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Fun-Schooling How To: Unit Studies for Kids

/ Sarah Janisse Brown / Leave a comment

A unit study is a deep dive into a topic or interest. In the public school system, this might be a deep dive into a specific subject: math, English, history, science, etc. In the realm of Fun-Schooling, though, these unit studies can be far more specific to the interests of your child! They can be based on a favorite animal, a recently read book, a place your child wants to travel or even a historical event that intrigues them!

With Fun-Schooling, you’re also allowed to make unit studies more flexible, and can focus on more than one aspect at a time. For example, you can break one topic down into a study that can teach a little bit about each major subject. Say your topic is fossils. Here are some ways you could break this down:

  • Math: learning how the carbon dating formula works or practicing making timelines
  • Science: the geology of the fossils
  • Social studies: the history of fossils, such as some of the first individuals to study them or the biggest finds throughout history
  • Language Arts: reading literature that focuses on/includes geology and fossils or practicing spelling and learning new fossil-related terms
  • If several of your children are drawn to the same topic, you can create a unit study that has different age-appropriate levels so that each child can be learning something that fits their abilities! And the best part about unit studies that you make is that you get to decide how long they last! Whether it be a week, a month, or even the school year, including a unit study or two into your Fun-Schooling curriculum is an amazing way to help develop your child’s specific interests!

Study Geology (and every OTHER required subject) with Minecraft! Here’s how!!!!

Rocks & Minerals: https://amzn.to/3zmRb8B
Homeschooling with Minecraft: https://amzn.to/3xYinu7
Seven Subject Science with Minecraft: https://amzn.to/4a7CxFY
Math for Minecrafters: https://amzn.to/3roCjUm
Rock Research Set: https://amzn.to/3kE4Nbv

Can You Fun-School With Textbooks and Box Curriculum?

/ Sarah Janisse Brown / 1 Comment

One of the top questions we get is how to combine our journals with textbooks and boxed curriculum. We hope this information will help you learn how to do just that in your homeschool!

  • What is meant by boxed curriculum?
    • These are curricula put together w/ a specific schedule, scope/sequence, and structure. 
    • It is the most “traditional” method of homeschooling. 
    • They may or may not actually come in a box 🙂 
    • May cover one subject or be a set curriculum for multiple subjects
  • Textbooks
    • Most often used for middle and high school
    • Can be used in younger ages too
    • If your student is college-bound, many families like to use some textbooks to get their students used to them
      • We have college students use our journals to document their learning, organize notes, and make things more fun! 
  • How to Fun-School with these materials
    • You don’t need a textbook or other curricula to Fun-School. Most often families come to Fun-Schooling and want to use up what they already have so they look to combine.
      • All you need are library books, documentaries/podcasts, and sometimes internet access.
      • There are about 30,000 of you on the group and thousands more who aren’t here. 
      • Everyone does things a little differently and that’s great! 
    • One option is to use a core/pocket core journals to document learning on lots of subjects. Works great w/ textbook or curriculum.
    • Many families like to use the curriculum as a loose guide and prefer to have their students go at their own pace and use the journals to answer questions, make notes, etc. 
    • Choose journals that go along with the subject you’re studying. Check the video below for suggestions on journals to use for each subject alongside your preferred curricula or text book.

Make sure to join our Facebook group and then click below to watch!

What questions do you have about Fun-Schooling with textbooks and boxed curriculum? Do you have any tips for other families? Share in the comments!

Learn More-

Fun-Schooling + 9 different educational methods

How to Fun-School with Reggio Emilia

/ Sarah Janisse Brown / Leave a comment

What is Reggio Emilia?

  • An educational philosophy developed in the 1960s
    • Named after the town in which it was developed
    • Founded by Loris Malaguzzi who wanted children to have a more holistic education after the war
    • Similar in many ways to Montessori and Waldorf
    • Come to the US in the 90s

Main Focuses of a Reggio Emilia education

  • Teachers learn with children
    • Teacher/sparents are seen as guides and the primary learning is child-led
    • Suggestions are only made if the child asks for them
  • Play-based, especially in the younger years
  • Self-directed
    • When a child expresses interest/curiosity in a subject/topic, that is what the child is invited to explore
  • Education is highly focused on involving and engaging all the senses
  • Children are given control over their learning
    • Lots of project-based learning
    • Documentation is important, learning journals are kept and utilized daily

Other tidbits

  • “Hundred Languages of Children”
    • Written by the founder and addresses how children are natural communicators and communicate through a variety of methods such as art, writing, drama, speech, etc
  • The classroom/learning environment is referred to as the “third teacher”
    • Space is kept clutter-free, organized, and full of natural materials
    • It is not a “prepared environment” like in Montessori, rather an environment children can play, learn, research, and grow.

