Top Must-Have Resources for Unit Studies

If you love the idea of unit studies but aren’t sure where to find the best resources, don’t worry—I’ve got you covered. One of the best things about unit studies is that you don’t need a boxed curriculum or a rigid lesson plan to make them work. With the right tools, you can put together a rich, engaging unit study with books, videos, hands-on activities, and printables—many of which are completely free.

When I first started doing unit studies, I made the mistake of thinking I had to reinvent the wheel every time. I spent way too many hours hunting for the perfect books and scrambling for last-minute activities. Over time, I built a go-to list of trusted resources that I return to again and again. These are the websites, books, and tools that make planning unit studies so much easier, whether I want something open-and-go or just need a few things to fill in the gaps.

If you’re looking for the best books, websites, and tools to simplify unit study planning, here are my top 10 must-have resources to get you started!

📚 1. Best Books for Unit Studies

Books are the backbone of a great unit study. Whether you’re using picture books, chapter books, or encyclopedias, reading together provides the foundation for discussion and exploration.

Must-Have Books for Unit Studies:

📖 Five in a Row – A beloved homeschool classic that turns picture books into full unit studies, covering geography, art, science, and more. Perfect for ages 4-8.
📖 The Story of the World – A fantastic narrative-style history series that makes history come alive. We’ve used it as a spine for history-based unit studies.
📖 DK Smithsonian Books – These beautifully illustrated books cover everything from space to history to animals—great for visual learners!
📖 Usborne & DK Encyclopedias – My go-to for fact-filled, visually engaging reference books for any topic.
📖 Living Books – Instead of dry textbooks, I try to use historical fiction, biographies, and engaging non-fiction. (Example: Carry On, Mr. Bowditch for a maritime unit.)

💡 Tip: Check your local library first before buying books! The Libby app is also great for borrowing ebooks and audiobooks for free.

🌍 2. Free Online Learning Resources

The internet is a goldmine for homeschoolers, and when it comes to unit studies, having access to high-quality, free learning resources can make planning so much easier.

Whether you need primary source documents, interactive science activities, or virtual field trips, these websites provide engaging, well-organized, and educational materials to enrich any unit study.

Here are my favorite go-to free websites for unit study planning:

📜 Library of Congress

The Library of Congress (LOC) is an incredible resource for history-based unit studies. It provides access to millions of historical documents, maps, photographs, and firsthand accounts that bring history to life. This is one of my absolute favorite tools when we do biography studies, state history projects, or American history deep dives.

What You’ll Find:

• Primary source materials (historical photos, letters, and documents)
• Lesson plans on topics like the American Revolution, Civil Rights, and immigration
• Digital collections covering everything from early maps to newspaper archives

💡 How to Use It: If you’re studying Westward Expansion, you can find actual pioneer diaries, vintage maps of the Oregon Trail, and newspaper clippings from the 1800s to make the topic feel real.

🚀 NASA for Kids

NASA’s Kids’ Club is packed with interactive games, educational videos, and space-themed lesson plans. If you’re doing a space, astronomy, or STEM-based unit study, this site is a must.

What You’ll Find:

• Virtual tours of NASA space centers
• Real-time satellite tracking to watch space missions
• DIY rocket-building activities and experiments
• Astronaut training simulations and quizzes

💡 How to Use It: When we did a Space Unit Study, we used NASA’s real-time solar system models to track planets and even watched a live stream of astronauts on the International Space Station!

🏛 Smithsonian Learning Lab

The Smithsonian Learning Lab is a hidden gem that offers virtual museum exhibits, historical resources, and STEM activities. It’s fantastic for history, art, and science unit studies.

What You’ll Find:

• Virtual field trips to Smithsonian museums
• 3D models of historical artifacts (like Egyptian mummies and dinosaur fossils!)
• Hands-on STEM challenges for science-based learning
• Primary source collections from different time periods

💡 How to Use It: If you’re studying Ancient Egypt, you can virtually explore the Smithsonian’s mummy exhibit, see detailed artifacts in 3D, and read about real archaeological discoveries—all from your living room!

