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Day 4. Finalize Sub-topics. 10 Days of Diving Into Unit Studies by Creating a Unit Study Together.

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This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

Curb a potential time waster like determining sub-topics by using the chapters found in a topical book on the theme you have selected.  It’s quite the nifty tip because a lot of the ground work on a topic has been laid for you.  It keeps the part that can be overwhelming, which is planning a unit study, to manageable.

Unit Study. Day 4. Finalize Sub-Topics. 10 Days of Diving Into Unit Studies by Creating a Unit Study Together.

Unit Study Planning

Of course you determine if you want to cover those chapters as sub-topics or not.  Mix and match those chapters turned sub-topics with other books, articles or magazines you have on hand on the subject too.

Because the process of lesson planning can be simplified, below I show you how I created my draft planning page from just one book, Discover the Ocean, which I talked about on Day 3. Selecting Superior Sub-Topics. 10 Days of Diving Into Unit Studies By Creating A Unit Study Together.

I wanted to use one book to give you the basics of planning.  After you plan a couple of unit studies, you will come up with your own sub-topics and like I mentioned add others from other resources you have too.

Unit Study Planning. Ocean Unit Study Planning Page

        {part of the form from my unit study planner}

Also, when it came to the literature column, I just dotted down what we have in the house already which fits nicely with this topic.  Then, I researched the scriptures to find ones that applied to my topic of Ocean as well.  And, you can take the Bible study one step further by adding facts about the parting of the Red Sea.

Another reason I picked out this book to use as an example with you is because it has a glossary section in the back too.  Right there I have my spelling and vocabulary section built in and to choose from for my unit study.  I just wanted to show you that if you pick out a resource that is extremely helpful, it can making preparing unit studies a cinch.  As you gain more experience and become a pro planner, it becomes easier to piecemeal a unit study from several different resources.

After choosing the sub-topics, then assign those sub-topics as subjects.  Now, you can glance at your unit study as a whole to see if your unit study will be lop-sided or if it looks like you have a nice balance of subjects being learned throughout the topic.  Remember, it doesn’t matter if it’s lop-sided because that may be your focus.  This unit study on the ocean is a bit more lop-sided intentionally because I needed it to be more science focused.

As you can see from the above example, I can still create another column for art if I choose to at anytime.  My primary focus for that column right now is to use the misc. ideas to focus on some vocabulary that I know Tiny needs.  That is the flexibility of creating your own unique unit study because it can be slanted whichever direction your family needs or wants to go.

Remember this is my big overview and certainly I do not have to stop here with planning and wouldn’t want to.  I can still add some art and keep on with sub-topics.  Having more sub-topics is another key to keeping your unit study moving along.  Sometimes we will take a sub-topic a day and for other unit studies, we may take weeks.

Ease of Unit Study Planning

Flesh out your unit study with sub-topics generously because you may either move ahead faster or find some you don’t like as well.  You will have plenty to choose from if that becomes the case.

At this point too, I also look at other resources I may need.  I listed some here for you below that make studying about the ocean fun.  The way I decide if I want to buy something versus borrowing from the library is if I know I will use that resource for many years like with multiple children or if it’s a resource with facts that can be studied over and over again throughout the years even with one child.

You have just created a course of study with relatively little ease as well.

I got so excited to show you all of this information floating around in my head that I got ahead of myself.  We are not quite ready for the stage of pulling resources together.  I have one more post to show you about planning before we start pulling more resources.

Pulling resources is still kind of like planning too, but I wanted to show you how you can satisfy the educationalese of a state or country if you live in one that requires stricter record keeping.  If you don’t live in a place like that, then who knows you may astound folks with your teaching prowess after I show you the next post on this series which contains a few educationalese.

Did I lose you?  Are you with me?  Have you grouped your sub-topics together for the theme you chose?  If you are using my unit study planner, then just pencil them in.  If not, create your sub-topics some way that you remember them.

Are you having any problems creating any of the subject sub-topics from the resource you chose?

