Day: November 7, 2018

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5 Tips for Essay Writing

Essay writing causes anxiety for many homeschool parents and children. These tips will help you set expectations for essay writing and encourage your students to enjoy the process.

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1. Long Essays vs. Short Essays

Our textbooks reference regular essays and short essays. What’s the difference? A short essay usually answers one question with one main idea. Good short essays are 1-2 paragraphs in length with a paragraph consisting of about 7 sentences. Long essays are answers to questions that have more than one part or that require more than one point of response. The five-paragraph essay format is a good starting point for a long essay, and it easily expands for more in-depth topics.

2. Writing Thesis Statements

Short essays should state the topic in the first sentence, but long essays should have a thesis statement. A thesis statement usually comes at the end of the introductory paragraph and provides direction and structure for the essay. Solid thesis statements clearly express the topic of the essay and what the writer will be saying about the topic. Well written thesis statements provide an outline for the writer that makes the writing process easier.


3. Formatting Essays

Good paragraph practices and five-paragraph essay formats will create excellent short essays. However, if your child is college-bound, they should learn how to format a longer essay. Teaching MLA or APA guidelines in high school will prepare them for college writing. These formats work well with essay questions that require research.

4. Editing Essays

Editing seems to be the most dreaded part of the writing process. Students need to develop confidence in their writing, but they also need to take pride in the finished product. Encourage your children to share their writing with siblings and friends to help with the editing process. They can also use tools like Grammarly to help correct their own work.

5. Grading Essays

The purpose of the essays in our curriculum is to challenge students to think deeply about the lessons. Once they’ve developed thoughts, they can put them into words. Grading essays should start with simply identifying whether or not a student has correctly answered the question. Grammar, mechanics, spelling, and structure should be considered, but errors can be used as coaching opportunities for improving writing instead of negative points on the essay.

Essay Writing can feel like a monster of an assignment. Hopefully with these 5 Tips for Essay Writing projects will go smoother.

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Multi-Level Teaching American History

Dave Raymond’s American History was a great fit for our multi-level homeschool. After using literature-based and classical curriculums for years, it was refreshing to take a break from prep and enjoy the benefits of digital curriculum.

Multi-level Teaching

I used Dave Raymond’s America History with a 10, 13, and 14-year-old, and we discovered a few things that helped us enjoy the curriculum and the subject. These things kept everyone engaged at their own level and made lots of wonderful homeschool memories.

Student-Mom

Instead of having my kids work independently, I participated in all the lessons as a student. We always watched the video together and took turns reading the text aloud. We discussed many of the questions together, and I assigned specific questions as writing assignments once a week. Since I was actively participating in the class with my kids, I didn’t feel the need to use tests to evaluate their learning.

Mom, did you do your homework?

History Portfolios

Portfolio activities were easy to adapt to each child. My kids used music, art, speeches, essays, and crafts to display their understanding of the lessons. Our portfolio project days turned into parties, and we looked forward to creating things together. It was also fun to use that time to listen to history dramatizations or stories.

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Incorporating Living Books

I added biographies about key figures and historical fiction to our family reading list. We read the difficult books aloud, and I assigned easier books for independent reading. There are many great websites filled with grade-level reading lists on specific periods of history, and a quick chat with a children’s librarian is invaluable.

Field Trips

Field trips and other history-related events reinforced our lessons. We purchased a membership to The Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village and made several visits. Watching reenactments of historical events helped us contextualize the history. It was also fun to purchase toys, costumes, and games that represented events in American History so my younger kids could play along.

American History Video Curriculum

American History Video Curriculum

Year 1 in Dave Raymond’s History Series

Master storyteller Dave Raymond delivers a dynamic history of the United States in this popular introduction to his four-year history series. He applies a Christian worldview to the characters, events, theology, literature, art, and religious beliefs of the nation.

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A Much Needed Break for Mom

Multi-level teaching Dave Raymond’s American History gave me a break from presenting lessons. We have fond memories of piling on the couch each morning with our tea and notebooks to watch our history lesson. The topics and ideas we learned about gave us many interesting things to discuss and inspired us with a deep appreciation of our American heritage.

American History Curriculum

Master storyteller Dave Raymond delivers a dynamic history of the United States. This homeschool curriculum has transformed thousands of Middle School and High School students. Yours can be next!

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