🧪 Mystery Science – Visit Here

Mystery Science is one of my go-to resources for science unit studies because it offers short, engaging video lessons paired with hands-on experiments.

What You’ll Find:

• Full science lessons with videos, questions, and activities
• DIY experiments using household items
• Step-by-step guided science investigations
• Lessons designed for K-5th grade

💡 How to Use It: If you’re studying weather, Mystery Science has a fantastic lesson called “How do clouds make rain?” that includes an easy make-your-own cloud experiment using a jar and shaving cream!

📺 PBS Learning Media

PBS Learning Media is packed with free educational videos, interactive activities, and lesson plans on almost every subject.

What You’ll Find:

• High-quality, educational videos (great for visual learners!)
• Lesson plans and activities sorted by grade level and subject
• Supplemental materials for history, science, and language arts
• Free resources for early learners and older students

💡 How to Use It: When we did a Civil Rights Unit Study, we used PBS’s Martin Luther King Jr. videos, which had real historical footage, making it incredibly engaging for my kids.

💡 Tip: If I need an instant, no-prep lesson, I go to YouTube and search “[unit study topic] for kids.” There are fantastic documentaries, read-alouds, and experiments on almost any topic!

🎨 3. Hands-On Materials for Interactive Learning

One of the best ways to make unit studies memorable is hands-on learning. Over the years, I’ve collected some simple supplies that I pull out for almost every unit study.

✂️ Lapbooks & Notebooking Pages – These are a great way to document learning with foldable minibooks, diagrams, and creative writing.
🎲 Math & Science Manipulatives – Things like base ten blocks, measuring tools, and magnets help bring lessons to life.
🏗 Building Materials – Legos, clay, cardboard, and craft supplies can turn any lesson into a hands-on project.
🖍 Printable Maps & Timelines – Great for history and geography unit studies.

💡 Tip: I keep a homeschool “hands-on” bin with scissors, glue sticks, tape, and colored pencils so everything is easy to grab.

📦 4. Subscription Boxes for Ready-to-Go Learning

If you love unit studies but don’t have time to plan everything yourself, subscription boxes are a game-changer. These come with all the materials you need, making it easy to add a hands-on component to your homeschool.

📦 Evan-Moor History Pockets – Printable, interactive history and geography lapbooks.
📦 KiwiCo Crates – Hands-on STEM and art projects delivered monthly.
📦 Little Passports – Fun geography and cultural exploration kits for kids.
📦 Think Outside Boxes – Outdoor, nature-based learning activities for adventurous kids.

💡 Tip: If you don’t want a subscription, check Evan-Moor’s printable workbooks, which are great for history and science-based unit studies.

📺 5. Best Educational Streaming Services

Sometimes, I don’t need a full curriculum—I just need a good printable worksheet or notebooking page. These sites are lifesavers when I need quick, ready-made resources.

🖨 Teachers Pay Teachers – Huge selection of affordable, high-quality printables for any subject.
🖨 NotebookingPages.com – Great for unit study-based writing assignments (like copywork or research reports).
🖨 Twinkl – Tons of worksheets, lapbooks, and hands-on activities for all grade levels.

💡 Tip: If I’m working on a custom unit study, I print out a blank unit study planning template (grab mine here) and jot down ideas as I go.

Sometimes, the easiest way to bring a unit study to life is by pressing play on an engaging documentary or educational show. Streaming services offer incredible visual learning opportunities, allowing kids to see history unfold, explore scientific concepts in action, and dive deep into fascinating topics. Whether you’re looking for short animated lessons, in-depth documentaries, or real-world footage, these platforms are packed with educational content that can supplement any unit study.

