Review of 4th of July Online Unit Study by the Techie Homeschool Mom

If you’re looking for a fun, interactive way for your kids to learn about the history of the 4th of July and the science of fireworks, I have the perfect unit study for you! It’s the 4th of July Online Unit Study by the Techie Homeschool Mom, and it is packed full of history, science, language arts, computer skills, and art! It lets kids examine the Declaration of Independence, discover how fireworks are made, create a fireworks painting, design a virtual fireworks show, and so much more! If you haven’t used an online unit study before, there’s no need to worry. There’s a helpful page that gives you all you need to get started. Are you ready? Let’s take a closer look.

The course starts with a look at why we celebrate the Fourth of July. It includes:

• An article for kids to read that explains what led to the need for the Declaration of Independence
• Video about the first Fourth of July (around 20+ minutes)
• An infographic that shares historical facts about the Fourth of July, information about historical Fourth of July celebrations, key facts about how the Fourth of July is celebrated today, a look at some incredible fireworks statistics (you won’t believe how many fireworks shells are launched each year!), and more
• Fun section on family traditions and a chance to learn about what the colors red, white, and blue symbolize
• Links to Fourth of July recipes
• A 10-question, self-grading quiz

One of the things I loved about the infographic is that it’s the perfect opportunity to teach your kids how to read an infographic and what types of information you can use one to show. It’s a language arts win in the middle of a history lesson!

The next lesson takes a look at the Declaration of Independence. It includes:

• A timeline of major events in the American Revolution
• Video about the Declaration of Independence (about 4 minutes)
• A chance to read part of the Declaration of Independence in modern English
• Fascinating facts about the Declaration of Independence (I loved learning where and how it was protected during World War II)
• A challenging writing prompt

The writing prompt at the end of the unit isn’t an ordinary writing prompt that only requires a sentence or two for an answer. The writing prompt challenges kids to think about freedom and making hard choices. Plus, because this is an online unit study, the writing prompt is completed online, giving kids a chance to practice with Google Docs.

The final lesson is all about fireworks. It includes:

• A really fun video about how fireworks work (about 3 minutes)
• A more in-depth video about the chemistry of fireworks (about 6 minutes)
• A great infographic that explores the shapes and colors of fireworks, shares warnings about fireworks injuries, includes fascinating facts about the money spent on fireworks each year, and discusses fireworks laws in various states
• A chance to learn more about fireworks laws in your state
• Fireworks Cityscape art project
• An opportunity to write an acrostic poem about fireworks

One of the things I loved about this unit was the fun online tool used to write the acrostic poem. It explains to kids what an acrostic poem is and then gives them a neat, interactive guide to help kids write their very own.

The online unit study concludes with a behind-the-scenes video about the Macy’s Fireworks Spectacular and a chance to create your very own virtual fireworks show online using a free trial of an online tool.

There’s a Certificate of Completion you can print for your records when you finish the course.

One of my favorite aspects of this unit study was the way so many language arts skills were woven seamlessly into the unit without making it feel like you were stopping one project to fit in language arts in on the side. Kids can learn how to read infographics, practice creative writing, learn about writing an acrostic poem, read part of the Declaration of Independence in the original language and in modern English, and more!

I hope you’ll consider making the 4th of July Online Unit Study by the Techie Homeschool Mom part of your homeschool summer learning this year!

I received free access to the 4th of July Online Unit Study by the Techie Homeschool Mom and compensation for this post. All opinions are my own.