Build Your Library unit studies consist of reading a few well chosen books, along with several activities – anything from vocabulary, to research projects and writing projects. It’s a bit like a mini version of my curriculum. Over my homeschooling career, we have done numerous unit studies, and it’s always been one of my favorite ways to teach. Unit studies can be a fun way to break up the monotony of the school year, too.  All of these unit studies are multi-age unless otherwise specified.



Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Unit Study

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone Unit Study

Does your child enjoy the Harry Potter series and you wished there was a way to make this passion more educational? I know my children adore the world of Harry Potter.

The Harry Potter series is an epic adventure that appeals to people of all ages. J.K. Rowling has created a world within our own full of magic and mystery, heroes, villains, and quests to save the world. What child wouldn’t daydream about getting an owl inviting them to study at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, shopping for your very own magical wand in Diagon Alley, and winning the House Cup? Included Hogwart’s course – Herbology.

For full details of this unit study, click on the picture to the right.

Purchase the Sorcerer’s Stone Unit Study – $7.95

 

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Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Unit Study

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Unit StudyWelcome back to the exciting world of wizards, mythical creatures, magic and danger! Harry’s second year at Hogwarts gets off to a rough start and it only gets worse when students are being mysteriously petrified.

You’ll explore Harry’s world with a variety of activities, many that are continuations from the first Harry Potter unit. You’ll continue your Magical Terms and Spells Glossary, Magical Devices Guide and Weekly Prophet, but you’ll also be adding in a Magical Creatures field guide, as well as several activities tied directly to the story.

As always, there are copywork/dictation passages taken from the novel, as well as vocabulary and discussion questions. Included Hogwart’s course – Astronomy.

For full details of this unit study, click on the picture to the right.

Purchase the Chamber of Secrets Unit Study – $7.95

 

** Our PayPal e-Junkie powered shopping cart will process your order. All our digital programs are in PDF form. They cannot be returned or refunded. Once you place your order, you will receive a download link to your items. As a reminder, if you are going to purchase books we would greatly appreciate the use of our provided Amazon Links contained in the unit study’s book list! Thanks!



Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Unit Study

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Unit StudyIt is time for a new year at Hogwarts! Buckle up, because this is an exciting year for Harry and his friends. There’s a murderer on the loose, and he’s after Harry Potter! While the school tightens security, Harry has to learn to deal with fear, dementors, a new, mysterious Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and new information about his family’s past.

This unit will continue many of the activities from the previous two Harry Potter units: you’ll continue your Magical Terms and Spells Glossary, Magical Devices Guide and Weekly Prophet, but you’ll also be adding in a Travel Guide to the Wizarding World, as well as several activities tied directly to the story. As always, there are copywork/dictation passages taken from the novel, as well as vocabulary and discussion questions. Included Hogwart’s course – Care of Magical Creatures.

For full details of this unit study, click on the picture to the right.

Purchase the Prisoner of Azkaban Unit Study – $7.95

 

** Our PayPal e-Junkie powered shopping cart will process your order. All our digital programs are in PDF form. They cannot be returned or refunded. Once you place your order, you will receive a download link to your items. As a reminder, if you are going to purchase books we would greatly appreciate the use of our provided Amazon Links contained in the unit study’s book list! Thanks!



Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Unit Study

This time around, Harry and his friends see Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Unit Studythe Quidditch World Cup, meet wizards from around Europe at the Triwizard Tournament, and battle Voldemort himself as he rises to power once more.  This book marks a distinct change in the series – what began as children’s books has matured into the Young Adult genre as Harry becomes a teenager. This book gets darker than the last three, so keep that in mind when deciding if your child is ready for this unit study.

In this unit, you will continue your Magical Terms and Spells Glossary, Magical Devices Guide, Travel Guide to the Wizarding World, and the Weekly Prophet. As always, there are copywork/dictation passages taken from the novel, as well as vocabulary and discussion questions to help you get the most out of the story. This unit includes a Transfiguration unit for your child to study! How does Transfiguration translate to a “muggle” course? We’ll be studying Chemical changes, states of matter, the basics of Physics and how things are made! Your child will conduct experiments, study the 4 states of matter, and create their own Rube Goldberg Machine with items they find around the house.

