Unit Studies by Susan Kilbride

Susan Kilbride writes a small catalog of self-published, secular science and history unit studies at budget prices.

Last updated: 2026-10-03 · Every Homeschool Editorial Team

At a glance

Method	Unit studies / topical integration
Worldview	Secular
Grades	Science book spans ages 4 to 13; Our America chapter books are for ages 10 to 13
Formats	Print books and Kindle editions; free downloadable PDF activities
Cost tier	Budget
Parent intensity	4
ESA-common	Varies (paperback book purchases sometimes reimbursable; not a marketplace SKU)
Accredited	No
Established	Self-published author; the author's site has posts from 2013
Website	funtasticunitstudies.com

Our scoreboard (1-5)

Criterion	Score	One-line reason
Academic rigor	3	Sound elementary content; not designed for advanced learners or middle-school depth
Ease of teaching	3	Hands-on activities require parent prep and supplies; not a hand-it-to-the-child format
Content quality	4	Clear writing, accessible activity design, no fluff
Flexibility	5	Stand-alone units; mix freely with any base curriculum
Value for money	5	Each book delivers substantial unit-study content
Worldview scope	5	Secular and worldview-neutral; usable across all family backgrounds
Visual/design	2	Self-published black-and-white interior; serviceable but spare
Support resources	2	Author website with free activity PDFs; the author said in January 2026 she is no longer answering contact through the site

Who the publisher is

Susan Kilbride has a degree in biology, according to her About page. Her catalog centers on Science Unit Studies for Homeschoolers and Teachers, a book of twenty chapters in which the first ten are for children ages 4 to 7 and the second ten for ages 8 to 13, and the Our America series, historical chapter books for ages 10 to 13 that follow twins Finn and Ginny as they search through time for their lost parents, beginning with the Pilgrims. The About page also lists a Kindle eBook, How to Teach About Electricity for Ages 8-13, and the author's site offers free lessons and activities. The author's site lists the science book's new edition at $16.95 (the old price was $24.95) and links to Amazon and Barnes & Noble for purchase, as retrieved October 2026.

The publishing model is small and personal. The author's website serves as the catalog and blog. In a January 2026 post, the author wrote that she will keep the site up but will not respond to anyone who contacts her through it. In our assessment, this model keeps the catalog small and the prices low.

In our assessment, the audience is specific: secular homeschool families looking for affordable unit-study content, families using a primary curriculum (Charlotte Mason, classical, eclectic) who want supplementary topical studies, and families piecing together a budget elementary curriculum without committing to a full publisher's program.

The core pedagogy

Unit studies in the homeschool tradition integrate multiple subjects around a single topic, for example, a unit on ancient Egypt might combine history reading, geography mapping, archaeology activities, art projects, and writing assignments under the unifying topic. Kilbride's science book is organized by chapter, each filled with hands-on activities that teach a particular science concept, and her history series teaches American history by telling the story of the people involved rather than asking children to memorize facts and dates.

The pedagogical posture is hands-on and activity-led. The science book's activities are designed to use common household items, so families do not need to buy expensive scientific equipment or chemicals. The Our America series is narrative, a set of chapter books whose twins visit the Mayflower, King Philip's War, the Salem witch trials, the Revolutionary War, the Oregon Trail, and the Civil War, with a free activities download listed for each book.

Signature mechanics: (1) Stand-alone topical organization. The science book and each Our America title can be bought and used on its own. (2) Activity-led pedagogy. Hands-on experiments are the primary instructional vehicle in the science book, with free lessons such as Plants and Atoms and Molecules available as samples. (3) Parent-supplied materials. Activities use common household items; no proprietary kits are required. (4) Story-driven history. The Our America books carry the history through a continuing narrative, and the author's site pairs each with free activities.

What they do exceptionally well

Secular content at a budget price point. In our assessment, Kilbride's secular content gives secular families unit-study material they can use without filtering or substitution. The price point, a single book per topic in paperback or Kindle, makes the content accessible to families who cannot afford full curriculum subscriptions.