🎥 CuriosityStream

CuriosityStream is a documentary streaming service that offers thousands of high-quality, engaging films on topics like history, science, nature, and space. If your kids enjoy real-world footage, deep dives into historical events, or expert-led explanations of scientific concepts, this is an amazing addition to any homeschool unit study. I have used it often to include videos in my unit study plans.

What You’ll Find:

• Beautifully filmed documentaries on ancient civilizations, wildlife, space, and science
• Kid-friendly educational content with real-world visuals and expert narrations
• Shorter, easy-to-digest episodes as well as full-length deep-dive documentaries
• Ad-free viewing with affordable subscription plans

💡 How to Use It: If you’re doing a Space Unit Study, CuriosityStream has stunning NASA footage, interviews with astronauts, and deep dives into the universe’s mysteries. Watching real space exploration videos before trying a DIY rocket launch experiment makes learning even more exciting!

📚 BrainPOP

BrainPOP is one of the best educational streaming platforms for younger learners (elementary & middle school) because it combines animated videos with interactive quizzes, games, and lesson plans. It’s a great way to introduce history, science, math, and even social-emotional learning topics in a fun, engaging way. My boys usually end up giggling through the videos, which is a great sign that they are engaged and listening! The videos are just way more interesting than many of the YouTube videos we’ve found.

What You’ll Find:

• Short, animated educational videos on science, history, geography, and more
• Interactive quizzes and games to reinforce learning
• Lesson plans & hands-on activities that pair with videos
• Spanish-language content available (BrainPOP Español!)

💡 How to Use It: When we did an Ancient Egypt Unit Study, we watched BrainPOP’s short video on mummies, then did a hands-on apple mummification experiment to see the science behind the process. It was a simple, engaging way to connect history and science!

📺 Netflix & Disney+ Documentaries

Believe it or not, mainstream streaming platforms like Netflix and Disney+ have tons of amazing educational content, from nature documentaries to historical deep dives. These are great for homeschoolers because they offer high-production, engaging content that often feels more like entertainment while still being packed with valuable learning.

What You’ll Find:

• Nature & Science Documentaries – Shows like Our Planet (Netflix) and Secrets of the Whales (Disney+) bring ecosystems and wildlife studies to life.
• History & Culture – Documentaries like The Greatest Events of WWII in Color (Netflix) make history feel real and engaging for kids.
• STEM & Exploration – Shows like The Magic of Disney’s Animal Kingdom (Disney+) provide behind-the-scenes insights into conservation and animal science.

💡 How to Use It: When we studied The Arctic, we watched Secrets of the Whales (Disney+) to see real Arctic wildlife in action. Then we followed it up with a blubber science experiment where the kids tested how whale fat keeps them warm in freezing waters. The combination of stunning visuals and hands-on activities made the unit study unforgettable!

🛠 6. Lapbooking & Notebooking Tools

If you’re looking for a way to document learning without boring worksheets, lapbooks and notebooking are amazing tools to include in unit studies. These methods allow kids to process and organize what they’ve learned creatively, making learning hands-on, engaging, and interactive. Whether your child prefers writing, drawing, cutting, pasting, or storytelling, lapbooks and notebooks work for all learning styles.

Lapbooks are great for younger kids who love minibooks, foldables, and hands-on crafting, while notebooking is a more open-ended approach that works well for older kids who want to write, draw, or record information in a journal-style format.

Here are my favorite lapbooking and notebooking tools that make unit studies fun, engaging, and memorable!

📖 Homeschool in the Woods – Visit Here

Homeschool in the woods is a great resource for history-based lapbooking! They create incredibly detailed timeline figures, hands-on printables, and interactive lapbooks that make history come alive.

What You’ll Find:

• Timeline Figures – Print, cut, and add to a notebook or history timeline.
• History Lapbooks – Hands-on cut-and-paste projects for different historical periods.
• Unit Study Packs – Complete thematic units with guided activities.
• Notebooking Pages – Writing prompts and creative layouts for research projects.

