I’ve collected 28 resources (paid and free) to help you build out your unit studies for October.

Most of these products are from homeschool moms/business owners!

I’ve also added some book recommendations, because what’s a unit study without some books?

Here are my top 5 art-inspired unit study ideas for older homeschooled kids that’ll inspire learning this October!

Use all the recommended resources in a unit study, or pick and choose to customize your own.

This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase from some of these links, I may receive a small commission.

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My 5 Unit Study Picks (ages 7-12)

🎃 Pumpkin Unit Studies 🎃

Explore the pumpkin life cycle with these engaging and seasonal unit studies as the weather gets chillier.

BUILD YOUR OWN UNIT STUDY

🎃 Free Pumpkin Life Cycle Art (STEAM, Science, Art) by ARTventurous Animals

🎃 Pumpkin Coloring Pages (Art, Drawing) by ARTventurous Animals

🎃 Pumpkin ELA Booklet (ELA, Writing, Art) by ARTventurous Animals

🎃 Grow Your Own Pumpkins Project (Art, Social Studies, Homesteading) by ARTventurous Animals

🎃 Pumpkin Math Activities (Math, Art) by ARTventurous Animals

FULL UNIT STUDY

🎃 Themed Pumpkin Unit Study (Art, STEAM, Math, ELA, Social Studies) by ARTventurous Animals

BOOK RECS

🎃 Pumpkin Spice (The Friendship Garden) by Jenny Meyerhoff

“Anna and her community gardening friends are excited for the Windy City Pumpkin Fest but then their prize pumpkin disappears in the second book in the Friendship Garden series.”

-Amazon description

🎃 How Many Seeds in a Pumpkin? by Magarat McNamara

“Mr. Tiffin and his students explore skip counting and estimation in a fun pumpkin-themed classroom experiment! This book makes a wonderful read-aloud companion to any math or science curriculum, and it's a fun way to reinforce counting skills at home.” -Amazon description

🎃 The Pumpkin Seed's Secret: A Life Cycle Poem by Hannah Barnaby

“In this rhyming picture book about the life cycle of a pumpkin, a pumpkin becomes something new with each turn of the page, from a flower to a house to a face. Extensive back matter on the pumpkin life cycle, fun pumpkin facts, and a pumpkin seed recipe are included. A perfect book for both home and school libraries. An excellent gift for Halloween or any time of year!” -Amazon description

🐄 Farm Unit Studies 🐄

Let’s visit the farm with these interactive, hands-on unit studies for October!

BUILD YOUR OWN UNIT STUDY

🐄 Farm Montessori Flashcards (Animals, Science, ELA) by RikiTikiArt

🐄 Draw Farm Animals Self-paced Class (Animals, Drawing, Art) by Mrs. Shelby on Outschool

🐄 Storytime and ART: Farm Theme Online Book Club (ELA, Reading, Art, Animals) by Kathy Hutto on Outschool

🐄 Backyard Chicken Study (ELA, Science, Reading, Animals, Art) by The Roost at Wolf Pine

FULL UNIT STUDY

🐄 Farm Animal Study Self-Paced Class (Science, Animals, ELA, Anatomy) by Crystal Walker on Outschool

BOOK RECS

🐄 A Kid's Guide to Keeping Chickens by Melissa Caughy

“Covering everything from feeding, housing, and collecting eggs to quirky behaviors and humane treatment, Caughey’s engaging advice helps children understand the best ways to care for their chickens. Spark enthusiasm with creative activities like chicken forts and a veggie piñata for the flock, and feed more than the imagination with egg-centric dishes like Mexican egg pizza. .”

-Amazon description

Have a farm book suggestion for 7-12 year olds? Comment below!

🦉 Nocturnal Unit Studies 🦉

Discover the beautiful world of nature at night through these nocturnal unit studies.

BUILD YOUR OWN UNIT STUDY

🦉 Owl Project | Biomimicry Design Activities (STEAM, ELA, Science, Animals) by Asa Jomard

🦉 Animal Superpower Report | Aye-Aye Project (Science, ELA, Animals) by Asa Jomard

🦉 Animal Activity Sorting (Nocturnal and Diurnal) Sorting Cards (Animals, Science, Problem-solving) by Montessori Print Shop

🦉 Nocturnal Animals Unit: Math Pack (Math, Science, Problem-solving) by Raising Dinos Shop

FULL UNIT STUDY

🦉 Nocturnal Animals Unit: Science Pack (Science, ELA, Art, Writing, Anatomy) by Raising Dinos Shop

BOOK RECS

🦉 Owls of the World: A Photographic Guide by Heimo Mikkola

“Owls of the World, second edition, is the ultimate photographic resource dedicated to the identification of these charismatic birds of prey. The new edition is packed with spectacular photography of 268 species of owls from all over the world -- 19 more species than the original book. Many of the photos are of highly elusive species that are very rarely caught on camera.” -Amazon description

🦉 The Nocturnals Adventure Activity Box by Tracy Hecht

“Great Gift for Kids Ages 9–12! This jam-packed box contains an award-winning chapter book about nocturnal animals that’s filled with mystery and adventure, a cute plush fox toy, and an exclusive activity book with games, puzzles, and crafts.”

