Unit Studies

Spanning nearly 2,500 miles through 8 states, America’s iconic Route 66 tells a story of a nation built on dreams, innovation, and hard work. Celebrating the 100th anniversary of Route 66, I invite you and your children to travel along the Main Street of America with me. Parents, please note, the underlined words are embedded links to other websites to learn more. At the time of writing, links were checked for accuracy and appropriateness. However, parents may wish to supervise all online activities, as the websites are not managed by Rainbow Resource Center and may change. 

The beginning of May brings many bright colors, new life springing forth, birds chirping merrily, and exuberant Mariachi music! Wait, what!? On the fifth of every May, many Mexicans celebrate the commemoration of the Battle of Puebla. This holiday is conveniently called Cinco de Mayo (5th of May). This unit study explores the culture, history, traditions, language, and more surrounding this festive holiday! Make sure you have plenty of tortillas, a few sombreros, and a good internet connection. As we dive into the historic holiday together, enjoy the many links provided that will take you to videos, activities, and further information.

February may be the shortest month of the year, but it’s packed with presidential history! It’s the month of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday (February 12, 1809) and the season when many families and schools observe Presidents’ Day. That makes it the perfect time to step into the life of a man whose journey stretched from a dirt-floor cabin…all the way to the White House!

Discover the life of George Washington Carver, the renowned African American scientist, inventor, and educator known as the "Peanut Man." This unit study explores his journey from slavery to becoming an agricultural innovator who developed hundreds of uses for peanuts and sweet potatoes. 

Considered one of the most recorded Christmas songs of all time, the story of The Twelve Days of Christmas is quite an interesting one. Often regarded as a cumulative song, The Twelve Days of Christmas is written so that each verse builds on the previous verses. Cumulative songs are excellent teaching tools for children as they sharpen memory and sequencing skills, increase attention span, and lay a foundation for early language skills and vocabulary. Let's learn more about this song in today's unit study!

Enjoyed by families for generations, Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade made its debut in 1924 to celebrate and show off the opening of their World’s Largest Store in New York City. Offering a whopping 1 million square feet of clothing, household goods, and children’s toys, the newly expanded store stretched across an entire city block and loomed 11 stories tall to accommodate the brisk business experienced in the early 1920s. Over a century later, the parade has only grown in notoriety and popularity. In this unit study, take some time to learn about America's favorite parade as it enters its 99th running!

Welcome to our June unit study in celebration of National Bald Eagle Day celebrated annually on June 20th. This short unit study is designed to take an hour and serve as a springboard for your children to go deeper into topics they would like to learn more about this Summer. As we work through the study, you will notice some words in blue–these are hyperlinked to child-friendly sites to provide more information. As always, supervised online time is recommended although at the time this unit was written, we have verified the content in the included links. Gather your children and let’s begin!

Generations have regaled in the whimsical writings of Theodor Seuss Geisel. On March 2nd, we celebrate beloved children’s author, Dr. Seuss, in honor of his birthday. Without further ado, grab your favorite Dr. Seuss book and join our March unit study to learn about the man, the manuscripts and the message of Theodor Geisel. You’ll find links throughout to family friendly sites for further study!

Officially opening on March 1, 1936, the Hoover Dam is a marvel of engineering and architecture. From the beginning, engineers, and designers sought to improve American lives in the Southwest, but it came at a cost. Whether the story of Hoover Dam is familiar or unknown, rally your children and let’s explore the good, the bad, and the beautiful of this stunning structure.

Considered one of nature’s most huggable mammals, the polar bear is a marvelous creation. At birth polar bear cubs weigh about 16 oz and measure 12” in length. Reaching adulthood, they will stand nearly 10 feet high and weigh around 1,000 lbs., becoming one of the largest known mammals. Together let’s discover more about this magnificent marine mammal!