What Are Homeschool Unit Studies? A Beginner’s Guide

If you’ve spent any time researching homeschool curriculum options, chances are you’ve come across the term homeschool unit studies. Maybe you’ve wondered what exactly a unit study is, how it works, or if it could be a good fit for your family. If so, you’re in the right place!

In this post, I’ll break down what homeschool unit studies are, why so many homeschool families (including mine!) love using them, and how they can make your homeschool days more fun, meaningful, and even easier to plan. Plus, I’ll share a free resource to help you get started.

Let’s dive in!

A homeschool unit study is a way of teaching that focuses on one theme or topic at a time, weaving in different subjects like reading, writing, science, art, history, and even math—all centered around that topic. (You may have also heard these called thematic units.)

Instead of learning each subject separately, kids explore a topic in depth and make connections across different subjects. For example, if you’re doing a space unit study, you might:

• Read books about planets and astronauts (reading)
  
  

• Build a solar system model (science & art)
  
  

• Write a short story about a space adventure (writing)
  
  

• Measure distances between planets (math)
  
  

• Create chalk pastel planet art (art)
  
  

All of those activities are connected to one central theme: space! That’s the heart of how homeschool unit studies work—integrating multiple subjects in a meaningful, engaging way.

There are so many reasons homeschoolers are drawn to unit studies. Here are just a few:

• They’re flexible and adaptable. You can tailor a unit study to your child’s age, interests, and learning style.
  
  

• They work well for teaching multiple ages together. If you’re homeschooling siblings, unit studies let everyone learn about the same topic at their own level.
  
  

• They allow for deeper learning. Instead of rushing from one subject to another, kids can immerse themselves in a topic and really make meaningful connections.
  
  

• They make learning fun! Homeschool unit studies are naturally hands-on and engaging, filled with projects, crafts, experiments, and creative activities.
  
  

• They encourage curiosity and interest-led learning. Many families (including mine!) use unit studies to follow their kids’ passions and interests.
  
  

• They help kids retain information. When children are involved in making, building, writing, and experimenting around one topic, they tend to remember what they’ve learned.

Every homeschool unit study will look a little different depending on the topic, but most include a combination of:

• Books: both fiction and nonfiction
  
  

• Hands-on activities: like experiments, art projects, or crafts
  
  

• Writing opportunities: from copywork to creative writing
  
  

• Math connections: measuring, counting, graphing, or problem-solving
  
  

• Games, songs, and movement activities
  
  

• Real-world experiences: like nature walks, field trips, or cooking
  
  

Some families like to plan their own unit studies from scratch, gathering books and activities around a chosen theme. Others prefer open-and-go options like our homeschool unit study kits, which include everything you need to get started. And lots mix and match, sometimes using ready-to-go kits, other times putting it together themselves.

One of the best things about homeschool unit studies is that you can create them around pretty much anything your child is curious about! Some popular themes include:

• Space
  
  

• Rainforest
  
  

• Simple Machines
  
  

• Penguins
  
  

• Woodland Animals
  
  

• Desert Biomes
  
  

• Community Helpers
  
  

• Seasons
  
  

• Famous Artists
  
  

• Countries & Cultures
  
  

If you’re looking for even more inspiration, we offer a free 100 Unit Study Ideas PDF —a huge list of creative themes you can use in your homeschool. 💯

Starting a homeschool unit study doesn’t have to be complicated. Here’s a simple way to begin:

1. Choose a Topic: Pick something your child is excited about or something you’re already planning to cover.
   
   

2. Gather Books & Resources: Check your local library or pull books from your own shelves.
   
   

3. Plan a Few Activities: Include a mix of reading, writing, hands-on projects, and maybe a fun field trip or nature walk.
   
   

4. Use a Planner: If you like having things organized, grab our free Unit Study Mini Planner to help you map out your unit.
   
   

If planning sounds overwhelming, don’t worry! We’ve created a full line of open-and-go homeschool unit study kits that come with everything you need—books, materials, instructions, and activities—all in one box.

A question many families ask is: Can I use homeschool unit studies as our full curriculum?

The answer is—it depends! Some families use unit studies as their primary homeschool method, designing studies around science, history, geography, and art topics, while using a separate math and phonics program alongside.

Others prefer to use unit studies to supplement their core curriculum, adding variety and hands-on learning to their homeschool routine.

Either way, homeschool unit studies are an excellent tool to create meaningful, connected learning experiences.

Personally for our homeschool family (currently finishing kindergarten and third grade), our approach is to use a yearlong math and ELA curriculum, and then to tie in everything else via unit studies.

As a homeschool mom with six years of this under my belt, I’ve used all kinds of curriculum over the years, but unit studies are one of my favorite ways to teach. There’s something special about learning together as a family, diving deep into a topic, and seeing my kids light up when they make connections across subjects.

Homeschool unit studies make homeschool learning more natural, meaningful, and honestly—more fun.

To make it even easier to begin using homeschool unit studies in your homeschool, we’ve created two free resources you can download today:

And if you want to skip the planning and gathering, check out our ready-to-go unit study kits —everything you need in one box.

Homeschooling doesn’t have to mean worksheets and textbooks all day. Homeschool unit studies are a beautiful way to slow down, follow your child’s curiosity, and bring learning to life with books, projects, and hands-on fun. I hope this beginner’s guide has given you a clear picture of what unit studies are and how they can make your homeschool days more meaningful. If you’re feeling inspired, grab our free planning resources and start dreaming up your next learning adventure!

Oh, and to see an example of what our ready-to-go unit study kits are like, take a peek inside our Explore Bees Unit Study Kit below!