Christmas Comes to America, Homeschool Legacy Unit ~ A Homeschool Crew Review

What *is* a Once-A-Week unit study from Homeschool Legacy?
Once-a-week unit studies are basically just what the name implies.  One day each week is spent doing the bulk of the study.  Reading is done every day.  Preparing for the studies simply involves gathering the recommended media from the library and collecting supplies for the weekly activities.  Approximately half a dozen activities are assigned each week.  These include recipes, geography, research, and more.  The studies are Biblically grounded.  They're designed for grades 2-12, but the whole family can be easily included, especially in the read-aloud, movies, music, and games.

We're using the Christmas Comes to America Once-a-Week Unit Study which is a historical look at the traditions of Christmas as brought from other countries to our melting pot.  This fun, light study is perfect for a busy December.  Don't stress yourself out by adding to your heaping holiday plate.  Take it easy and commit to one day a week to focus on this special holiday.

While using the Christmas Comes to America study, your young man can earn his Boy Scouts' Music badge and American Heritage Girls will earn the bulk of their Music Appreciation badge requirements.

This study is certain to get you into the Christmas spirit.

Each week, we studied a different country and the Christmas traditions that were brought to America through those who emigrated here.  I'm French, Dutch, and German, so it was fun to read about some of my (great) grandparents' childhood traditions.

• Week 1 - The Dutch
• Week 2 - The English
• Week 3 - The German
• Week 4 - An American Christmas (sort of how it all adds up to what we now view as a Classic American Christmas.)

Daily activities are *just* for reading.  The children can read on their own or be read to and then a family read-aloud is read each day.  In this unit, you will read about one Christmas tradition each day all month long as well.  The unit activities are only completed on the one day you decide to set aside for the unit work.

Going to the library - Books, Music, and DVDs
The ample book selections ensure that you are certain to find at least some of the books in your local library system.  I decided to stick only with books at the libraries I frequent, rather than order books through inter-library loan.  That plan worked out pretty well for the main unit book list, but I did have a harder time finding things for each weekly section.

Books are listed by age ranges, non-readers first.  They also include the Dewey decimal classification for ease of locating books with similar topics.  There are books for every age and ability, including a read-aloud selection for the family to enjoy together.  You'll find a wide range of books and movies: fiction and non-fiction, historical, classics, and more modern.

The DVDs are great choices for a family movie night.  Each film on the suggested list has been carefully screened for suitability for the whole family.  Everything from The Nativity Story (a beautiful film) to How the Grinch Stole Christmas are on the list.

Musical options were of a diverse nature with orchestras, jazz bands, country music, and choirs.

Gathering Supplies
A supply list is included at the beginning of each week.  It includes things like a globe, ingredients for recipes, poster board, blank note cards and so on.  Just pull together the items you'll need beforehand.  Some things you'll use each week, other items you'll only need once.

Devotionals
Don't forget your Bibles.  These devotionals are for the whole family.  You'll look at Old Testament prophecies and how they were fulfilled by Jesus. 

Other assignments will include research questions so students learn to look up information on the internet or in encyclopedias, geography, music study, history, science language arts, movie nights, making Christmas cards, etc.

How We Used the Unit
Xavier told me he "felt like Christmas" until he looked out of the window.  It definitely had us all feeling Christmas-y one our unit study days.

The cooking activities were favorites here.  Merrick and Xavier love to be in the kitchen "helping."  We made a birthday cake for Jesus and took turns blowing out the candle for Him.  We hadn't done that in many years.  I'm not even sure if I have made one since Merrick was born.  The guys *really* liked the idea.  And the dessert.

We listened to the audio of How the Grinch Stole Christmas as well as hours of Christmas songs of various types.  We mostly took advantage of Pandora to listen to Christmas tunes for hours at a time.  Malachi normally likes silence during school work, but one day as I went to turn off the music for desk work, he was pretty insistent that I should leave it on.

It's still a bit early for caroling, so we decided to plan a caroling party for next month since we couldn't really justify doing it in October!  We're definitely looking forward to hosting everyone after the caroling and serving a couple of lovely, hot beverages we learned to make from this unit study.

Dad apparently told the boys we might have a real tree this year (another thing we rarely do), so now they're gathering pine cones for an after-Christmas tree for the birds.

We wrapped up the unit playing a Christmas trivia game using the questions and answers from the study.  Games are such a great way to review and really cement the information the kids are learning.

Unit studies are a fun way to learn and great for shaking up the text book days my boys find so "boring."  I get so wrapped up in making sure the kids are learning "what they're supposed to be learning," I always forget that school can be educational and enjoyable.


Not ready to feel the Christmas cheer?  Now would be a great time to purchase the Thanksgiving with the Pilgrims six week micro-unit from Homeschool Legacy..