For full details of this unit study, click on the picture to the right.

Purchase the Goblet of Fire Unit Study – $7.95

 

** Our PayPal e-Junkie powered shopping cart will process your order. All our digital programs are in PDF form. They cannot be returned or refunded. Once you place your order, you will receive a download link to your items. As a reminder, if you are going to purchase books we would greatly appreciate the use of our provided Amazon Links contained in the unit study’s book list! Thanks!



Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Unit Study

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Unit StudyThis year Harry has a lot on his plate. The Ministry of Magic is actively working against him, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor is taking over the school, and school work as doubled as the fifth years prepare for their O.W.L. exams.

In this unit, like the units preceding it, you’ll continue your Magical Terms and Spells Glossary, Magical Devices Guide, Magical Creatures Field Guide, Travel Guide to the Wizarding World (Magical Places), and the Weekly Prophet. As always, there are copywork/dictation passages taken from the novel, as well as vocabulary and discussion questions to help you get the most out of the story.

This unit also includes a Hogwarts course – just like Harry and his friends had to work together to fight against the rising evil in the Wizarding World, you and your child will be learning about Activism and how they can fight against the evils in our own world.

For full details of this unit study, click on the picture to the right.

Purchase the Order of the Phoenix Unit Study – $7.95

 

** Our PayPal e-Junkie powered shopping cart will process your order. All our digital programs are in PDF form. They cannot be returned or refunded. Once you place your order, you will receive a download link to your items.

As a reminder, if you are going to purchase books we would greatly appreciate the use of our provided Amazon Links contained in the unit study’s book list! Thanks!



Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Unit Study

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince Unit StudyHarry is back at Hogwarts for his sixth year and it wouldn’t be Hogwarts without new and impending danger lurking around every corner. Voldemort is back and building his army of Death Eaters, someone at Hogwarts is cursing and poisoning people and Harry is sure that it is Draco Malfoy up to no good and following in his father’s footsteps. Meanwhile, Dumbledore is preparing Harry for war by showing him Tom Riddle really was and how he became Lord Voldemort. There could be a secret to defeating him for good if they can only figure it out.

You will also be studying a Hogwarts course – this time it’s Potions! Or in Muggle terms, a study of the Periodic Table of Elements. We’ll be reading How to Make a Universe With 92 Ingredients and Ingeniously Daring Chemistry to dig deep into a study of the Elements that make up the world (and universe) around us as well as learning about some of the scientists who helped to discover them.

For full details of this unit study, click on the picture to the right.

Purchase the Half-Blood Prince Unit Study – $7.95

 

** Our PayPal e-Junkie powered shopping cart will process your order. All our digital programs are in PDF form. They cannot be returned or refunded. Once you place your order, you will receive a download link to your items.

As a reminder, if you are going to purchase books we would greatly appreciate the use of our provided Amazon Links in the unit study PDF! Thanks!



Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Unit Study

It has all been leading to this…Harry Potter vs. Voldemort. “Neither can live while the other survives...”

Harry, Ron, and Hermione are off on an epic quest to find and destroy Voldemort’s Horcruxes. But they have to hurry because Voldemort and his Death Eaters are gaining power and influence over the Wizarding World.

Secrets are revealed, and questions are finally answered in this epic finale.

You will also be studying a Hogwarts course – this time it is  A History of Magic! At least, Magic in the way we Muggles understand it. Your child will learn about how magic has been viewed throughout history, study some of the world’s most famous magicians, and learn how to perform magic tricks so that they too can become magicians!

For full details of this unit study, click on the picture to the right.

Purchase the Deathly Hallows Unit Study – $7.95

 

** Our PayPal e-Junkie powered shopping cart will process your order. All our digital programs are in PDF form. They cannot be returned or refunded. Once you place your order, you will receive a download link to your items.

As a reminder, if you are going to purchase books we would greatly appreciate the use of our provided Amazon Links below! Thanks!