Activity design with common materials. The hands-on activities are designed around common household items, such as paper, glue, tape, kitchen supplies, crayons, and household measuring cups.

Honest scope and pricing. In our assessment, Kilbride's catalog does not over-promise. The books are clearly elementary-level content, clearly self-published, and clearly priced accordingly. There is no marketing claim that the studies replace a full curriculum, no upsell to premium tiers, no annual update pressure.

What they do poorly

Self-published production values. The interiors are black-and-white, the line-art illustrations are functional rather than illustrative, and the layout is consistent with Amazon KDP self-publishing standards rather than with full-color illustrated curriculum publishing. Children accustomed to richly illustrated books from larger publishers may find Kilbride's books visually plain. This is a tradeoff for the budget price; it is not a flaw, but it is a limitation.

Limited scope at the upper grades. The science book's activities run through age 13 and the Our America books are written for ages 10 to 13; the author's site lists no high-school titles. Families who want a unit-study approach through middle school and beyond can look to Beautiful Feet Books, Trail Guide to Learning, or another publisher with deeper grade-level scope.

Minimal publisher infrastructure. The author wrote in January 2026 that she will not respond to anyone who tries to contact her through the website. Families that want active publisher support and community will not find it.

No assessments or scope-and-sequence documents. Kilbride's books are content-focused, and her site does not list formal scope-and-sequence documentation or alignment to state standards. Families that need documentation for portfolio reviews or for ESA reporting will need to construct their own. This is consistent with secular Charlotte Mason and unit-study traditions but inconvenient for families with administrative reporting obligations.

Who it fits / who it doesn't

• Pick Susan Kilbride's unit studies if: you are a secular family looking for budget-friendly elementary unit-study content; you already have a primary curriculum and want supplementary topical studies; you can do hands-on activities with common household supplies; you are using a Charlotte Mason or eclectic approach; you want stand-alone units you can mix and match; you are not concerned about polished production values.

• Skip Susan Kilbride's unit studies if: you want full-color illustrated curriculum from a major publisher; you need a complete K-8 program with scope-and-sequence documentation; you have older students (the catalog tops out in middle school); you want active publisher support and convention presence; you want a Christian unit-study program (look at Konos or Five in a Row).

Cost honest assessment

Susan Kilbride's science book is listed on her site at $16.95 for the new edition as of October 2026, with Amazon and Barnes & Noble named as places to buy it, and each Our America title is listed with Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kindle purchase links. Prices change at the retailer, so check the listing at the point of purchase. Titles can be found on Amazon.

ESA eligibility notes

Kilbride's books are not typically listed on state ESA marketplaces because the small-publisher status and Amazon-fulfillment distribution do not align with marketplace vendor processes. Families using ESAs that allow direct reimbursement for curriculum purchases, Arizona ESA on a non-marketplace allowance, Florida Step Up For Students when reimbursable books are permitted, Iowa Students First, Utah Fits All, can typically purchase the books through Amazon or directly from the author and submit receipts for reimbursement under most ESA frameworks that allow general educational materials. Because the content is secular and contains no religious framing, no state-level religious-materials restrictions apply. Marketplace listing varies; direct purchase plus reimbursement is the more common path.

Alternatives

• Five in a Row, a family would choose Five in a Row over Kilbride because Five in a Row's literature-based unit studies built around picture books offer a more polished and structured curriculum with explicit Christian worldview framing, suiting families that want a published-curriculum experience and Christian content.
• Beautiful Feet Books, a family would choose Beautiful Feet Books over Kilbride because Beautiful Feet's literature-based history programs include curated reading lists, study guides, and timeline integration with a higher production standard, suiting families willing to pay more for fully developed curriculum.
• Konos Curriculum, a family would choose Konos over Kilbride because Konos's character-based unit studies offer a comprehensive multi-subject integration framework with extensive Christian worldview content, suiting families that want a complete unit-study program rather than topical supplements.

How we verified this

Our editorial team reviewed the Susan Kilbride author website in October 2026, including its About, science book, Our America, and free lessons pages and the author's January 2026 post.