Opal Unit Study Schedule is available now for self-paced and independent use. (Exception: Geography will be released January 15, 2024.) It will be our focus for the 3rd – 6th Grade live program in 2026-2027.
These unit studies are designed for 3rd – 6th Grade students.
US History: Building of a Nation (20 topics)
Imagine what you might have built, as an American in the new land of liberty? In your imagination, join Lewis and Clark as they explore the land obtained through the Louisiana Purchase. Head west with pioneers, mountain men and trappers. Discover how the railroad was built and what happened when thousands of miners headed to California for the Gold Rush. Sail with whalers, ride the pony express trail and work out on the range with cowboys and ranchers. See the struggles of child laborers and women campaigning for the right to vote. Dig the Erie Canal and build the Hoover Dam. Survive the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl. Experience the results of the Industrial Revolution and the challenges faced by miners. Fly with the Wright Brothers on the first airplane and construct the Golden Gate Bridge. Find how and why the National Parks and Monuments were first established.
The Renaissance, Reformation and Revolution (20 topics)
Beginning with the Ottoman Empire, children will explore some of the major events, people and places of that time, up to the Industrial Revolution. This unit study will cover Florence and the de Medicis, Venice, the Popes and historically important rulers of England, Spain and France, from that era. Discover inspiring characters and stories from the Reformation and learn about the Dutch Republics. Understand the English Civil War, Georgian England, the French Revolution and the Regency. Find out how the Scientific Revolution changed the Western world. This unit study wraps ups with a fascinating review of the Napoleonic Wars.
Geography of the Arctic, Antarctica, Asia and the Middle East (10 topics)
Explore polar geography through this exciting geography unit study. Students will learn to appreciate the culture and physical features of Asia and the Middle East. They will also learn basic geography terms. The focus of this unit study is to inspire gratitude for our beautiful world and all of God’s children.
The Human Body (20 topics)
Children are fascinated by how their bodies work! This unit study provides a basic understanding of the many systems of the body, including skeletal, muscular, digestion, excretory, circulatory, respiratory, endocrine, reproductive, immune system, and the brain and nervous system. Explore the structure and function of their eyes, ears, skin, nails, hair and teeth. Learn what the body needs to live and thrive and how to properly care for their beautiful body, including basic safety and first aid. Discover the relationship between cells, tissues and organs. Children will gain tremendous appreciation for their physical bodies as miraculous gifts from Father in Heaven.
Great Explorers (10 topics)
Be inspired by the courage of some of the greatest explorers of all time! Find out what it was like to go travel into uncharted territory and sail uncharted seas. Journey in your imagination, as you read stories and discover the incredible adventures of Leif Erikson, Christopher Columbus, Ferdinand Magellan, John Wesley Powell, John Muir, Sir James Clark Ross, Lewis and Clark, Edmund Hillary, Marco Polo and Fathers Domínguez and Escalante. Learn of the vision, faith, leadership and strength of these fearless explorers.
Theater Appreciation (10 topics)
Let’s play! Discover how the art of theater developed over time, from Ancient Greece through the Medieval times and into the present. Explore Shakespeare as well as Italian, Spanish, French, British, American and Asian theater. Have fun learning about puppetry, playwriting, acting, directing and producing a play. See how theater comes alive through the art of stagecraft.
Foundations of Freedom (20 topics)
Discover fundamental concepts upon which peace and prosperity are based. This unit study cultivates a love for liberty as it explains the nature of freedom, at a child’s level. Children will learn about popular sovereignty, natural law and equal rights before the law. Explore the structure of a Constitutional republic with its separation of powers, checks and balances, limits to power, the rule of law, protections from human frailty and a built-in process for changing government. Find out about free market economics and the importance of avoiding debt. Gain understanding of the importance of the family as the core unit of society, along with strong, local self-government, supported by an educated electorate. Learn about the indispensable role of religion and faith, in preserving freedom.