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We love using thematic units to teach multiple subjects in our homeschool. They make learning fun and interesting for our kids, and they help us to cover a lot of material in a short amount of time. In this blog post, we will discuss how we use thematic units to teach reading, writing, math, science, and social studies. We will also provide some examples of thematic units that you can use in your own homeschool!
Thematic units are great for teaching multiple subjects because they provide a central theme or topic that you can use to integrate different subject areas. For example, if you are studying the Revolutionary War, you can incorporate reading, writing, math, science, and social studies into your thematic unit. Incorporating reading would be easy. There are so many great books that give an account of the time. The Dear America Series are some of Winter of the Red Snow. For writing, have the student pick a battle of the war and write about it or write about what led up to the war. And so on for each subject. This allows your child to make connections between the different subjects and see how they are all related, and it is more engaging.
It can be helpful to start with a list of topics that your child is interested in. From there, you can narrow down the list to a few themes or units that you think would be most beneficial for them to study. For example, if your child is interested in animals, you could narrow it down to a thematic unit on zoo animals, farm animals, or even a specific animal such as tree frogs.
Once you have selected a thematic unit, you can start planning out the different activities and lessons that you will do. It is important to make sure that there is a balance between different subjects so that your child is not getting overwhelmed by one particular subject. Our favorite way to learn about new topics is through great books. I have found so many great options at Thriftbooks, and you can't beat the prices.
One of the great things about using thematic units is that it allows you to be creative in your homeschooling. You can really tailor the activities and lessons to fit your child's interests and learning style. And you can even include some fun field trips or other hands-on activities that will help bring the thematic unit to life. Students who are interested in what they are learning about tend to retain more information, in my experience. Are you ready to plan your first unit? Check out this FREE Unit Planning Template.
Do you use thematic units in your homeschool? What are some of your favorite thematic units to teach? Share your thoughts and ideas in the comments below.