💡 How to Use It: When we did a Middle Ages Unit Study, we used their Knights Lap-Pak to create an interactive timeline of medieval events. My kids cut out, colored, and arranged mini-books on feudalism, knights, and tournaments, which helped them retain so much information in a fun way! It’s great for reinforcing new vocabulary as well.

📝 Draw Write Now

Draw your world is a unique program blends art, handwriting, and history, making it perfect for creative kids who love to draw. Each lesson combines a handwriting exercise with a simple guided drawing, allowing kids to practice fine motor skills while learning about history, animals, or geography.

What You’ll Find:

• Step-by-step drawing guides connected to historical or science topics.
• Handwriting practice in both print and cursive.
• Themed books covering topics like Native Americans, Pilgrims, Animals, and Space.

💡 How to Use It: How to Use It: If you’re doing a Polar Regions Unit Study, you can use Draw Write Now, Book Four to have your child practice cursive while writing a fact about polar bears, then draw a beautiful illustration of the Arctic landscape. If you’re studying migration patterns, they can write about and draw an Arctic loon or a blue whale, reinforcing geography and science at the same time.

📜 NotebookingPages.com

Notebooking pages is a fantastic alternative to traditional worksheets that lets kids record information in a meaningful, personal way. Instead of just filling in blanks, children can write summaries, draw pictures, paste in maps, or record interesting facts. NotebookingPages.com offers beautifully designed templates for history, science, geography, and literature.

What You’ll Find:

• Printable notebooking templates for different subjects.
• Copywork pages for handwriting practice.
• Creative layouts with space for illustrations, notes, and reports.

💡 How to Use It: If you’re doing an Amphibians Unit Study, your child can use the Amphibians Notebooking Pages to record facts about different species, draw life cycles, and write observations about frogs, salamanders, and other amphibians. For a hands-on approach, take a nature walk and encourage them to document what they see in their notebooking pages!

🗺 DIY Lapbook & Notebooking Supplies

While pre-made resources are great, sometimes I like to create my own lapbooks and notebooking pages to fit exactly what we’re studying. Here are some basic supplies I always keep on hand:

🖍 File Folders – The perfect base for lapbooks.
📌 Glue Sticks & Scissors – For assembling minibooks.
🖨 Cardstock & Printer Paper – To print out notebooking pages.
📝 Markers, Colored Pencils, & Stickers – For creative customization.
📖 Blank Composition Notebooks or Binders – To store notebooking pages.

💡 How to Use It: If we’re doing a Dinosaur Unit Study, I’ll print blank notebooking pages for my older child to write a research report, while my younger child will cut and paste dinosaur facts into a lapbook.

🎨 7. Creative Art & DIY Science Kits

Adding hands-on art and science projects to unit studies makes learning engaging, interactive, and memorable. Whether it’s painting a masterpiece inspired by history or conducting exciting science experiments, kids retain more when they create and explore. These resources provide open-and-go art lessons and ready-to-use science kits, making it easy to integrate creativity and discovery into your homeschool.

🎭 Chalk Pastel Art

One of the easiest ways to add beautiful, mess-free art projects to unit studies is with chalk pastels. Nana, the instructor behind You Are An Artist, provides step-by-step video tutorials that are perfect for all ages, even kids (or parents!) who don’t consider themselves artists.

What You’ll Find:

• Themed art lessons that align with history, science, and geography.
• Step-by-step video tutorials using simple chalk pastels.
• No prior art skills needed—just follow along!
• Lessons covering topics like Ancient Egypt, Solar System, and Famous Landmarks.

💡 How to Use It: If you’re doing a Space Unit Study, you can use Chalk Pastel’s Solar System course to create stunning chalk drawings of the planets, the Milky Way, and astronauts—a fun and creative way to reinforce astronomy concepts!

🔬 KiwiCo Science & Art Crates – Visit Here

KiwiCo delivers hands-on science, engineering, and art projects right to your door! These activity boxes are designed for different age groups and come with everything needed for a fun, educational experience.

