT FOR KIDS
Turn off heat and use an immersion blender or transfer to a blender to puree the mixture.
Allow to soak for a couple of hours.
Place mixture in a strainer and let it drip until a good portion of the moisture has drained off, 15-20 minutes.
Give it a few squeezes to help remove more excess water.
Put pulp back into the pan and add half a bottle of white school glue, mix well.
Add a couple teaspoons of table salt.
Paper mache pulp takes a while to dry and if it takes too long to dry it might mold. Adding salt to the mixture helps keep away mold and mildew.
Lay your starfish base on a silicone mat, alternatively you could use another piece of aluminum foil.
Begin pressing paper mache pulp onto the structure, squeezing to form it to the body and legs of the starfish.
Continue until it is covered in a ¼ thick layer on both sides.
Leave it to dry for 2-3 days until completely dried out.
Paint in the style of any starfish you like.
We went with the coloring of a Cushion Sea Star.
Paint the underside as well
Let the paint dry.
Last, add any more details you would like to the top or underside with a small brush or a paint pen.
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