Christmas Unit Studies

December is the perfect month to take a break from the schoolwork grind and try a unit study!  Why not celebrate Christmas the ENTIRE month of December?  Though it is harder when teens are in high school, I try to  keep our December schedules light.  Often, we have done a special unit study in December.  When we have done Christmas units, we continued to do math, but every other subject was part of the unit.  It has been a great break for the children, while still getting school days, and learning, into our lives.

We have celebrated Christmas in Colonial America, celebrated Christmas with Anne of Green Gables, celebrated Christmas in Victorian England, and celebrated Christmas back in Roman-occupied Israel.  What wonderful memories we've made:  Christmas teas, amazing recipes, Christmas poems, silly stories, field trip adventures, lovely ornaments that still hang on our tree each year, and all kinds of Christmas decorations!

There are so many neat things to do for Christmas that are actually learning adventures.  If you address Christmas cards (handwriting), write a Christmas letter (creative writing), bake cookies (home economics), make Christmas presents (art), go Christmas caroling (music), celebrate traditions from other countries (geography), or listen to family stories (history), then you are learning!

December is a great time to read aloud.  There are many good Christmas books such as A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens or The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson.  They are great to read aloud chapter by chapter.  There are also beautiful picture books to read aloud.  Some of my favorite picture books are Tale of the Three Trees by Angela Ewell Hunt, One Wintry Night by Ruth Graham Bell, and The Crippled Lambby Max Lucado.  No one is ever to old for a well-written, beautifully illustrated picture book.  Don't hesitate to include your high school kids.  Everyone loves reading aloud!  And whether they admit it or not, everybody loves well-written, beautifully illustrated picture books.

When I do units on any subject, I center them around reading aloud both fiction and non-fiction.  Let's look at some possibilities for Christmas unit studies.  We'll look at three different Christmas unit possibilities.

Don't panic--your kids will be DOING SCHOOL!  They really will be learning!

Celebrating Christmas Unit

This is a general unit study about, you guessed it, Christmas.   Here are some things you can do for this unit study.

Bible:Christmas passages:  Luke 1:1-2:40 (Elizabeth & Zachariah, Angel announcing birth, birth, shepherds, Jesus presented at the temple), Matthew 1:1-2:23 (Joseph perspective, wise men, escape to Egypt, return to Nazareth), & John 1:1-18 (Spiritual aspect of birth of Jesus).

Read Aloud:  The Fourth Wise Man, The Three Trees, The Christmas Shoes, The Christmas Candle, An Angels Story, or Louisa May Alcott's  Christmas Treasury.  Or listen to books on tape--Focus on the family has some great ones!

Writing:  Write Christmas stories, poems, or greetings.  Write family newsletter.

Handwriting: Signing & addressing Christmas cards,

Homemaking:  Decorate house and yard.  Trim the Christmas tree.  Plan menus and shopping lists.  Bake cookies, pies, and other goodies.  Cook favorite holiday dishes.  Wrap, pack, and mail presents.

Arts & Crafts:  Making cards, ornaments, decorations, and gifts.

Music:  Christmas caroling & singing Christmas carols.

Service:  Soup kitchens, angel trees, shoe box, adopt-a-family, or share your Christmas celebrations with lonely.

Science:  Pine trees, poinsettias, stars, safety at the holidays, chemistry in the kitchen, or care of Christmas trees.

History/Geography:  Christmas traditions from different countries, Israel & Rome at the time of Jesus' birth, map Joseph, Mary, & Jesus' travels, Christmas celebrations through time, legends of Christmas, or life of Jesus.

Math:  Doubling recipes, dividing candy, personal budgeting, family budgeting, or finding cost of presents.

More Fun:  Watch Christmas movies while you eat cookies and drink hot chocolate.  Go on field trips!  String cranberries or popcorn.  Interview people about their favorite Christmas.  Scrapbook.  Make a video of all your Christmas preparations.

Celebrate Christmas in Colonial America Unit

Bible: Study on hospitality & Christmas passages

Information:  Life in Colonial America (1607-1775), especially Christmas celebrations in the colonies.

Read Aloud: Felicity Celebrates Christmas (American Girls), If You Lived in Colonial Days, Distant Thunder, Pilgrim's Progress, Cranberry Christmas, or Packet Alley.

Writing:  Write and publish a Colonial newspaper--the Christmas edition.  Diary of a Colonial boy or girl.

Handwriting:  Calligraphy using berry ink & quill pens.  Copy Colonial recipes.

Homemaking:  Colonial Christmas decorating, table setting, cooking, and baking.

Arts & Crafts:  Mussie-tussies, fans, wigs from cotton batting, ornaments, and gifts.

Music: Angels from the Realms of Glory (Charles Wesley), Joy to the World (Issac Watts), and Handel's Messiah.

Science:Sailing in the 1600's & 1700's.  Ships & Navigation.  Ocean Currents.

History/Geography:  Maps of Thirteen colonies, Travel routes from Europe/Africa to America, new food from America (cranberries, corn, maple syrup, pumpkin), & biographies.  The Great  Awakening!

Math/Service:  See above!

More Fun:  Virtual field trip to Colonial Williamsburg, learn the minuet, or play games from Colonial times.

Christmas Lights Unit

Bible:  Word study on light and Christmas passages.

Read Aloud:  The Tiny Star, The Star of Christmas:  A Veggie Tale Christmas book, or The Littlest Angel. 

Writing:  Write poems about Christmas lights.  Write a story about the star that led the Wise Men.

Handwriting:  Copy Bible verses about light.

Arts & Crafts:  Make homemake candles, decorate with lights and candles, and "make" a star like the one that led the wise men.  Make star-shaped Christmas cards.

Music:  Christmas carols about light and stars.

Science:  Light.

History:  Candles, electric lights, invention of the light bulb, and use of heavenly bodies in navigation.

Math/Service/Homemaking:  See "Celebrating Christmas" unit.

More Fun:  Star gaze, drive around and see Christmas lights in your city, and visit a Planetarium.

Now, of course, these are not complete--just ideas to get you started.  Think about all that you can do at Christmas to learn and have fun.  Relax and enjoy the season.  Let the children relax and enjoy the season. 

I found a unit study last year at the homeschool convention, Celebrate Christmasby Charlene Notgrass.  In this unit study, you make a baby book for Jesus.  It was adorable.  It was only ten dollars, so I picked some up and we are going to do her unit study this year.  Here is their website:  http://www.notgrass.com/index.php This will be my first time doing someone else's unit study!   I'll let you know how it goes.

Whatever you choose to do, I encourage you to plan now, what you will do in December, so that you can enjoy the holidays with a peaceful spirit. Let me know if you end up doing something special for school in December this year!  I'll start a discussion over in the "Joyful and Successful Homeschooling" group.

 

Comments

[connie]

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