What You’ll Find:

• STEAM-based activity kits combining science, technology, engineering, art, and math.
• Age-specific crates (Preschool through high school!).
• Step-by-step guides with all materials included.
• Monthly subscription options or single-purchase boxes.

💡 How to Use It: If you’re doing a Weather Unit Study, try a KiwiCo tornado and rain cloud experiment or create your own barometer to track pressure changes in real-time!

🖌 Additional Art & Science Kits to Enrich Your Unit Studies

If you want even more hands-on experiences, here are additional kits and resources that pair well with unit studies:

• 🎨 Masterpiece Society – Online art courses for kids and teens inspired by famous artists and historical periods.
• 🖍 Deep Space Sparkle – Lesson plans for painting, drawing, and mixed media that connect with history, science, and literature.
• 🧪 Mel Science – Monthly STEM subscription kits for chemistry, physics, and engineering experiments.
• 🦖 Dinosaur Dig Kits – Perfect for a Prehistoric Unit Study, where kids can excavate real fossils and analyze their findings.

🗺 8. Geography & Map Resources

Geography is so much more than just memorizing maps and capitals—it’s about exploring cultures, landscapes, and how the world is connected. Whether you’re studying ancient civilizations, world landmarks, or natural disasters, these interactive geography resources will help bring your unit studies to life.

Here are my favorite go-to geography resources for interactive maps, games, and engaging activities that make learning geography fun!

🌍 National Geographic Kids

National Geographic Kids is an amazing resource for bringing geography, science, and world cultures to life. It’s filled with stunning photography, interactive maps, videos, and kid-friendly articles about places around the world.

What You’ll Find:

• Interactive maps with fascinating facts about different countries.
• Videos on cultures, animals, and geography topics.
• Printable worksheets and quizzes on landmarks and ecosystems.
• “Weird But True” geography facts that kids love!

💡 How to Use It: If you’re doing a Rainforest Unit Study, explore National Geographic Kids’ Amazon Rainforest section, where you’ll find videos on rainforest animals, deforestation, and indigenous tribes, plus an interactive biome map!

🗺 Sheppard Software

If you need a fun way to practice geography, Sheppard Software has free, interactive games that help kids learn continents, countries, states, and capitals in an engaging way.

What You’ll Find:

• Interactive geography quizzes covering the world, continents, and U.S. states.
• Map-based puzzles and challenges to reinforce learning.
• Games that adapt in difficulty (perfect for all ages!).
• Easy-to-use format—just click and play!

💡 How to Use It: If your child is studying U.S. Geography, challenge them to Sheppard Software’s “50 States” game—they’ll learn the states and capitals faster than you expect!

Geography becomes so much more engaging when kids explore maps, take virtual tours, and play interactive games. Whether they’re clicking through a digital world map, labeling countries on a printable, or listening to geography songs, these tools will make learning about the world exciting, hands-on, and memorable!

📖 9. Open-and-Go Unit Study Curriculum

Sometimes, we love the idea of planning unit studies, but life gets busy and we need something already planned out. That’s where open-and-go unit study curriculums shine! These programs take the guesswork out of planning by integrating multiple subjects into a cohesive study, making it easier to focus on learning and hands-on exploration rather than researching and preparing materials.

Whether you’re looking for literature-based unit studies, history deep dives, or nature-inspired lessons, these ready-to-use curriculums will simplify your homeschooling journey!

📚 Gather Round Homeschool

Gather Round Homeschool is a full family-style unit study curriculum where all ages learn together, making it perfect for multi-age homeschooling. Each unit integrates history, science, geography, literature, and more, so you can teach all your children at the same time while tailoring lessons to different ability levels.

What You’ll Find:

• Completely open-and-go (just print and start!).
• Multi-subject integration—no need for separate lessons.
• Beautifully designed workbooks with writing prompts, activities, and hands-on projects.
• Wide variety of themes, from Ancient Civilizations to Space to Botany.

