Unit Studies for Teachers

Lesson 6: Building Blocks & Boilerplates: Tools for Creating Unit Studies Part II

6-3 High-tech Techniques -- or -- Betcha Didn't Think Your PC Could Do That!

Creative Techniques with Run-of-the-Mill Software - In our house many computer programs have come and gone over the years. But the truth of the matter is that most of my work has been done with just two pieces of software: a top-notch word processor (WordPerfect) and a moderately good paint/draw program (Corel Xara). The Activity Cottage books with all their reproducible black line masters were created with these two programs.

Hardware - This has mostly consisted of a moderately powerful PC with a high-quality B&W printer . . though I am growing spoiled by my daughter's color printer. We've added more compu-goodies but these were all I really needed to make for a creative learning environment. My happy little setup churned out personalized activity and worksheets with clipart and gradually original art catering to Jenny's interests and my study themes. In fact, as soon as you can turn your children loose on a paint program, have them draw their own figures . . . perhaps even a caricature of themselves. Then use it on all the activity projects you can! This basic computer setup has helped us print out bold titles for our many displays (suitable for coloring), basic brainstorming forms, sheets, and cool tests. We've also designed many of the game components described above, and kept well-organized records (when I got around to it) using WordPerfect's talented TABLES features. With it, I even created my business forms, sorted & merged mailings, and created copy-ready master pages of all the books marketed under Activity Cottage. Most anything you can dream up for your little-school-in-the-home can likewise be done with this sort of small but powerful setup. Likely, your pieces may not look too polished or professional in the beginning. However, as your skills and your scholars grow over the years, you'll be turning out inspiring pages any student will appreciate. You may even find your students will want to have a hand in production. One of Jen's favorite school projects was a test which she devised for Bob and me to take – complete with lively clipart and her own graphics. (It was one tough test, too!)

Bells & Whistles Fancy software, hardware and other high-tech gizmos can add a special touch to your work as well. Here are a few of the more popular pieces you may find worth the investment.

• Camera - How about replacing those caricatures and cliparts we discussed above with images of your family? You can even jazz them up with clipart or freehand additions. Many of your unit study projects will likely defy being flatted into paper form so consider taking photos for keepsake and record keeping purposes. We have replaced our old 35mm camera with a digital image camera. Suddenly I find more of my photos are being used because in digital form I can easily combine them with my computer projects for eye-catching displays on my websites or on printed output in the form of greeting cards, craft projects, activity pages, books, newsletters, etc.
• Scanner - I wouldn't have thought I'd become attached to this device as much as I have been the last few years. If you are developing your own website, newsletter, scrapbook, self-published books, or other graphics-rich pieces this device can give cyber wings to children's works of art, favorite old photos, even flat craft pieces, book pages, and more. It will give you greater freedom to combine various media into one smooth creation. Scanning in important schoolwork can cut down on accumulated papers, too – especially helpful if space is at a premium.
• Other Notables - I see there is now a printer which also acts as a copier, scanner, and fax - a tool I'd have loved 15 years ago . . . lucky you! Also video cameras and camcorders may fit your family's style. Before the computer extras I relied heavily on a home copier for appealing activity & worksheets, display decorations, and book usage which didn't damage books.

• Television - Is a TV a high-tech tool? Well, yea or nay, I'd like to make a case for it. Besides the many educational shows on PBS, Arts & Entertainment, Discovery, and History channels for starters, a number of excellent movies can flesh out most subject areas. Old movies on Thomas Edison, Louis Pasteur, or Marie Curie enhance science, historical docu-dramas beef up social studies. Movie adaptations of great works of literature, like Moby Dick or Les Miserables, help us appreciate the depth and breadth of books even more. In fact, we often have lively discussions of book vs. movie after exposure to both which usually gives us a whole new appreciation of the written word. Biographical pieces on scientists, great figures in all fields, can be found on many networks. The many news channels keep you abreast on current event, often with in-depth background. I enjoy channels like HGTV for arts & crafts ideas which often find their way into educational activities. Many television networks and programs have their own Internet sites adding another dimension to their usefulness. PBS and History Channel websites often have in-depth and interactive extensions of their shows with many educational applications.

  In summary, TV should not be dismissed out of hand. VCR tapes help you trim these to your schedule. Also, I've found it useful to record my own edited copy of historical movies and documentaries which may have scenes inappropriate for young children. I've often worked a suitable television piece into a unit study giving it an added dimension.

Internet Links: The World's Greatest Library at your fingertips. I'm almost afraid to tackle this section. How do you summarize the universe in a few paragraphs? Rather, I'll list a sampling to give you a taste and get you started. The best advice I can give is to become a frequent user of a good search engine. My favorite is http://www.google.com and has been the main Internet tool for researching all my writings including this course. Get plenty of practice selecting the best combination of keywords to reach the sites you are after. Try using the advanced search tools on most search engines.

To get you started however, here are some of the best sites you'll use for creating your unit studies are summarized here:

• unit study helps/teacher tools

  http://homeschoolunitstudies.com I like Heart of Wisdom's definitions of unit studies: "Unit studies or thematic units take a topic and "live" with it for a period of time, integrating science, social studies, language arts, math and fine arts as they apply." But their comparison to a pizza with your choice of (subject) toppings is the tastiest analogy by far. These people are experts on the art of unit studies (which they market in quantity and quality). Many free resources, sample lessons and learning techniques (like creating timelines, portfolios, worksheets . . . ) are included on their large website. One is worth mentioning separately here:

  http://homeschoolunitstudies.com/Acrobat... This concept of mind mapping took my brain by storm. This website's 11-page introduction is the best I've found. You will need an Adobe Acrobat Reader for it.

  There's even a site that will create math problems to your specifications: http://www.mathfactcafe.com/partnerprog....

• research material

  http://www.infoplease.com/world.html This includes vast fact database for adults and kids from many sources including a favorite: FactMonster.com which, among other goodies has a fact-packed countries of the world profile sections.

• electronic libraries

  Project Gutenburg Library http://www.gutenberg.net/ This Yahoo best site of 1998 is building an extensive online collection of unabridged classic books from previous centuries. Works cover "Light Literature" like Aesop's Fables through "Heavy Literature" like Paradise Lost as well as references like almanacs. Texts are in ASCII format for simplified searches.

  http://etext.lib.virginia.edu The University of Virginia's E-text library

  http://www.americanpoems.com American Poet's electronic library

• clipart and page design

  Try the Clipart Directory http://www.clipart.net/

• virtual field trips

  Since our family was limited in our ability to take field trips, our unit studies often took the form of virtual tours of museums, factories, and spots of interest all over the world. Here's a list of museums cyber tours:

  http://www.ed-u.com/edsgalls.htm The rest of this site has a wealth of material to offer – check it all out.

  Don't feel limited to sites designed for educators and students. Some of the best reference material can be gleaned from . . .

• "real world" sites - Through these the Internet can add a dose of reality to your studies. For example, if you are doing a simulation involving:

  air travel? Try http://travelocity.com

  Accommodations? Try http://hotels.com

  Stock market? Try http://www.virtualstockexchange.com

  Jobs? Try http://monster.com

  International affairs? Try http://un.org

This is only a small selection of the vast array of resources available. I have compiled an extensive list of excellent resources organized by subject and by types of resources in the Christian Home Education Links

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