Are you struggling on deciding which curriculum to choose for your homeschool? Do you find you need to buy more than one to cater for your children’s learning needs? Don’t you sometimes wish you could just create your own curriculum?  In this post, I am sharing 5 easy steps  with you, to help you plan your own Homeschool Unit Studies. These are topics covered over 2-4 weeks ranging from a variety of themes. You can see all our themes from last year here.

Step 1: Choose your theme!

When choosing your theme, think about what your children would be interested in. Think about your surroundings, where you live and what you can access. Themes can vary from, weather to seasons to minibeasts, forests and even the deserts! Think simple and basic. There is so much creativity around each theme. I personally like to get my children involved when planning or even choosing our themes!

Step 2: What are your objectives?

It helps to glance over at the National Curriculum. You can also raise questions to explore your theme. For example, our current theme on Recycling, we are thinking about “Why should we recycle?” ” What happens to animals if we throw our rubbish?” “What can I recycle?”

Step 3: Collate your resources!

For this step you need to think about what you can access for FREE first! So libraries are the best place to go. Choose or reserve all the books you may need for this theme. I just discovered my local library allows us to take 15 books out at a time!! I took out all 15! Next up, look on YouTube for child friendly videos on your theme, or in our case Recycling! Also think about any trips you can arrange. I found out the opening and closing times of our local Recycling Tidy Tip and am hoping to take the girls for a little trip! For my staple resources and activities, I always go to Twinkl – not only does it have some of the best resources but always gives me more ideas for my theme whenever I search! Sign up to Twinkl here!

Step 4: Possible Activities!

There is SO much online! Don’t get overwhelmed by it all and got trapped into thinking you need to cover every activity you see linked to your theme. Jot down or save the ones (on Pinterest)  you think you might like to include, but think about these factors: time, money, child ability (will my child actually be able to do this?). For our Recycle theme, we are doing some light and easy activities including recycled mud kitchen, recycled art, sorting recycling bags/boxes at home.

Step 5: Make a schedule!

This is where you organise the learning. Decide the order in which you will slowly allow for teaching for progression. In short this means, how will the teaching over the days allow for your child to progress in their learning. You will start with the basics. What is recycling? Even if your child is older and you expect them to know, it’s best to recap definitions. Explore the objectives laid out and work towards your final activity. We want to make a poster encouraging people to recycle.

Watch our latest Tuesday Teaching Tips which gives you more on how to plan your own Homeschool Unit Study! Don’t forget to download our FREE PLANNING TEMPLATES. 

How do you plan your homeschool? Share with us in the comments below!

DISCLAIMER:

*We have been given a 7 months free subscription to access Twinkl resources – all comments, views and recommendations are my own and resources are selected based on our homeschool learning.

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