Click the graphic below to read some of the Crew's reviews of other units.

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Hazelnuts and "Caramel"

This cocoa was very "fake" tasting.  I wasn't a fan.  Roasted hazelnuts?  Don't mind if I do!

Cocoa Nib Cookies

I made these cocoa nib cookies with the recipe on the package.  Yuck!  However, the nibs are super yummy and nutty in a regular cookie recipe.

Do the Tootsie Roll

Another one of the cutest mugs ever created.

Tasty Truffles

I picked up these truffles in the grocery store's 50% off bin.  They are incredibly delicious.  I want more!

 This mug is one that Micah picked up when he was in college.  We own several.  I love the little people climbing and hanging off the rims and handles.

Peppermint Marshmallow

Picked up this minty marshmallow at Williams Sonoma.

Cocoa and Citrus

An orange roll, a cutie, and a bit of inspiration with my cocoa. {LOVE}

Root Beer Cookies with my Cocoa

I find root beer cookies to be yummafiable.  Especially with gobs of root beer frosting sandwiched in between. 

Dragonflies and Brownies

Even though I love, love, love, love dark chocolate, I prefer the milk chocolate cocoa in the K-cups.  This super adorable mug was given to us by my mom, along with the dragonfly Pyrex and the tall turquoise mugs.  I feel all giddy about the pretty mug, but I do NOT give it to small children (sorry Merrick).  I don't want it to get broken!  This cocoa is paired with a Ghiradelli brownie.  I have some in the freezer.  Me thinks I should get one out.  It's cold and dark and lonely in there...

Whipped with a Pirouline

Dark chocolate Pirouline (Love those little rolled wafer cookies!).

Cocoa and Oreos

While I mentioned before that this salted caramel cocoa was a bit bitter, I confess to continuing to drink it.  These oreos are double stuf.  I like to open those babies up and double them to make quadruple stuf.  Yummo!

SuperMug of Cocoa

Sometimes I am easily kafluffled.  And it irks me afterward.  Our grocery store almost always has a 50% off bin or three with all kinds of treasures.  One day, I saw Ghirardelli hot cocoa in said bin.  I wanted it and was trying to convince myself that it would be about the same price as a tin of regular hot cocoa mix.  And, really, it was.  So, I meandered the grocery store, picking up this and that, and decided to grab a can for my very own.  As soon as the groceries were put away, I made myself a cup.

EGAD!  I had grabbed the chocolate MOCHA, not the double chocolate!  Woe is me!  Agony!  I am one of those *freaks* who cannot stand anything remotely coffee-like.  When I was pregnant, the smell would cause a need for emergency rest stops.  I was so disappointed, not to mention angry at myself.  Anyway, I needed a pic for our cocoa adventures.  This mug is for Micah.  (By the way, he also was not impressed and proclaimed it to be quite bitter.  Sad day around here, my friends.)

Square Marshmallow

This is salted caramel cocoa mix from a coffee place whose initials are SB.  Disappointing, kind of bitter.  On the lookout for "homemade" marshmallows, we stopped at a local chocolatier on Church Street in Burlington. They had a beautiful display of square marshmallows in the window and not one plain one for sale in the whole shop.  We headed into the mall and I wandered into Williams-Sonoma.  They had jars full of them.  When I said I only needed three or four, they were happy to let me take them.  Lovely, square marshmallows, all individually wrapped.  I doctored the plain ones with a bit of melted chocolate and crushed candy cane.

Cocoa in a Peacock Mug

This week's cocoa is a K-cup with a squirt of whipped topping from a can and some mini-morsels sprinkled on top.  I love this mug.  The color is so pretty.  My mom got me these to go with some Corelle dragonfly dishes.

Medicinal Cocoa

The second cocoa I'd like to share is purely for medicinal purposes.  I think the picture says it all.
 

A Winter Full of Cocoa

I like chocolate.  I know.  You are probably shocked.  "Hi.  My name is Jodi and I love chocolate."  I super duper love bitter-sweet or dark chocolate, like 65-80% cocoa.  It's a sickness, I tell ya.

You may also be surprised to know that I like to drink hot cocoa.  I decided to start sharing a hot, steamy mug of cocoa  each week, all winter.  Well, you need to eat something with your cocoa.  It's a rule.  It may have been unwritten until just now.  When I just typed it there.  I wouldn't want you all feeling inspired to sip cocoa and go all rebel and not have a snack with it, too.

To kick us off, this is a basic cup of Swiss Miss, a peppermint stick, semi-sweet morsels, and a scented candle.  This surprise was lovingly created by my number one guy.  I {big, fat, puffy heart} him.