How to Plan a Homeschool Integrated Curriculum
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Maximize learning by teaching many subjects within one theme.
There are many different philosophies for teaching your child at home. There are also a number of ways of actually teaching the subjects you decide your child should learn. Creating an integrated curriculum is a fun, engaging, and, in the end, the easiest to learn for the child.
What is an integrated curriculum?
An integrated curriculum for homeschooling refers to an educational approach that combines multiple subjects or disciplines into a cohesive and interconnected learning experience.
Rather than teaching subjects in isolation, this curriculum integrates various topics, allowing students to see connections and gain a deeper understanding of how different disciplines relate to one another.
Why choose an integrated curriculum for homeschooling?
An integrated curriculum offers several advantages for homeschoolers.
It promotes a holistic understanding of knowledge, encourages critical thinking and problem-solving skills, fosters creativity, and helps students make connections between different subjects.
It can also make learning more engaging and relevant as students explore topics from various perspectives.
Can I use pre-designed integrated curriculum materials for homeschooling?
Yes-you can absolutely buy integrated curriculum materials for homeschooling.
Be careful-many that I have seen, that people think are integrated, called units or themes, are really only designed for one subject.
These are not integrating curriculum, they are just making one subject more interesting.
I am going to walk you through how to create your own integrated units, saving money and customizing to what your child’s interests.
How can I adapt an integrated curriculum for different grade levels?
This is one of the biggest advantages of using an integrated curriculum for homeschool.
The exact same unit can be adapted for different ages and learning objectives.
Quality homeschool materials can cost a lot of money.
With an integrated curriculum, you can incorporate age-appropriate literature, adjust the level of scientific or mathematical concepts, and provide appropriate guidance and support as needed.
Flexibility is key to ensuring that the integrated curriculum meets the needs of each individual learner.
Are there any disadvantages to using an integrated curriculum for homeschooling?
Time and effort.
While an integrated curriculum offers many benefits, it requires careful planning and coordination between subjects, which can be time-consuming for the homeschooling parent. Many people like to not plan or last minute plan.
An integrated curriculum approach, where you are creating the curriculum, requires looking at long term goals and knowing what you want your child to learn and do, for example subject related field trips or speakers, in advance.
Here are the steps to creating an integrated curriculum:
1. Connect
An integrated curriculum unit has life that single subjects don’t seem to have. Look beyond the curricula, books, internet, speakers, experts, non profits, professors, etc. Who can add depth, knowledge, expertise, and special interest to the topic?
2. Objectives
Know what your learning objectives are for each subject matter within the unit.
This is much more difficult than it sounds.
There are many ways to do this.
I have talked about the “cheat” method in other articles of just looking at public schools websites to see what they teach at which grade levels and seeing what you like and throwing away the rest.
I have a new way, that I love, but it is more work.
Start with the end.
When your child graduates from homeschooling, what do you want them to know?
What you are trying to avoid is a child being so caught up in the fun of creating a sculpture for their Egyptian Unit, for example, that they have no idea what the importance of the unit was, or what their sculpture represents.
So, first, what do you want your child to learn?
That needs to be somehow reinforced in your lesson planning.
Another part of objectives is rigor.
I am a big fan of always having your child reach just a little.
That little bit, keeps your child in a level of comfort, but also keeps them learning.
Knowing what you are teaching and building upon, helps enable you to grow your child’s skills, knowledge and talents.
Curriculum Brainstorm
Prepare to map your homeschool by brainstorming!
- Two maps, one is blank, the other is filled in with ideas.
- Watch video to see how I use each one.
- Chorse to get done
- Create a curriculum based on what you want your child to know when they graduate.
- Plan backwards,once you know the end goal, map your curriculum
Two Styles. 1 Filled in for ideas. 1 BLank for you!
You can checkout the video here!
3. Theme
You need a topic or theme to “bind” them all.
I like to use history, simply because it is easy.
Once I have a historical time or unit, I can look at any language arts, math, science and art I want to incorporate.
You can absolutely do a theme based on any interest your child has.
Trains, for example, could evolve into the Industrial Revolution, geography showing the train tracks, immigration, story problems immediately come to mind. How many of you remember the “Train A left the station at…” ????
Be sure to play “Ticket to Ride” as a family.
There is so much more you can do, I just came up with these, literally in 5 minutes. I would take a lot more time to sketch out a full plan.
4. Goals
Know what you want your child to have learned in each topic by the end of the unit.
This sounds a lot like objectives.
Objectives are broad, they are where you start.
What are all of the things I want my child to learn this entire year?
After choosing the objectives, for the year, circle the ones that can be “massaged” to fit into your unit.
Now, after looking at each course of study or subject, star the ones that you can easily blend together to create a cohesive unit.
These are your goals for the end of the unit.
5. Assessment
I like to check items off my list.
I love to know “I did it.”
How will you and your child know when a goal is accomplished?
Some people like tests.
Others like portfolio assessment.
In the end, you simply need to know that your child understands, especially any skills that were foundational steps for further learning.
6. Plan
Get out your planner and plan the unit.
You know what you want to teach (theme and goals).
When will you teach it?
How many days for specific subjects or areas?
An example of this is back to the train, that theme is huge.
I might read a book about it for Language Arts and have writing activities based on the book, while we also learn about Industrial Revolution.
Depending on the length of the book, this could be a three week activity.
Will you have special speakers or visit specific sites?
We actually have an old railroad station in town; I would definitely take the kids there!
All of this goes into your plan.
Homeschool Yearly Plan
Fun Activities and Trips that Coordinate with Your Curriculum!
When you have a yearly plan, you can see way ahead to prepare.
- Two views, two calendars, to match your style
- Watch video to see how I us each one
- September-June 23/24
- Goal: coordinate family schedule, holidays, & curriculum
- Plan fun outings, mini trips, and vacations that support your curriculum
Plan your year.
Supplement academics with fun trips that support the curriculum!
7. Create
Create the daily and weekly plans.
These will fluctuate.
However, if you know that you want to teach Writing/Reading within a Greek Gods/Goddesses unit for example and combine that on days where you are teaching History components of Wars in Greece and the social structure or philosophy, you have an idea of time for that day.
You can then combine Math, Geometry, with Science, architecture for example and art on the other day.
This is another example, but it shows you the overall planning for a week and day.
*Remember, I like to have consistency for the homeschool kiddos.
Same schedule each Monday, Tuesday, etc.
I also like to have the day “done” by lunch time and then have a two hour block in the afternoon called “creation time.”
8. Lessons
Now you get to the bones of the lesson planning.
Create the individual lesson plans.
Look at one subject, Reading and Writing for example.
Check out your end goals.
What are the end goals in other subjects?
How can you develop a lesson plan that encompasses learning about that topic and has your child make connections across multiple disciplines?
Learning anything in isolation can be difficult.
Think about trying to remember someone’s name.
When are you most likely to remember it?
When they introduce themselves? (You hear it)
When you say it back to them? (Repetition)
When you see it written down? (Tactile)
Or when you have an association with it? (Connection)
I was trained in creating lessons in an integrated curriculum format. So, naturally, I am a huge fan of it. Children are more engaged and retain information better when the subjects are not given to them in isolation. An integrated curriculum places whatever your child is studying into a theme. Within that theme your child learns many different subjects.