Create Treasured Memories with a Christmas Unit Study

In “Create Treasured Memories with a Christmas Unit Study,” Episode, #124, Meredith Curtis gives you step-by-step instructions to create your own unit study after she shares how unit studies refresh your family for the month of December. Breakaway from the routine with a unit study so you can celebrate Christmas all month long, create memories, make gifts, decorate, and prepare for the holidays while you learn! If you want a Christmas educational and wonder-filled adventure for your family, you will love this podcast!

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Show Notes

Christmas is a busy time for the homeschool Mom. May I suggest a lighter schedule or even a complete change of pace?

There are two different tracks you can take.

1. Count Christmas activities and preparations as school.
2. Do a Christmas Unit Study

Count Christmas Activities as school

• Handwriting (address or sign Christmas cards)
• Home Ec (bake Christmas cookies)
• Art (make Christmas presents)
• Music (go Christmas caroling)
• Geography (celebrate traditions from other countries)
• History (listen to older family members tell stories)
• Writing (write the family Christmas letter)

Do a Christmas Unit Study

• Subject of unit study focuses on Christmas
• The Christmas hustle/bustle is part of school

Our Favorite Christmas Unit Studies

• Celebrate Christmas in Colonial America
• Celebrate Christmas with Anne of Green Gables
• Celebrate Christmas around the World
• Celebrate Christmas in Victorian England (except we couldn’t find a goose)
• Celebrate the First Christmas
• Celebrate Christmas in Florida
• Celebrate Christmas in Mexico

So many treasured memories of crafting, cooking, decorating, shopping, wrapping presents, and throwing parties.

Choose a Topic

• What sounds fun?
• Age and interest level of children?
• Ability to read, write, and research
• What sounds Christmasy?
• What are some things that we’ve always wanted to do at Christmas?
• What are some things we just have to do at Christmas?
• What are some things we’d like to learn about Christmas (or another topic)?
• What makes everyone say, “WOW! That sounds fun!”

Center Unit Studies on Good Books that you Read Aloud

Nothing is more Christmasy than snuggling up together and listening to a good book.  There are many good Christmas read alouds, but it doesn’t have to be a Christmas book.

NO ONE is TOO old for a beautifully illustrated well-written picture book.

Example of Celebrate Christmas with Cookies Unit Study

Picture Book each day

Singing Christmas carols each day

Devotion, cookie baking, and activities match up!

End Unit Study with a Party & Giving Gifts to Family & Friends

• Caroling Party for C C w C
• Tea for C C in C A
• Wreathes and Booklets were our family Christmas gifts that year of the CCinCA unit

What makes a Christmas Unit Study Different?

• Don’t straight-jacket yourself, be creative
• Think about what you need to accomplish for the holidays
• Think about what you and the children…..and your husband….would really enjoy
• Think about any baking, cooking, gift wrapping, shopping, or crafting that needs to be done.

Don’t Forget Field Trips

Almost every store, museum, bank, business, and church decorates for Christmas.  Just going on your weekly errands, you can discuss Christmas decorations.  You can observe whether these places are saying, “Merry Christmas” or “Happy Holidays.”  You could even collect data and make a bar graph!

“Tour of Homes” where you get to visit lovely homes decorated for Christmas.  Often they serve hot drinks.  Going at night is usually the best because of all the candlelight and twinkle lights.  There is so much history to learn on these tours, as well as information on architecture and remodeling.

Holiday concerts, plays, and productions are annual events in your city that you and your children may have not yet enjoyed.  Our local community college, Seminole Community College, offers free holiday concerts that are wonderful!

Free Messiah sing-a-long that we have enjoyed participating in.

Free church performances in our area.  The talent in the Body of Christ never ceases to amaze me.  We have enjoyed concerts and plays that were excellent for free or a nominal fee.

“Walk Through Bethlehem”

Don’t Limit Yourself!

Even Christmas shopping can be educational if you start with a budget.  Your children can make a list and check it twice, comparing sales, and sticking to the money allotted.  They can do the same with holiday grocery shopping!

How to Plan a Unit Study

• List books you want to read aloud
• List all the activities you would like to do
• Lay out paper or computer file with topics for each day (you won’t use up all the topics each day, but you can use this to evaluate balance of for time and mess!)
• Divide them by categories and days

Topics to Fill for Record Keeping & Variety’s sake!

• Bible
• Information
• Read Aloud
• Handwriting
• Homemaking
• Arts & Crafts
• Music
• Science
• History/Geography
• Math
• Service/Hospitality
• Field Trips
• More Fun

Resources

We have 4 amazing Christmas unit studies that you will love! Visit PowerlineProd.com to explore our easy-to-use unit studies and start making memories with your family right away!

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