History of Thanksgiving Unit Study

We’ve all heard the story – the Pilgrims sailed to America on the Mayflower and landed on Plymouth Rock. After a rough start, they were saved by the Natives who then celebrated with a Thanksgiving feast… But how accurate is that tale? With this unit study, you and your child will explore the history surrounding Thanksgiving. Why did those brave people sail to an unknown land to start their own colony? Did the Native Americans really save them? Who were the Pilgrims?

For full details of this unit study, click on the title above.

Purchase the History of Thanksgiving Unit Study – $7.95

 

** Our PayPal e-Junkie powered shopping cart will process your order. All our digital programs are in PDF form. They cannot be returned or refunded. Once you place your order, you will receive a download link to your items. As a reminder, if you are going to purchase books we would greatly appreciate the use of our provided Amazon Links contained in the unit study’s book list! Thanks!



Shark Unit Study

Shark Week! usually occurs in August on the Discovery Channel, but any week can be Shark Week with Build Your Library’s Shark Unit Study! This unit is appropriate for elementary through middle school level, and will take three weeks to complete.

For full details of this unit study, click on the title above.

Purchase the Shark Unit Study – $7.95

 

** Our PayPal e-Junkie powered shopping cart will process your order. All our digital programs are in PDF form. They cannot be returned or refunded. Once you place your order, you will receive a download link to your items. As a reminder, if you are going to purchase books we would greatly appreciate the use of our provided Amazon Links contained in the unit study’s book list! Thanks!



A Jan Brett Christmas Unit Study

I know this is a secular curriculum, and maybe not everyone celebrates Christmas. That being said, if you do celebrate it, I’ve written a really fun unit study based on four of Jan Brett’s popular picture books:

If you aren’t familiar with Jan Brett, then you are in for a treat! Her illustrations are gorgeous and the stories beautifully told.

You and your child will learn about the Arctic and Norway, bake some delicious gingerbread cookies, learn to say Merry Christmas in a variety of languages and much more! I have also included a Christmas Countdown Calendar for you to use with your children to count down the days to Christmas. This unit takes about 4 weeks to complete and contains about 18 notebooking pages. So, snuggle up with your children and count down the days to Christmas with Jan Brett!

Purchase A Jan Brett Christmas Unit Study – $7.95

 

** Our PayPal e-Junkie powered shopping cart will process your order. All our digital programs are in PDF form. They cannot be returned or refunded. Once you place your order, you will receive a download link to your items. As a reminder, if you are going to purchase books we would greatly appreciate the use of our provided Amazon Links contained in the unit study’s book list! Thanks!



Winter Holidays Around the World

This is a fun, multi-age unit study that is perfect for the whole family. You’ll travel the world while learning about five major winter holidays – Winter Solstice, Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa and Chinese New Year. Unlike my regular unit studies, there is no schedule included, but rather a more open ended list of activities and books. This way you can take your time and explore the winter holidays at your own pace during the craze of the holiday rush.

For full details of this unit study, click on the title above.

Purchase the Winter Holidays Unit Study – $7.95

 

** Our PayPal e-Junkie powered shopping cart will process your order. All our digital programs are in PDF form. They cannot be returned or refunded. Once you place your order, you will receive a download link to your items. As a reminder, if you are going to purchase books we would greatly appreciate the use of our provided Amazon Links contained in the unit study’s book list! Thanks!



Hobbit Unit Study

This unit is appropriate for upper-elementary through middle school level, and will take five weeks to complete. In addition to reading The Hobbit, your child will complete a host of activities, from writing a character journal, to creating a map tracking Bilbo’s travels, to creating your very own language. You will learn about the author, norse mythology and complete weekly dictation assignments, as well as memorize two poems from the story. Start your journey with J.R.R. Tolkien and Bilbo Baggins today and purchase below:

For full details of this unit study, click on the title above.

Purchase the Hobbit Unit Study – $7.95

 

** Our PayPal e-Junkie powered shopping cart will process your order. All our digital programs are in PDF form. They cannot be returned or refunded. Once you place your order, you will receive a download link to your items. As a reminder, if you are going to purchase books we would greatly appreciate the use of our provided Amazon Links contained in the unit study’s book list! Thanks!