Hugs and love ya,

10 Days of Creating A Unit Study Together

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Day 3. Selecting Superior Sub-Topics. 10 Days of Diving Into Unit Studies By Creating A Unit Study Together

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Day 3. Selecting Superior Sub-Topics. Unit Study

Affiliate Link ElementsSlice and dice of your unit study begins with being picky about sub-topics.  One significant reason that could dampen a unit study is not selectively choosing sub-topics.  Chiseling that main topic down into manageable planning sub-topics is the key to not covering “everything” and not being overwhelmed.  Not only did I choose the topic of Oceans to do with you because it has a kazillion topics so I can illustrate a slice and dice method, but I also wanted to pull you in closer on the specific how tos of choosing a sub-topic.

Trim and Fit Unit Studies

From the beginning, it is important to brainstorm sub-topics that would fit naturally into your main theme.  In other words never force a fit to make something fit into a subject for the sake of saying you covered something in that subject.  It really makes for some awkward learning moments.  I have done it and afterwards I felt like I was having an insane homeschooling day.

For example, I mentioned in Day 2. Tips For Choosing Unit Study Topics. 10 Days of Diving Into Unit Studies By Creating A Unit Study Together I chose Oceans not just because it will be part of our big move coming up, but because it is a science topic.  I want our sub-topics to stay focused more on science.  So if I was to try to tie in history by asking the boys how do they think the Oregon Trail pioneers felt when they arrived in Oregon and viewed the Pacific Ocean would feel awkward to me.  On the other hand if I tied in the history of seafaring to our unit study, that would feel more natural.

Make sense?

Books and Guides Matter

Next, the very basic essential to planning an excellent unit study is having a hardworking spine which can be a study guide, teacher’s manual, textbook, pamphlet, living book or article on line.  Start by looking over what you already have in your home library to choose as a guide.  If you don’t have one, then make a visit to the library to find one or buy one if you think you will do this topic again and can use it with multiple children.

Though I love living books, I normally use them to include as our literature to read.  Sometimes I choose a living book, but a lot of times I do not.  Why? Because books that give me ideas for hands-on too from the very beginning sets me up for success by making the unit study easier.  I want to work less in teacher prep so I chose books filled with facts AND that have hands-on ideas for projects.  It really depends on what type of unit study also.  For example, if we were doing one a famous person then a living book would be my number one go to book.

Also if you have younger children, then choosing a living book like the ones by Holling C. Holling like I have listed below are great story readers and make a useful teacher spine.  It is easy too at times to find hands on ideas for younger learners, but not quite as easy for older students.

So as the teacher you decide what type of books keeps it easy for you and for the ages of the children you have.  No need to dread hands-on because that is the life of a great unit study.  Just be more picky about choosing the unit study guide.  Instead of going with a living book for my Ocean Unit Study, then I am going with more of a fact book which already has ideas for hands-on projects.

I have mentioned these books before and now I gathered some of them up for you to see.  Because hands on ideas are already included, they make WONDERFUL unit study starters.

Discover the Oceans is the one I will be using for this unit study from my favorite books above.   This doesn’t mean I can’t add another spine.  I had this one at home and it is a good jumping off point.  Look below at the chapters inside the book.

how to use a chapter book to prep unit study

I don’t have to fuss much because I already have a guide or direction to go with on this topic.   Quickly glancing at the chapters I can tell which ones are the direction we need to go and which ones I may need to look over.  The “maybe” chapters are ones I need to look at because I want to keep this a more science topic and I want to be sure they don’t pull us too far off that track.

Unit Study Course of Study | Tina's Dynamic Homeschool Plus

(page from my Unit Study Planner)

Choose sub-topics that pique your children’s interests and then assign them to subjects.  I will be doing this in the next post where I will have chosen all my sub-topics for the Ocean, but I have an example above from my FBI unit study to show you now.  I have 3 sub-topics shown.  Two that interested my boys which are J. Edgar Hoover and the effects of WWI and one I added, which is the U.S. Government.   So I added something I felt like they needed to study about and grouped with the sub-topics that they naturally picked.   On the right side I used a check to show which subject areas I felt those sub-topics met.

So up to this point, you  need to

  • Pick a guide or two;
  • Look over the chapters;
  • Determine which chapters will help you in your topic and which ones will not or would the book serve better as a reader or literature.
  • Choose your sub-topics

Next post I will share my sub-topics on the Ocean Unit Study and then show you how to start pulling resources together.