How to combine Fun-Schooling with Reggio Emilia and peek inside Reggio Emilia-friendly journals
Make sure to join our Facebook group and then click below to watch!

What questions do you have about Reggio Emilia? Do you have any resources to share on the Reggio Emilia Method? Share in the comments!

Learn More-

Fun-Schooling + 9 different educational methods

Celebrating Science & Technology

/ Sarah Janisse Brown / Leave a comment

The Fun-Schooling theme for July is Science & Technology! Keep an eye out for sales on your favorite Fun-Schooling science journals!

Our 7 Subject Science Portfolio – Minecraft & The Real World is one of our best sellers, and covers Biology, Chemistry, Geology, Meteorology, Physics, Technology and Zoology! Here is a review from Amazon:

“This is one of our favorite fun schooling journals! This is an all in one science portfolio which means your student will study various topics in science and compile a portfolio of all of their best work. This includes a section on botany, chemistry, geology, meteorology, physics, technology, and zoology. Once you’ve chosen your books that you’re going to read there are pages for summarizing your reading time, copy work, designing your science topic in Minecraft world, notetaking and illustration prompts, documentary reviews, diagrams, science experiments and observations, comic strip pages, vocabulary building prompts, Real world versus Minecraft world, coloring, geography and history, biography studies, audiobook time, nature study and drawing, biography studies, audio book summaries, AND occupation studies! What more can I ask for in a Science Funschooling Journal! I’m getting one for every child! Over 250 pages to show your research.”

Shop for physical Fun-Schooling science journals on Amazon here. Find a list of all of our themes for 2023 here. Some science PDFs that are discounted right now:

How Do Unit Studies Work with Fun-Schooling?

/ Sarah Janisse Brown / 1 Comment

Unit Studies…

  • A deep dive into a topic/interest
    • Can be based on an animal, nature topic, hobby, interest, book, place, person- anything really!
  • Combine multiple educational subjects into the same topic
    • For example, a unit study on horses might look like:
    • Math- calculating horse speed, stride, distance, stats, etc for racing horses. Managing a budget for horse feed and equipment. (lots you can do with horse math!)
    • Science- horse biology
    • Social studies- horses around the world, how horses are used in different cultures/communities, horses throughout history
    • Language Arts- read a classical book about horses, do copywork on horses, learn to spell horse-related words
  • Multiple ages can work together on the same unit study with age-appropriate materials for each subject
  • Students can also work individually on a unit study
  • Great for students who tend to get “sucked into” a subject
  • Goes well with our idea of choosing a major https://funschoolingwithsarah.com/?s=major
  • Can last as long as you’d like- a day, week, term, month, or even an entire school year!
  • An easy way to combine elements from multiple educational approaches/methods (see the comments below for links to the other educational approaches we’ve covered)
  • How do I set up a unit study?
    • Start with a Fun-Schooling journal based on what your child wants to learn about- or a blank core journal or Master Class if we don’t have a themed journal on the subject
    • We’ll talk about this more on the 21st- information below

How do you set up a Fun-Schooling Unit study? Make sure to join the main Fun-Schooling group, and then click below to watch!

Let’s Play “What Will Happen Next?”

/ Sarah Janisse Brown / Leave a comment

How to play:
1. Set up an interesting activity and take the first creative step.
2. Leave everything out. Take a photo of the set up.
3. Don’t tell the kids what to do. Just tell them what not to do…. ” No school until after lunch today. No computer time.”
4. Go have a smoothie or cup of tea. Do Mom School.
5. Come back in an hour and take a picture of the results.
6. Post both pictures in our Fun-Schooling with Thinking Tree Books – Mom’s Homeschooling Support Group under the blog post in the group!
The photo above is my “before”. Here is “after”. It took five minutes for 2 of the girls to notice the table. Even an hour later, Susie was still at it!