Description
A Simpler Life is an exploration of what it is like to live without the modern conveniences (electricity, running water, heating, cooling, etc.) that we take for granted in our everyday lives. Families will study how people, past and present, adapt to their environments without the luxuries that we think of as common.
Typically, history for children focuses on understanding the past as an aim itself. Children oftentimes don’t see the relevance of it and perceive the subject as not very useful. Yet, our past plays a major role in how we orient our present and future. This unit seeks to go beyond the “what?†- and ask “how?†and “why?†when tackling the topics of past, present, and future. This helps the children connect with their learning. This unit topic was chosen because it is:
- Broad, so explorations can be engaging and varied
- Scalable, so you can teach the topic in an age-appropriate level to both younger and older children
- Unique in perspective, it allows families to understand the complexities of the world they live in
- Accessible, so you can find a variety of resources and information on the topic
This unit study will encourage students to expand their perspectives, think critically, analyze the world around them, and work hard. Some of the projects will be quite challenging for young students. This is done deliberately to help them develop the will and grit to persevere through hardships. As you hit these difficulties, please do not focus on the product, only the process (or journey) that your child will take to complete the challenge. Patience, perseverance, positive self-expression, and passion for learning can all be developed through these exercises.
