The Unit Study Planner: A How-To Guide
A unit study explores one topic across several subjects at once, for example a "Ladybugs" unit that covers science, reading, and art together. The Unit Study Planner gives each unit study one place to plan the subjects and skills it covers, the books and resources you will use, the hands-on activities and field trips, and what everyone learned along the way.
You will find it in the left-hand menu under Plan & Teach, as Unit Study Planner.
The page at a glance
Each unit study you create appears as a card showing its title and date range, the Subjects and Skills Developed it covers, a short What We Learned summary, and small chips telling you how many activities and hands-on ideas it has and whether it lists any resources. Each card has a View / edit button and a Delete button.
Before you add anything, the page shows a short "No unit studies yet. Start one for a topic you want to explore across subjects." message.
Starting a unit study
- Click + New unit study (top-right). The planning form opens right on the page, no popup window.
- Fill in as much or as little as you like. Only the Unit / Topic name is required; every other field is optional, so you can start with a title and flesh the unit out later.
The form is grouped into sections:
| Section | What goes here |
|---|---|
| Unit / Topic | The name of the study (for example, "Ladybugs"), plus an optional Start date and End date. |
| Subjects & Skills Developed | The subjects the unit touches and the skills your children practice. |
| Planning & Resources | Free-text lists of Books, Videos / Documentaries, Websites / Online, Printables / Worksheets, and Supplies / Materials. |
| Activities | A list of activities to do during the unit; add a row for each, with an optional date. |
| Hands-On Ideas & Field Trips | A list of hands-on ideas and outings for the unit. |
| What We Learned | Key Facts and New Information you want to capture as you go. |
| Important Takeaways | A short list of the big ideas to remember. |
- Click Save to keep the unit study, or Cancel to discard it. Saved units appear as cards at the top of the page.
Tip: You do not have to fill everything in before you start teaching. Save the unit with just a title and the subjects, then come back and add resources, activities, and what you learned as the unit unfolds.
Editing a unit study
Click View / edit on a card to reopen the same form with everything filled in. Change any field, add activities or takeaways, then click Save. Your changes take effect right away.
Deleting a unit study
Click Delete on a card. Your browser asks you to confirm, since this cannot be undone. Click OK to remove the unit study, or Cancel to keep it.
Quick reference
| I want to... | Do this |
|---|---|
| Open the planner | Left menu → Plan & Teach → Unit Study Planner |
| Start a unit study | + New unit study → fill in the form → Save |
| Add activities or field trips | In the form, add rows under Activities or Hands-On Ideas & Field Trips |
| Record what you learned | Fill in Key Facts, New Information, and Important Takeaways |
| Change a unit study | View / edit on its card → change → Save |
| Remove a unit study | Delete on its card → confirm |
Screenshots use the sample "Demo Family" account.