Life of Ben Franklin: An Engaging Homeschool Unit Study

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In this Online Unit Study, your kids will learn about the life of Ben Franklin, one of the greatest Americans in history. As one of our Founding Fathers, Ben Franklin not only helped America become a new nation, but he brought so many ideas and inventions to life that still impact us today.

I really enjoyed putting together this unit study, and learning more about the life of Ben Franklin myself. I knew about some of his inventions – but it turns out, there were a lot more I didn't know about (like the Glass Armonica – did you know Ben Franklin was a musician?).

I was impressed as I searched for resources that would help your kids learn about all of Ben Franklin's accomplishments, and I think I picked out some great online sources they will enjoy!

Will learning about the life of Ben Franklin be a part of your homeschool curriculum this year? For your upper elementary and middle school-aged kids, this Online Unit Study will be the perfect companion.

Online Unit Studies are tech-based discovery learning experiences. I’ve done lots of research to find the best learning resources the web has to offer, and then laid it all out in an organized sequence of modules and lessons.

Life of Ben Franklin: Unit Study Contents

This is a mini unit study that includes one module, with three different lessons and a project. The lessons include:

• About Ben Franklin
• Franklin's Inventions
• The Revolutionary

Within these lessons, they'll get an overview of the life of Ben Franklin, and learn interesting facts like the pseudonyms he worked under and the Almanac he created.

They'll learn about how Franklin turned to math for fun during a boring job, and try their hand at some fun math puzzles.

Your kids will explore Ben Franklin's top 10 inventions, learn the truth behind the kite experiment, and have the option to create a battery out of a lemon!

Finally, they'll learn about some of Ben Franklin's virtues and his role as a Founding Father of America.

Unit Study “Techie” Project

I like to try to include an online project in most of my unit studies, so kids can practice using some of the online tools and programs available to them!

In this unit study, students will create an animated video using the website Powtoon. In their presentation, they will share at least 5 fun facts they learn about the life of Ben Franklin throughout this unit study.

Here's an example of the type of video they might end up creating:

Try a Free Lesson From the Ben Franklin Unit Study

The unit study will most likely take about a week or two to complete in your homeschool. Students will work through the lessons independently if they are comfortable using and navigating the internet; for younger students, you may choose to sit with them to complete the unit study.

You can check out the product page below, and even preview one of the lessons for free!

This is a self-paced course. After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like – across any and all devices you own.

Life of Ben Franklin Unit Study Companion Notes

While Online Unit Studies do not require additional print resources to complete, I have created a companion notes guide to go along with this unit study (sold separately).

This printable will assist your student in taking guided notes during the online unit study to collect and organize information. They will finish the unit study with a document of their learning.

Also included is a sample grading rubric and certificate of completion.

Learn more and purchase the companion notes to go with the unit study HERE.

I hope your kids love learning about the life of Ben Franklin this year!

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