Are you with me still?

Hugs and love ya,

10 Days of Creating A Unit Study Together

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Unlocking the Homeschool Leader Within You

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Unlocking the Homeschool Leader Within You

(Kelley and I take time for a quick picture as she gets ready to run the front table for an open house for Susan Wise Bauer.)

Unlocking the homeschooler leader within you may not be a topic that a lot of homeschoolers write about. I don’t know.  What I do know is that at times I hold back from telling you about the other things that make my heart go pitter patter.  Serving other homeschoolers is one of those things. Knowing that a lot of us, including myself, struggle at certain times with the basics of day to day homeschooling, I felt like talking with you about homeschool leadership would certainly fling you into a state of homeschool frazzled.

Homeschool Open House

(vendor set up)

Throwing my paranoia out the window and embracing a no holds barred blogging mantra, I am following my own advice this year.  Sharing a few things about my own conversion to homeschool leadership and sharing tips on this heartfelt topic, I hope you get a spark of encouragement from it.

How To Protect Yourself From Defeatism

A mind-set of expecting the worst from the beginning is not just like a restraint, but it is like a homeschool harness that bridles you.  There are many talented, caring, giving and plain downright extraordinary women and men in homeschool.  Sometimes though you never hear about them because they have already bridled themselves.   Self-defeat is a huge barricade to tear down in the homeschooling world and especially in homeschool leadership.

Another attitude that seems to prevail is the thinking that all homeschool leaders are social type of folks or just really need people around them all the time.   Nope, that couldn’t be further from the truth.  Some leaders are that way, others are not.

There is a lot of behind-the-scenes work that goes into managing any group, large or small.  Whether a homeschool leader is good at crunching numbers to maintain a budget or enjoys working by herself maintaining a group website or enjoys editing, there are plenty of chores for quiet behind the scenes doers.  If you are more vocal and don’t mind the microphone like I do there are plenty of jobs for you too.

That brings me to another common factor, which resonates loud with any homeschool leader and that is that there is never enough volunteers to step forward to help.  That has always been the main topic in any leadership conference.  How do we involve others?

What holds them back?  Is it fear that they will have too much on their homeschool plate?  Is it fear thinking they now have to be a social butterfly?  Do they fear that because they are not an organized person there is no way to contribute to leadership?

I have learned that the most important part of a group’s success is the contribution of many, not just the one.  Though there may have been only two people making decisions for any event I sponsored or group I created, I have never had to make major decisions alone.

It’s a given that extra work is involved.  Realistic person that I am, I am here to tell you that sometimes you can’t even imagine the work load.  Also though from my own experience, the blessings have been equally hard for me to put into words for you.

Lasting friendships, shared teaching experiences that ultimately benefited my children, elite and superior tutors for my children and plain downright fun are just a few for me.

Pump Up the Homeschool Endorphins

What makes a person want to serve?  Working with many not just talented homeschool leaders, but caring gentle women, I know that each one has their own reasons to serve.   I don’t think all of the reasons are so apparent at the beginning because leadership is about self-discovery too, but here are some of the reasons I have served.

  • Instead of telling my sons to be leaders in homeschooling or in their own education, I wanted to set the example.
  • My mission statement written by me and my husband said that we wanted to provide a network of approved friends for my sons to choose from to form lasting friendships.  Speaking personally, I couldn’t do this if I didn’t have a hand in recruiting and approving members.
  • When I first started homeschooling, there weren’t very many large homeschooling conventions around me.  Knowing that others must need the same encouragement I did, I wanted to be sure I was getting homeschool encouragement on a regular basis.
  • I understood early that collaborative strengths of other fearless leaders only benefited my children.  Could my strengths also benefit their children? This equaled a win-win.

Homeschool Conference with Susan Wise Bauer

(after a long night, one quick picture.  Me, then Susan Wise Bauer in the middle and Sheila.)

  • Some of the leaders I have personally worked with deserve a homeschool halo, but most would probably tell you that they started serving because it kept them accountable in their journey.  This is very true for me.   Whether I was preparing for a homeschool leader like Susan Wise Bauer to come and speak or preparing a co-op unit study, the experiences cemented my conviction to keep homeschooling my children.