-Amazon Description

🦉 After Dark: Poems about Nocturnal Animals by Betty Bib and David L. Harrison

“This collection of twenty-two poems explores the fascinating lives of North American nocturnal animals.” -Amazon description

🦇 Bat Unit Studies 🦇

Celebrate the darker season while learning some animal facts with bat unit studies!

BUILD YOUR OWN UNIT STUDY

🦇 Bat Directed Drawing Activity Pack (Art, Drawing, Animals) by ARTventurous Animals

🦇 Bats Project | Medical Applications | Biomimicry Design Activities (Science, Medical, Problem-solving) by Asa Jomard

🦇 Travel Art Membership for Kids: Animal Art Projects (Art, Zoology, Geography, STEAM) by ARTventurous Animals

🦇 Printable Bat Fact Families Craft (Math, Art, Craft) by Ziggle Learning

🦇 Bats Writing Prompt: Benefit or Bother? (Writing, ELA, Research, Science) by The Literacy Loft

Full Unit Study

🦇 Bat Unit Study (Art, Science, Math, ELA) by RikiTikiArt

BOOK RECS

🦇 Bitsy Bat, School Star by Kaz Windness

“Bitsy is a little bat with big star dreams of making friends at her new school. But when she arrives, Bitsy doesn’t feel like she fits in. The other kids sit on their chairs, but sitting upright makes Bitsy dizzy. The other kids paint with their fingers, but Bitsy would rather use her toes. Everyone tells Bitsy she’s doing things wrong-wrong-wrong, so she tries harder…and ends up having a five-star meltdown..”

-Amazon description

🦇 Stellaluna by Janell Cannon

“Knocked from her mother’s safe embrace by an attacking owl, Stellaluna lands headfirst in a bird’s nest. This adorable baby fruit bat’s world is literally turned upside down when she is adopted by the occupants of the nest and adapts to their peculiar bird habits.”

-Amazon description

🦇 All Things Bats For Kids by Animal Reads

“Kids love these curious, spooky-looking creatures, and it's easy to see why.

Some look pretty creepy, others kinda cute, and they are all super interesting... In short, we consider them FANG-tastic!” -Amazon description

🕷️ Spider Unit Studies 🕷️

Creepy-crawly spiders have a lot to teach us! Learn about spiders with these unit study picks.

BUILD YOUR OWN UNIT STUDY

🕷️ Spider Montessori Flashcards (Animals, Science) by RikiTikiArt

🕷️ Spiders | PBL Halloween Fall Science Biomimicry (STEM, Science, Animals, Problem-solving) by Asa Jomard

🕷️ Montessori Spider Math Cards (Math, Puzzle, Animals) by JRMontessori

🕷️ Spider Nonfiction Writing Project (PBL, ELA, Writing, Art) by Hollie Griffith

FULL UNIT STUDIES

🕷️ Spider Unit Study (Science, Art, Math, ELA) by RikiTikiArt

🕷️ Spider Unit Study Online Self-Paced Class (Science, Tech, ELA) by Ms. Amanda on Outschool

BOOK RECS

🕷️ Jumper: A Day in the Life of a Backyard Jumping Spider by Jessica Lanan

“What if you were small as a bean,
Could walk on the walls and ceiling,
Sense vibrations through your elbows,
And jump five times your body length?

That is Jumper's world.” -Amazon description

🕷️ All Things Spiders For Kids by Animal Reads

“Kids love these 8 legged ninjas, and it's easy to see why.

Some look pretty creepy, others strangely cute, and they are all super fascinating... In short, they can spin up a good time!

This colorful book, filled with amazing real-life images, aims to combine fun with education to help you learn all about spiders.” -Amazon description

🕷️ Spider Coloring and Drawing Book by Coloring Books

“Spider Coloring and Drawing Book for Kids 3 to 8 Years old is part of our Animal Collection Activity books. It combines different species of Spiders (even the most poisonous) but also collects spiders from different countries around the world and is the only coloring book for kids that can also be collected. Illustrations are not scary for the little ones, they just show Spiders as they are in nature.” -Amazon description

So which unit study are you trying?

Comment below!

🎃 Pumpkins

🐄 Farm

🦉 Nocturnal Animals

🦇 Bats

🕷️ Spiders

Check out the my other Monthly Unit Study picks!

Got your own educational resources that would fit into these unit studies?

Email me at artventurousanimals@gmail.com and let me know your suggestions!

Thanks for being a part of this adventure!