Lessons for All Seasons: Review of the Seasons Unit Study From Homeschool Complete Curriculum

Lessons for All Seasons

The "Seasons" Complete Unit Study has a lot of layers. This is a single unit study meant to be used by children who are around a first-grade level, but it includes activities for some of the subjects that can easily be done with multiple students at different levels without a lot of adjustment in the lessons.

Some mature kindergarteners will be ready for the lessons since this is intended for use early in the year with six-year-olds and second-grade students who need to brush up on some skills will benefit from the language arts and math skills covered in the unit.

There are lessons and skills that are challenging for this age group and some that they will easily accomplish. There is a lot of flexibility built into this individual unit study as there is in the full year curriculum programs from Homeschool Complete.

Seasons ~ Complete Unit Study Review

The individual unit study was super easy to download and print. The student worksheets are colorful and fun looking. The structure for the parent who will be teaching the lessons is outstanding. The skills are detailed and listed by specific subjects so it's simple to see what concepts the students will be learning and practicing. Materials and literature are also spelled out very clearly so planning is quick and easy.

Activities and experiments are integral to the lessons for the type of hands-on learning that is essential for this age group and keeps learning a joy!

There is a lot of great literature included and the books are all perfect for the study of all four seasons. My favorite is "Balto and the Great Race". It's such a well written and exciting story, (my kids love any dog story) and there are more Balto books in the series.

If the library doesn't have all of the books listed in the unit, you may have to figure out alternatives to use that are similar. When that happens, it is a great time to get to know your children's librarian. They will have alternatives to suggest that are similar or will be able to request your titles from the interlibrary loan program.

Some of the books are available on Amazon's FreeTime Unlimited program which is an inexpensive way to get kid's books for your e-reader or iPad every month AND that makes it even easier to use a lot of good literature in your homeschool.

The first part of the teacher's materials spells out specific ways to begin your homeschool day with suggestions for taking time to practice calendar skills, learning the pledge of allegiance and daily journaling. If you have already established a routine that works for your homeschool, you can ignore that section but if you have not, there are some helpful ideas here.

The four lessons are intended to be completed along with the reading and activities in one week. But there is a lot you can expand on if your children are enjoying the topics. 

Curriculum Positives

• Flexible Learning - One Student or Multiple Levels
• Structure for Parents - Lots of Information for Teaching Each Lesson
• Options for How to Use the Unit - One Four Day Week or Multiple Weeks
• Lessons Naturally Integrate Subjects
• All the Subjects Included - No Separate Math or Language Arts Needed Unless You are Using it With Multiple Levels
• Experiments and Activities are Part of the Learning
• Literature Rich - Interesting & Exciting Books 
• Math and Science Skills Integrated Into Activities
• Includes Age Appropriate Life, Health & P.E. Skills
• Very Detailed - Even the Font Used for the Worksheets Imitates Proper Printing 
• Science and Worldview is from a Creation Perspective
• Accommodates all the Learning Styles Well 
• Includes Encouragement for Children's Narrations & Discussions
• Lessons are Short - Age Appropriate
• Great Ideas for Including Multiple Children in All the Fun Stuff! 
• If you Finish in 4 Days You Can Use the 5th Day for a Field Trip
• The Author was a Teacher and a Homeschool Mom - Material and Organization Include Good Instruction as Well as an Understanding of the Home Education Environment

Curriculum Negatives

• You'll Need to Locate Books - Some Planning Ahead Required & Possibility of Library Book Late Fees When You Forget to Return Them :) 
• May Have to Get Books Online if the Library Doesn't Have Them or Figure Out Alternate Books to Use
• The Printable Calendar Included is Fall Themed - Use Your Own if it is Not Fall when You Do the Unit Study
• One of the Activities is Watermelon Seed Spitting Which May Get a Little Lively if your Kids are Like Mine - They Will Love it But Be Prepared! 
• Unit Studies Require Parent Participation so if You Are Looking for a Fully Independent Learning Program This is Not it.  

Conclusion

The "Seasons" unit study is wonderful for one child or if you are looking for an opportunity to teach more than one child at a time since you can pull children of different ages into the activities and include them in the discussions. It is easy to add some higher math and literature for other children close in age and get some great family time in.

It is on grade level and includes lessons and activities that appeal to various learning styles. It keeps learning enjoyable from start to finish. The unit study is flexible and focuses on higher thinking skills such as problem-solving. The format allows for a lot of creativity and for students to make mental connections on their own.

Seasons is currently a Homeschool Complete Curriculum Featured product and if you use the discount code HCSCI10 before February 28, 2019, you can get 10% off. The discount is good on both the printed or downloaded versions.

There are other great titles available in the Complete Unit Study series. Visit the website to take a look. 

Written By: Merit Kirkpatrick