Though not always, I can tell you that homeschoolers eager to jump out there for leadership were often the ones that burned out quickly.

Key to releasing the homeschool leader in you starts with you.  Some of the best homeschooler leaders I have worked with are the ones that think they can’t lead or rather don’t view themselves as a leader.

Sharing my thoughts and tips about homeschool leadership throughout this year, I will expand more on the how-tos of serving in the homeschool community.

Is there a tiny ember in you flickering for homeschool leadership?  Don’t let it die out.

Hugs and love ya,

2012Tinasignature Free Homeschool Planner Cover– Point Well Taken
Get these tips for making the most out of your homeschool co-op!

Homeschool Organization Where Do You Easily Begin?

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Homeschool organization is flat out hard work. On top of that tons of organization books and blogs stand ready to take up our precious time. 

The problem with most organizational books is that the tips are normally based on the fact you have all day to organize.

If you already struggle with a starting point on organization then sorting out beneficial tips from hype is not easy.

Homeschool organization is flat out hard work. On top of that tons of organization books and blogs stand ready to take up our precious time. The problem with most organizational books is that the tips are normally based on the fact you have all day to organize. If you already struggle with a starting point on organization then sorting out beneficial tips from hype is not easy. CLICK here to read about homeschool organization tips for beginners!

Doling out or scheduling the time to give to each thing in our life can be flat out stressful.

Surviving and succeeding in the homeschool world depends on organization. 

So instead of overwhelming you with all the areas of your home and school to organize, I want to help you identify your starting point.

Homeschool Organization

1. Determine YOUR trouble spot, it’s not always the learning area. Sometimes it’s the heart of the home, the kitchen.

Those naturally organized know a simple truth that may seem like a secret always eluding people who struggle with organization and that is organization is not a system, but it is about finding a solution. 

That’s it!  Simmer on that a minute and you will see why I always tell you to take from me what works for your family and discard the rest.

That is why it never serves you well to abandon your present method willy-nilly without first determining what is not working for you right now.

Identify with precision what the problem is. Do not group it ALL together. 

For example, if you are struggling with curriculum, then ask: What is not working – SPECIFICALLY?

Is it the order of the subjects, the content matter or the book?

If it is your learning area, then what exactly is causing the stress? Lack of shelves? Too many books?

Identifying precise problems equals not jumping to buying things that don’t work for you.

For example, as tempting as they are, the first step is not buying beautiful bins and baskets to begin any project.

Have you done that before?

Declutter First Then Create a System

Determined that you are going to be organized you run to the store to fill up with beautiful baskets which do not fit your shelves once you bring them home. Don’t do that as tempting as it is.

Identify and sizing up the project is the first step to organizing. 

Sizing up can be measured in time if you need to declutter or it could be measured by how many bookshelves, or baskets you need.

Look at the list below of all the things weighing on our homeschool organization to be organized list.

What is on your mind of things that need to be done and are causing chaos?

  • kitchen clutter
  • craft supplies
  • master bedroom clutter
  • garage/yard clutter
  • record keeping
  • self-care time
  • time with significant other
  • bill paying
  • field trips
  • a toddler on the rampage
  • volunteer time
  • education time for mom to engage with other educators
  • schoolbooks
  • devices, cords, chargers
  • closet clutter
  • menu planning help
  • which subjects to cover first, second, and next
  • making one-to-one time with each child
  • working from home or an outside job
  • house chores
  • lesson planning prep
  • general rejuvenation and/or nature time

2. Divide-Conquer Approach. Create an EASY to do list. One or two things.

The hardest part to an organizational project whether it takes time to declutter or you actually need to measure for a drawer for your books, is overcoming the feeling of defeat in the beginning. 

I have been there too and I don’t like dwelling there. 

It is that feeling that we have so much to do that we are not sure of even where to start.

It is important at this point to divide what is most important to you now and what can be conquered later.

Hear my heart on this one and that is sometimes it is not curriculum that we need to begin with when we make our priority list.

When we ignore that murmuring voice inside which tells us we can’t school each day because we have no groceries, or a menu or clean clothes, we set up our school for stress. 

