Dr. George Washington Carver Unit Study
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George Washington Carver believed that spending time outdoors in nature observing creation was one of the best ways to spend time. He encouraged people of all ages to take walks through the woods, or sit near a garden and observe the flora and fauna, the plant and animal life around. While observing, try something else like sketching or writing a short poem or story as you are influenced by nature.
We have prepared a new unit study on the farm about the life of Dr. Carver. It will include a variety of activities and projects that center around his hobbies, academic interests as a student and his professional career as a university professor, scientist, researcher and extension agent. Students will discover Dr. Carver’s work in conservation, regenerative agriculture, his love of painting, knitting, crochet and sewing. See his correspondences with colleagues,and friends. Prepare recipes he created, design, gardens, observe fungi under the microscope, sketch, paint, write and join us on field trips. Become a citizen scientist, record your data and share it with organizations that welcome your findings.
The weekday classes are designed for homeschooling families while the weekend extracurricular sessions are for any students regardless of the type of schooling they attend. We are accepting donations for families that may require assistance.
Why a unit study?
A Unit Study is a method that involves students learning about a subject or topic in ways that can motivate them to learn through hands-on and investigating activities and projects.
“A unit study focuses on a specific topic, while delving into it more deeply than would a standard textbook. Unit studies allow you the freedom to immerse your children in virtually anything that interests them. They also tend to be more creative, offer more hands-on experiential learning, and allow you the opportunity to build a variety of school subjects around the focus topic.”
Teach Them Diligently What is a Unit Study?
We homeschooled our five children for a large portion of their academic life and unit studies were an integral part of their learning experience. We are still involved the homeschooling community and hope to share our knowledge and experiences with families and students who would like to participate in this kind of learning process.
Students will participate in reading , writing exercises, observing and journaling, conducting experiments, collecting data, cooking, designing and more!
Dr. George Washington Carver Unit Study for Upper Grade Levels
What you can expect from the class. Below you can see an example of the instruction, projects and activities that could be included in the unit curriculum.
This unit study will introduce students to the life and work of Dr. George Washington Carver through various methods.
Reading:
George Washington Carver: From Slave to Scientist by Janet Benge (Author), Geoff Benge (Author), YWAM Publishing (Publisher)
George Washington Carver: In His Own Words, Second Edition by Gary R. Kremer (Editor)
Carver Bulletins
Up From Slavery
Art:
Dr. Carver was an artist and a naturalist. He collected items in nature and painted many pictures.
Nature Collection and Art:
Collect various items in nature to sketch.
Keep a Sketchbook as a journal to record your observations in nature.
Paint or sketch nature
Writing:
Dr. Carver wrote poetry, kept journals and wrote many letters.
Students will participate in several writing exercises.
Research and Inventions:
Participate in activities that involve research as Dr. Carver did. Collect samples of plants, fungi and soil. Collect data from a weather station.
Home Economics:
Dr. Carver developed many recipes. Students will prepare recipes from Dr. Carver’s bulletins and cookbooks that contain his recipes. Discover Dr. Carver’s instruction to run a better home.
Crafts:
Basketry, knitting, and crochet were among the crafts in which Dr. Carver enjoyed and excelled. Students will make a hand crafted project.
Mathematics and Engineering:
Dr. Carver was a homesteader in his early years. He built a sod house, planted crops and cared for animals all on his own. Students will design and build a model sod building, make a budget and calculate the expenses for animal husbandry.
Field Trips:
Fieldtrip expenses, entry fees etc., are not included in the class registration fee.
Penn Center
Mrs. Isabella Glenn was a student at Penn School. She wrote a memoir that included an account of Dr. Carver’s visit to Penn School as a guest speaker during Negro History Week.
Students will take a field trip to Penn Center, formerly the Penn School, to see where Dr. Carver visited.
Reconstruction Era Monuments
Dr. Carver was born during the time of slavery in the United States and he lived during Reconstruction and the Jim Crow eras.
HBCU Campuses in Orangeburg (optional activity)
Dr. Carver was a professor at Tuskegee Institute, a Historically, Black, College or University, in the state of Alabama.
Take a trip to South Carolina State University and Claflin University. Visit museums on each campus and the Civil Rights Museum run by Cecil Williams.
County/State Fairs(optional activity)
Dr. Carver entered artwork in the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. Students may choose to participate in a competition to be displayed and judged at a county or the state fair or an art show.
Agriculture, Farm Extension and Research, Agronomy
Visit the extension farm and research offices of land grant universities in South Carolina.
Submit a soil sample to be tested.
Plant a small garden using methods taught by Dr. Carver.
Geography
Make a map with a timeline to display the different places Dr. Carver lived.
Apiarist and Mycologist
Look into Dr. Carver’s research that involved bees and fungi.
Class meets once a week on Wednesdays beginning September 6, 2023
September 6, 13, 20, 27=4 meetings
October 4, 11, 25=3 meetings
November 1, 8, 15, 29=4 meetings
December 6, 13=2 meetings
Total =13 meetings