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I’ve shared in the past how our homeschool is mainly a combination of classical and Charlotte Mason, but that I also do unit studies from time to time. We tend to do a unit study when we get to a period of history that has a lot to cover. History tends to be the easiest subject to build a unit study around. Why is that? Well, historical events happen in the context of their culture. The culture of that time period has music, art, fashion, and literature. There are also scientific advances happening, and math can be applied to the economics and statistics of the time period. My favorite book series for unit students are the “For Kids” series published by Chicago Review Press. These are large books filled with amazing photographs and activities. They have Native Americans for Kids, J.R.R. Tolkien for Kids, Code-Cracking for Kids, The Civil War for Kids, The US Congress for Kids, Galileo for Kids, and many, many more! I am including a link to some of these titles on Amazon at the end of this post, but for a complete list of titles go to Chicago Review Press’s website:chicagoreviewpress.com
We did a unit study using World War II for Kids. Before I get into the details of it, I want to first say two important things. One, these books have way more content than you could ever complete, so pick what is doable for your family and activities you think your kids will enjoy. Second, we did our unit study during the complete Covid-19 lockdown back in March and April of 2020. For that reason, we had tons of extra time in our homeschool day. There were no co-ops, no sports, no church. So I probably couldn’t do as much now as I did then. Be realistic in what you can accomplish.
The book and it’s set up:
Sample pages from the book:
The Activities:
#1 Extinguishing an Incendiary Bomb: There was no bomb involved in this activity, obviously! We used a garden hose, a bucket filled halfway with dirt, a shovel, a broom, and a rock (the book said to use a potato, but we didn’t have any, so we used a rock shaped like a potato.) We first read about the Blitz in London and how finding a bomb like this in your living room was a reality for many Brits. Then we went outside and followed the same instructions British moms and kids had to use if they found such a bomb in their house!
Subjects used (besides history): science and math (the kids had to measure the correct distance to stay away from our rock “bomb”)
#2 Break the Code: This one was really simple. Using the instructions in the book, my kids made up a code, then wrote messages to each other using their code. Subjects used: writing and math
#3 Camouflage Activity: My kids went into the woods behind our house (without me, though I could see them well enough through the kitchen window). They took my oldest son’s bike and used branches and leaves to camouflage it just like troops did during the war with their jeeps and tanks. Then they had me and my husband come outside and try to find the bike. (The book said to use binoculars at a distance, but we don’t own any.) They did a really good job - can you see the bike?
Subjects used: science and math
#4 Rationing Game: We actually spread this game out for several weeks. We first made a rationing book for our family, using the information in the book. Since we were on lockdown for the pandemic, we were getting groceries delivered. So every time the groceries arrived, the kids had to count everything we had purchased and cut out the correct number of ration coupons our family had used. This activity ended up being very timely as certain items during the pandemic were difficult to get, just like during World War II. It helped remind us that in difficult times, we all have to pitch in and make sacrifices. Subjects used: math, science (nutrition now vs in the 1940s), and for us, religion (how can we trust God to provide for our needs, how we can put others ahead of ourselves during difficult times)
#5 V-Mail: Full disclosure, only my daughter did this one. It was just one of those days, and forcing the boys to do it felt like a battle that wasn’t worth fighting (no pun intended!). So, Haley followed the instructions in the book on how to set up her letter (it had to be certain dimensions, or it wouldn’t be delivered), then I “censored” it with a black sharpie. Haley had fun drawing a picture for the “soldier” she was writing to like depicted in the book.
Subjects used: math (measuring), art #6 Go on a Reconnaissance Mission: My kids loved this one the most. As a matter of fact, they loved it so much, I had to force them to come inside and get ready for bed. You have to wait until after dark to do this activity. The kids basically mapped out our cul de sac and recorded any “suspicious” activity with the use of a flashlight, pen, and paper. Two of them would go on the “mission” while another would stay behind as backup. They had to “synchronize” their watches, and if they weren’t back in time, the third person would go on a “rescue mission.” Needless to say, this got very dramatic. Subjects used: math and drama (haha) #7 In Hiding: You can probably guess what this one is about. If you have kids who are extremely sensitive or get frightened easily, this one may not be for you. My kids had to pretend they were Jews in hiding. They had to find a place in our house to hide from the Gestapo. The book gave them things to consider about how good of a hiding place it was. We prepared the hiding place with books, flashlights, food, a journal, pens and pencils, blankets, a couple of chairs, etc. Our house is pretty small and has no basement or attic, so my kids had no choice but to use the master bedroom walk-in closet. I distinctly remember Ian, my youngest saying, “well, we’d be caught for sure.” Once you get the hiding place ready, you pretend that the Gestapo has come to search the house, and the kids go and hide in the designated place. You’re supposed to wait an hour to give them the all-clear, but my kids didn’t make it anywhere near that long. It did lead to an interesting discussion, however, when my kids tried to imagine hiding like that for weeks, months, or years. Subjects used: problem solving, yet even more important, is the compassion and empathy for others that can come from this activity #8 Medics: I actually made this one up. There is an activity to make bandages, which we did, but then I expanded it. Another section of the book outlined what medics had to do in the field to stabilize the wounded and transport them as safely as possible. The kids took turns being the wounded and the medics. Subjects used: science and math (to measure out the bandages), and conservation/recycling (like those on the 40s homefront, we used old shirts to make the bandages) Here is Haley making bandages on "the homefront" and she and her big brother playing medic and nurse to injured "soldier" Ian. (You also get a glimpse of our messy house, lol):
Literature: Along with all of the above, we also read the following books:
I actually had plans to do several other activities in the book, but then things got in the way. Yes, even during a pandemic lockdown, things happened to throw a wrench in our plans. We were still doing some of our core subjects in addition to the unit study, so sometimes I felt we needed to focus on some more traditional school. Other days, frankly, the kids were emotional from the stress of the pandemic and needed a breather. (Or maybe I was the one who needed an emotional breather, lol!) The main point is, my unit didn’t match my original plans in the end, but the kids still learned a lot, and two years later, they are still talking about some of it.
There are many more activities that we didn’t do like listening to music from WWII, making a butter extender, learning to say key phrases in different languages, making uniform insignias, and making a ration kit. You can also make a care package to send to a soldier or missionary overseas just like families did in WWII. Because if there’s one thing my family learned in this unit, it’s that people don’t change all that much. We still have to pull together and love one another to conquer evil, whether that evil is war, racism, or disease. That love really can conquer all. Some titles (with links - click on image) from the For Kids series:
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AuthorHi, I'm Melanie! I'm a homeschooling mom of three kids ages 13, 11, and 9. I have a BS in English Secondary Education from Asbury University plus 30 hours of gifted certification course work. I've taught in just about every situation you can imagine. Public school, private, homeschool hybrid, and private tutoring. The most important thing I've learned? One on one, individualized instruction can't be beat. Archives
July 2022
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