There is no denying that because we have shared learning and living spaces, we have to address whatever thing is causing our chaos.

Begin with identifying one or two things on your list to conquer and no more.

The Organization Plan. A Flop or Followed?

3. Create a SIMPLE easy plan to be done in minutes, not hours.

This part is the part I seriously get giddy about because organization is fun.

So unless I have projects which can take hours, I begin with the ones which takes minutes.

In addition, when you start with easy projects, you have more room whether it’s physical space or mentally your mind is freed up of the stress.

 No, I don’t like to think about sorting through the piles, but I focus on how the area will be clean and clutter free. 

If it’s an organizing form I need, I am energized to make it specific with details and not just generalizations.

Pssssst..that is how my 7 step diy homeschool planner was born. Out of my need, came a plan.

If it’s a physical area in my home that needs to be decluttered, I get excited thinking about the possibilities of a fresh look for my space.

It’s a win win all the way around.

By taking my list and identifying one or two things I want to change, I have made it a project that I can handle and homeschool too.

Renew your spirit to organize because simple baby steps or changes can bring huge results.

Homeschool organization is flat out hard work. On top of that tons of organization books and blogs stand ready to take up our precious time. The problem with most organizational books is that the tips are normally based on the fact you have all day to organize. If you already struggle with a starting point on organization then sorting out beneficial tips from hype is not easy. CLICK here to read about homeschool organization tips for beginners!

You know I love ya and I am excited to be bring more posts this year on organizing how-tos.

Do you see an easy starting point?

Here are some more tips for homeschool organization:

Hugs and love ya,

Homeschool Organization Where Do You Begin

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40 Reasons I Homeschool (And Growing Each Year)

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I have a secret to tell you and that is I thrive at this time of the year. Call me one of those weird homeschoolers, I don’t mind, but I love cold weather.  My brain goes full throttle ahead.

It might sound like a contradiction, but I also take time to muse about my homeschooling journey.

I am ever so grateful to have the privilege of homeschooling my children. Don’t get me wrong, I am human and go through certain days where I feel it is more like a burden.40 Reasons I Homeschool (And Growing Each Year)When I feel that way, I normally write down something to remind me of the privilege. It is easier as you homeschool longer because each year gives you more positive things to simmer on.

40 Reasons I Homeschool

By sharing publicly a few of the reasons I homeschool not only sears this in my mind, but I hope it lifts you up too.  Homeschooling should be contagious and I want you to keep having a bad case of it.

Listed in no particular order.

1. I want my sons to have a spiritual relationship and that is my privilege to do.

2.  My sons can focus on their own education, which is their responsibility and to not be responsible for other kids in public school which are their parents’ responsibility.

3. I realized soon after homeschooling that my son is not the only gifted and talented kid. Plenty of gifted children exist in the homeschool world and their interests can be fed in a way that is good for them without giving up their childhood.

4. My sons can exercise first in the morning like they enjoy doing. Now only if I can do that.

5. My sons don’t have to read poorly copied papers from one book as a reader, but I can have as many living books as I can stuff into my home.

6. I never have to kiss them good bye in the morning.

7. If a curriculum or schedule is not working, I don’t need the principal’s approval to change it.  Just do it and move on.

8. We can buy better made school supplies and not have to break them in half to share with other kids. This actually happened to us when Mr. Senior 2013 went to part of Kindergarten public school.  Of course the teacher explained to me that this was to help with fine motor control by having to grasp a smaller crayon.  If that was the case, why didn’t I break them at home and they keep them separate at school?

9. We never collected enough soup labels to help out with the playground at school or library either one.

10. We love peanuts and because we have no allergies here, we can roll around in them at my house if we want to.

11. I can count my all day house cleaning day as a Home Economics 101 course.

12. Because the world IS our classroom, my sons have a no holes barred attitude toward education.

13. Because the Bible is our best copywork source, history and science resource, I won’t give this up in favor of education for the masses.

14. Because my kids are square pegs, I won’t force them to fit in round holes.

15. Because I would never give up our all day reading days, or all day history days, or all day science days, or all day geography days.

