Planninng for our upcoming year of Unit Study

Previously I have planned for each unit study as they came along. But this year as we are using both Christian Cottage and the Prairie Primer to study Early America. So I am creating a spreadsheet with the following categories across the top:
Unit Name
Total week
Topic
Literature Read Aloud
Readers
History/ Science Projects
Additional Items

Under Unit name I put the name of the unit and the book in which it is found; As I will complete Christian Cottage Volume 3 and start Volume 4 as well as utilizing the Prairie Primer.

Total Week- I keep track of the total weeks of school covered by each unit until I reach the grand total of 32 weeks. That gives me 4 weeks of lost time, doctors appointments etc...

Lit & Read Aloud - I assign Literature and Read Alouds as suggested by the Christian Cottage & Prairie Primer. I also take a look at Sonlight & Winter Promise to see if there is anything I would like to add.

Readers- I assign the readers for the grade levels first by checking our personal collection and then I go back to Sonlight and Winter Promise to see what sort of twaddle free literature is available on the subject. I then check the library to see if the library has the book if it does I note it on the form if not I have to decide if I want to buy the book.

History/Science Projects- This is where I comb through the unit study and write down all the things I should be collecting like toilet paper rolls to make Indian housing and paper towel rolls for totem poles.

Additional Items - That is where I record any additional things like games, field trip ideas etc... that would correspond with the unit. Once this is complete I will 3 hole punch it and put it in my binder for easy access. I am doing this because last year I was frustrated because I was rarely ready for the beginning of new units. This lack of organization usually resulted in a one week delay to locate books & materials with nearly every unit. So I encourage you to give a little more planning a try whether you plan for day more or a year more! My goal is to have the information at my finger tips before the school year begins and to have books ordered that I need so I can have a fun, smooth and stress free hands on year!

Happy Homeschooling!

Kyle