An Equine Education as a Unit Study

Susan K. Marlow has a confession to make . . .

When Phyllis Wheeler invited me to join her awesome New Classics Study Guides Group, she asked me to share my free study guide that goes with my middle-school novel, Thick as Thieves. I agreed, and she interviewed me for an Author Visit using that book as the centerpiece. But somehow along the way, I lost that vision, and the middle-grade book, Badge of Honor, ended up usurping Phyllis's original vision.

I finally put Thick as Thieves back where it belonged and thought, "I wonder if anyone reading our newsletters wonders how in the world we authors go about creating a study guide." (It is a lot of work, BTW). So, here's a behind-the-scenes scoop on how one author puts together a study guide/unit study.

How Do I Create a Unit Study?

When I was homeschooling my two youngest, Sonlight Curriculum had just launched (yes, I am that old). 🤣 I loved the way they integrated history, read-a-louds, and the reading/language arts into one smooth unit study. I also loved how they included a daily schedule so I could stay on track.

When I began turning my historical adventure novels into curricula, Sonlight was on my mind. I knew that most kids can zoom through an interesting novel in no time, reveling in the exciting action, adventure, and drama. It seemed a pity to think that was all there was. Or how much the kids might "leave behind" in their desire to live the hero's or heroine's life. If only I could slow the kids down--without making the fatal flaw of slowing the action of the story--in order to give them the extra historical or (in this author's case) equine information.

Hence, I set out to create a study guide that is really a mini unit study. In this way, the kids have the best of both worlds: an exciting storyline, plus learning all the fun historical and equine behind-the-scenes "stuff" that an author can't put into the book (because TMI slows the story down to a snail's pace). As a study guide, however, it enriches the fiction story with the "behind the scenes."

In the past, I dreaded literature study guides that made my kids hate reading the book. Comprehension questions, vocabulary (a gazillion words), more comprehension, more vocabulary. Rinse and repeat. So, I set out to incorporate all the things I would want to learn if I were reading a book like Thick as Thieves. Questions like:

• Twin foals? How is that even possible or believable? (includes a video clip of real twin foals)
• How do you train a foal? (includes a video clip of tips with my grandkids)
• Cattle rustlers? Were they for real? Are they around today?
• What's a farrier? What's a whorl?
• What are leeches and how were they used? (I take a sentence from the book, "Andi stayed in the saddle by clinging to Taffy's neck like a leech" and present a science lesson about leeches, also incorporating the biblical significance of why blood-letting is not a good idea, even though it was used extensively in the past.)
• What about . . . gasp! . . . lice?
• What if [fill in the blanks to change the story's premise] as a thinking exercise.

Of course, I do include vocabulary and comprehension, but I focus on words important to the historical and equine slant, using crossword puzzles. I also include a brief review of grammar, along with a character study, to boost the student's writing skills. It's a unit study students enjoy doing, and the "Sonlight-type" daily schedule keeps the kids independent.

TWO FUN FREE DOWNLOADS

All in all, I have had a fine time creating literature unit studies! You can give it a try with a FREE audiobook of Thick as Thieves to download, and the study guide (available on the New Classics website).

Thick as Thieves Audiobook

Get the Free Study Guide

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WHAT READERS ARE SAYING ABOUT THE CIRCLE C MILESTONES

♥♥♥♥♥ We love this series! An author we can trust with our daughters. No worrying about morals and bad influence! There is a series for younger girls and also a whole series for boys!! –Morning Coffee

♥♥♥♥♥ Finally, a “clean” series for young ladies to enjoy! –Jes S.

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. . . is the author of the Circle C Beginnings, Stepping Stones, Adventures, and Milestones series, historical adventure novels set in the Old West of California. She is a 20-year homeschooling veteran and loves to engage with readers at homeschool conventions and on her blog. 

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