16. Our lunches are more healthier, not to mention taste great.  Even peanut butter and jelly tastes better at home.

17. I don’t have to schedule conferences with the teacher.

18. Because the on-site campus policemen don’t have to escort my sons to the bathroom for fear they may be beat up or bullied. Yes, this happened to a friends of ours and it has taken their son quite a few years to recover, but the emotional damage is deep.  We all hug them each time we see them.

19. Because any day can be declared a school holiday.

20. I want my children to learn to be community minded, and avoid learning mindless acts like standing in line. Too, do you ever raise your hand when having conversations with other adults?

21. How does that quote go? “I homeschool because I have seen the village”.

22. Because I wanted my kitchen filled with growing crystals, and can grow mold on purpose, and want my refrigerator filled with all kinds of future science projects.

23. We don’t have to wait on the rest of the class to catch up with us and because we don’t care what the other kids are doing if we don’t want to move on.

24. Because I want my kids socialized in the truest sense of the word and not adopt what the world tries to burden us with.

25. Because I want my children to love reading and I can change our schedule on a whim to feed that habit.

26. Because my husband wants time to influence my sons to grow up to be capable, responsible, loving, hardworking, and spiritual men.  Its hard to do that when they are apart for 8 or more hours each day.

27. Because teaching about not using drugs and reserving (yes I am going there) *sex* for when you are married is our responsibility as parents.  I won’t leave that up to a person whose life may or may not model Bible based thinking.

28. Because regardless of a person’s belief system, I want my sons to respect and love other people. It is our job as parents to live that every day and not just say it.

29. Because once I teach a skill to my older sons, they can model and teach to my younger son. This equals more time spent together as a family.

30. To teach subjects that I am not well versed in, I can hire as many excellent and caring private tutors as I want to. I consult only my budget and not have to wait weeks or years to change my educational budget and get approval for supplemental activities.

31. Because I cannot even begin to imagine what our day would look like if we could not spend as much time on hands-on as we like to.

32. Because learning is not about sitting at the computer all day with a virtual school, but it is about getting outdoors and learning about the creation around us.

33. Because our homeschool has gone way beyond academics and we have made life-long friends who cannot ever be replaced.  We are overflowing with the blessings of their loyal friendship.

34. Because it is easier to teach children to read than the public school would have you think. Ten to fifteen minutes each day wrapped up in a blanket on the couch with living books and you will have a life-long reader that you have to command to put down his book to finish his math. Oh and a few cheetos and some chocolate milk doesn’t hurt either.

35. Because my goal in high school was to not simply have my sons graduate but to have an introduction to college level courses. And, you want to ask about testing to see what they know?

36. Because as a teacher, my obligation is not to learn how 30 other kids learn best, but just how my children learn best. This equals a hidden, but gratifying joy because I can learn right alongside my children. It is hard to infuse this feeling in a new homeschool teacher until she is actually teaching her children.  It is just surface talk until she is infected with the art of teaching.

37.  It my sons’ privilege, responsibility, and delight to learn. I am not raising passive sit back and let the teacher tell me what to do kids. They are learning independence and not dependence from an early age.

38. Because when it comes to studying our favorite subjects like history and geography, we can arrive at at history destinations via a family vacation.  We can eat, drink and dress the culture and come away with an appreciation of the true value of any culture and not accept what a few pages in a textbook tells us.

39. Too, if you want to know what my sons know about a subject, I can show you our stack of 20 or 30 books on one subject for our unit study and compare with your few pages in a textbook. So testing fear is conquered because I realize standardized testing is a tool that if not wielded right by the holder can be abused.  It’s true when those signs read “To avoid personal injury, select the right tool for the job.”

40. And, lastly because it works!

40 Reasons I Homeschool (And Growing Each Year). I am ever so grateful to have the privilege of homeschooling my children. Don’t get me wrong, I am human and go through certain days where I feel it is more like a burden.When I feel that way, I normally write down something to remind me of the privilege. It is easier as you homeschool longer because each year gives you more positive things to simmer on. Click here to be rejuvenated!!

I shared a few things that rolled off the top of my head and I will be printing this to go in my planner.Also, you’ll love grabbing some go juice from these articles!

What about you? What reasons keep you getting up in the morning with a can do spirit?

Reasons Why I Homeschool

Hugs and love ya