Darwin and Evolution Unit Study

Teach your child all about the Theory of Evolution, as well as the origin of the Earth and the life of Charles Darwin. In this comprehensive, multi-age unit study, I have scheduled 8 books to help you explain these ideas to your children. They will create a huge Timeline of Life, journey around the globe with Darwin on the HMS Beagle, become a naturalist and study the world around them, learn about fossils and make their own, and much more.  While this study is best suited for children in 4th – 8th grade, I have scheduled several books for younger students and many of the activities are easily adapted for younger children. This study takes 8 weeks to complete.

For full details of this unit study, click on the title above.

Purchase the Darwin and Evolution Unit Study – $12.95

 

** Our PayPal e-Junkie powered shopping cart will process your order. All our digital programs are in PDF form. They cannot be returned or refunded. Once you place your order, you will receive a download link to your items.

As a reminder, if you are going to purchase books we would greatly appreciate the use of our provided Amazon Links contained in the unit study’s book list! Thanks!



Prehistory Unit Study

This six-week unit covers much more than just dinosaurs. You’ll learn about the origins of the Earth, the first life, the first mammals, the first men, the Ice Age, all the way through to the beginnings of modern man… and of course, dinosaurs. This unit includes a variety of projects and activities, from creating a Timeline of Prehistory and a Field Guide to the Prehistoric World, to creating a relief carving and cave painting in the style of Prehistoric artists, to building your own coracle and more.

The Prehistory Unit is perfect for your elementary age student, but there are many suggestions for books to add in for older  children, and the activities are flexible enough to include both age brackets. The unit is 61 pages, scheduled over six weeks, and includes vocabulary, timeline pages, and several activity pages as well as a literature study including copywork.

For full details of this unit study, click on the title above.

Purchase the Prehistory Unit Study – $12.95

 

** Our PayPal e-Junkie powered shopping cart will process your order. All our digital programs are in PDF form. They cannot be returned or refunded. Once you place your order, you will receive a download link to your items.

As a reminder, if you are going to purchase books we would greatly appreciate the use of our provided Amazon Links contained in the unit study’s book list! Thanks!



World War II Unit Study

World War II is an overwhelming topic, but I’ve done the hard work for you! In this 9 week unit study, suitable for 6th grade – high school, your child will meet the bigger-than-life personalities on both sides of the conflict. They’ll learn about the events leading up to the war, the rise of Adolf Hitler and the axis powers, the American home front, the war in the Pacific, the Holocaust, espionage, resistance, the Nuremberg trials and more.

The lesson plans are 98 pages, and include a reading schedule, narration cards, a literature study of 3 novels, dictation passages, 52 vocabulary words, web resources, map work, writing assignments, projects, a list of optional movies and documentaries, and an end of unit Jeopardy-style trivia game.

For full details of this unit study, click on the title above.

Purchase the World War II Unit Study – $12.95

 

** Our PayPal e-Junkie powered shopping cart will process your order. All our digital programs are in PDF form. They cannot be returned or refunded. Once you place your order, you will receive a download link to your items. As a reminder, if you are going to purchase books we would greatly appreciate the use of our provided Amazon Links contained in the unit study’s book list!

Thanks!



How to Read Literature Like a Professor Study Guide

This study guide was written to be used along with the book How To Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster. As you read each chapter of the book, you can use the questions in this study guide to help get a better understanding of the text and try out some of the ideas taught with your favorite novels.

Please Note: This study guide is included in the Level 9 program, but if you need to purchase it separately it is available here.

Purchase the How to Read Literature Like a Professor Study Guide – $9.99

 

** Our PayPal e-Junkie powered shopping cart will process your order. All our digital programs are in PDF form. They cannot be returned or refunded. Once you place your order, you will receive a download link to your items. As a reminder, if you are going to purchase books we would greatly appreciate the use of our provided Amazon Links contained in the unit study’s book list! Thanks!

 



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About Build Your Library

Have you been looking for a literature based homeschool curriculum that is secular? How about a way to incorporate narration, copywork, dictation and memory work into your child’s education? Or art study that ties into history?

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