💡 How to Use It: If you’re studying Oceans & Marine Biology, Gather Round has a full Oceans Unit Study covering the science of marine life, geography of the seas, and history of ocean exploration—all in one curriculum!

📖 Harbor & Sprout

This one is one of my personal favorites. If you’re looking for a beautiful, nature-inspired, and hands-on unit study curriculum, Harbor & Sprout is a fantastic choice. Their monthly unit studies are designed for creative, interest-led, and exploratory learning, making them perfect for families who love nature, storytelling, and hands-on projects.

Each unit integrates science, history, literature, math, geography, and arts, weaving them together through a central theme. Their approach is flexible, allowing you to customize lessons to your child’s learning level and interests.

What You’ll Find:

• Theme-Based Monthly Units – Each month focuses on an exciting theme like Oceans, Space, Forests, Ancient Civilizations, or Inventors.
• Multi-Subject Integration – Science, literature, writing, geography, history, and art all connect to the central theme.
• Hands-On Projects & Activities – Nature exploration, scientific experiments, notebooking, art projects, and more.
• Gorgeous Visuals & High-Quality Printables – Beautifully designed resources make learning engaging and immersive.
• Adaptable for Multiple Ages – Activities are flexible for preschool through middle school.

💡 How to Use It: If you’re planning a Botany Unit Study, Harbor & Sprout offers a beautifully designed Botany Unit that integrates multiple subjects in a hands-on, engaging way. Your child can explore plant science experiments, like growing a bean plant or studying leaf structures, to understand the life cycle of plants. Literature and poetry are woven into the unit with nature-inspired readings, helping to build a deeper connection to the natural world.

📖 Moving Beyond the Page

If your child loves stories and literature, Moving Beyond the Page is a fantastic unit study curriculum that revolves around great books. Each unit study is built around classic and contemporary literature, integrating reading, writing, history, science, and critical thinking activities.

What You’ll Find:

• Book-based unit studies that cover multiple subjects.
• Project-based learning with hands-on activities.
• Creative writing assignments and discussion questions.
• Options for multiple ages (4-14) with adaptable difficulty levels.

💡 How to Use It: If you’re doing a Weather Unit Study, you can use Moving Beyond the Page’s Weather and Climate Unit, which includes reading books like The Cloud Book and conducting weather-tracking experiments!

🌎 My Father’s World

My Father’s World blends unit study learning with a Charlotte Mason approach, incorporating literature, hands-on activities, and Bible lessons. It’s great for families looking for a structured but flexible curriculum that includes geography, history, and science connections.

What You’ll Find:

• Thematic unit studies covering history, geography, and science.
• Biblical worldview integration.
• Great book selections and hands-on projects.
• Multi-age learning for families with multiple kids.

💡 How to Use It: If you’re studying World Geography, My Father’s World’s Exploring Countries & Cultures provides a year-long geography unit study that includes missionary stories, country profiles, and cultural crafts!

📌 10. Free Homeschool & Study Unit Planner

Stay organized and stress-free with this all-in-one homeschool and unit study planner! With 40+ printable pages, you can plan lessons, track progress, document unit studies, and keep records—all in one place. Whether you’re structuring daily lessons, planning field trips, or tracking reading and grades, this planner makes homeschooling simpler and more efficient!

📌 Includes:
✔ Yearly, Monthly, Weekly & Daily Planners
✔ Unit Study & Subject-Specific Planning Pages
✔ Grade, Attendance & Assignment Trackers
✔ Reading Logs, Book Lists & Field Trip Logs
✔ To-Do Lists, Notes, and Resource Trackers

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Homeschooling and unit studies should be fun, flexible, and organized—and this planner is designed to help you do just that! With everything from lesson planning pages to unit study trackers, grade logs, and book lists, you’ll have all the tools you need to create an engaging and stress-free homeschool experience.