Summertime Unit Studies
Unit studies are a great way to "dove-tail" several subjects together into one project. They can be done short or long term. Below is an example of a unit study which my boys are working on.
Gardening: In doing a garden unit study, you cover the subjects of Earth Science, Writing skills, Reading and Art.
To complete the unit, the child will grow a small flower or vegetable garden and journal the process & results.
Start by planting the seeds indoors to get an early start on the growing season. When the plants have grown large enough that they have developed their second set of leaves, take one plant carefully from the soil. Wash the soil from the roots of the plant and dry it carefully. Lay the plant out between 2 layers of paper towels and let it dry completely under weight or in a flower press. The idea is to have the plant completely dried and flat. You want to be able to see the different parts of the plant easily for diagraming.
When the plant is dried, spray the back with a spray adhesive and attach to a sheet of white paper or cardstock. You may want to try photocopying the page to make worksheets for later. On the original sheet, have the child label the parts of the plant, remembering to record the type of plant it is. After the page is labeled completely, you may want to cover it with a sheet of clear contact paper or cold laminate sheet to protect the plant from breakage.
Keep a journal of the garden. Record information such as:
1. Soil PH levels & what amendments you had to make to bring the levels to a good range.
2. Seed/plant information: what variety you planted, when did you plant the seeds, when did you transplant the seedlings, how much sunlight do they need (full sun, partial sun, etc.)
3. Special care given: how often do you water the plants, do they require special care?
4. What problems did you encounter with each plant type
5. What plants grew best
6. What should you do differently next time to improve the garden and the plant's growth
I am having my children keep a journal in a binder so they can add pages as they go. They are including plant identification pages with a pressed sprout (with the second set of leaves) and a small seedling. Each pressed plant is labeled showing the plant variety and parts. After the growing season is over, they can harvest the seeds from each plant to save for planting next year.
Another idea for a project the boys will be working on this summer is the planning of the summer vacation.
This will cover geography, history, math, writing skills and art.
We are taking a road trip to Wyoming. We gave the boys a list of places we will be going to. They are mapping out the route we will take, figuring out the numbers of miles we will travel each day. They are also factoring in the time it would take to drive from point to point, fuel usage and the cost of the fuel at the current fuel prices.
Next they are checking the area for historical events which took place in those locations. For example, while traveling to Wyoming, we will be stopping at the site where Custer's last battle took place. They write a brief report about each area. They are also drawing a map of the state and writing the statistical information about the state.
They will actually finish this project when we are on the trip. Each boy will have a camera to take pictures with. These will be made into a scrapbook and included in the project. Any wildlife they photograph on the trip while we are at Yellowstone will later be identified and included in the scrapbook. All of the work on this project will be bound into a "Vacation Journal".
There are many other projects your children can do and incorporate into their homeschool experience. During the school year, we tend to not do alot in the Art and Phys. Ed. areas. We save those for summer when the weather is nice. The art projects are "rainy day" and holiday activities.