homeschool essay writing

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Homeschool Help and Curriculum

Homeschool Essay Curriculum for ANY Kind of Writer

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Essay writing is an essential skill for homeschoolers these days- for high school students and even for those in middle school.

Homeschool Essay Curriculum

Too many students are either bored or intimidated by the challenge of writing essays.

Those who are intimidated need a homeschool essay curriculum that will explain the process clearly and in a friendly way. They need assignments broken down into manageable pieces so they don’t feel overwhelmed. They need to understand the thinking process that is required for developing good support for an essay thesis.

Those who are bored need topics that are meaningful to them personally. They need the freedom (even the encouragement!) to write with passion, to write with humor, to write with examples that are out of the ordinary.

Homeschool essay curriculum from 7sistershomeschool.com is designed to meet the needs of the intimidated as well as the bored student…and students who actually don’t MIND essay writing enjoy it, too!

Geared to give your student a successful experience, our Guides to Essay Writing , by Marilyn Groop, will introduce essays to your homeschool in this user-friendly, no-busywork format.

Presented in a 10-week, 4 days per week, format these downloadable pdf guides will teach your homeschooler the steps to writing a coherent essay including:

-Basic essay format -Persuasive essays -Literary analysis -Compare/contrast essays -Editorials/letters to the editor -Tips for taking a short-answer essay test)

The Guides include 3 essay rubrics that you can use to grade the essays, as well as an answer key to the short-answer essay test.

For more posts about essay writing, check these out:

Middles School guide to Essay Writing

Middle School Essay Writing Help for Your Homeschool

Take advantage of the great writing resources Vicki Tillman has pinned to her High School Writing Pinterest Board , too!

Click here to see what the Washington Post has to say about why Americans can’t write.

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Homeschool Essay Curriculum for ANY Kind of Writer

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Sabrina Justison

Hi Ashley, That’s an excellent question. If your 8th grader needs some remediation, it might be good to start with a freebie: Reluctant Writer Research Paper (it teaches young folks a report-style format). Homeschool moms and struggling writers have been working through the project together with good result. https://www.7sistershomeschool.com/product/research-paper-help-reluctant-writers-homeschool/ Then have some fun with Middle School Fairy Tale Writing Guide $7.99 https://www.7sistershomeschool.com/product/middle-school-short-story-writing-guide-fairy-tales/ Or Research Paper Readiness for more serious academics: $9.99 https://www.7sistershomeschool.com/product/research-writing-readiness/ Also, don’t forget to join 7SistersHomeschool Facebook group where you can share questions and experiences.

I have an 8th grader that needs some writing remediation. How much is your program?

Homeschool Writing Curriculum: 17 Actually Engaging Options

The specifics of a writing curriculum will vary, but a comprehensive curriculum should cover a progression of skills, increasing in complexity and sophistication from elementary to high school. Here's which homeschool writing programs best prepare kids to be great writers.

Prisma is the world’s most engaging virtual school that combines a fun, real-world curriculum with powerful mentorship from experienced coaches and a supportive peer community.

The Power of Being a Great Writer

Living in an era dominated by rapid technological advances and artificial intelligence, it’s harder than ever, as educators and homeschooling parents, to figure out what skills kids will need to succeed in the future.

For example, why should we care about writing in the age of AI? Will technology make traditional skills like writing obsolete? On the contrary, at Prisma we believe the rise of AI makes writing more important than ever . While AI can generate text and even mimic human-like writing, it lacks the nuance, critical thinking, and empathy that are the hallmarks of human communication. The best human writers will always be able to use their command of language arts to influence others.

Plus, the practice of writing skills is important for children’s brain development. As Flannery O’Connor aptly stated, "I write because I don't know what I think until I read what I say." The writing process enables us to crystallize our thoughts, stimulating disciplined and critical thinking —a skill that remains irreplaceable by AI. Whether it's a scientist explaining a complicated theory or an entrepreneur pitching their company to investors, the ability to articulate thoughts clearly & with originality is indispensable.

Moreover, writing fosters empathy . Writing, especially creative writing, allows us to imagine and understand different perspectives—an emotional skill that even the most advanced AI lacks. Empathy is vital for personal relationships, teamwork, and any profession involving human interaction.

Furthermore, writing teaches resilience . It's a journey filled with trials and errors. Children learn to handle setbacks, receive criticism, while continuously revising their work, skills that instill adaptability and persistence.

And it's a skill where we see a worrisome trend. According to a recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) report, only 27% of students in America achieved or exceeded proficiency in writing. This statistic rings alarm bells about the declining writing skills among our children.

As we guide our children's learning paths at home, our responsibility extends beyond teaching writing. Our aim is to help them appreciate writing as a tool for thinking, empathizing, and persevering. Despite the rise of AI, the art of writing is here to stay. It's not just a skill, it's a compass—a compass that will guide our learners to navigate the evolving landscape of the future with thoughtfulness, empathy, and resilience.

Selecting a Homeschool Writing Curriculum: Key Factors

Choosing a homeschool writing curriculum is a crucial decision, as it will greatly impact your child's development of writing skills. Here are some key factors to consider:

Your Child’s Interest in Writing: Is your child a very reluctant writer who may need an online app with gamified elements or lots of varied, hands-on worksheets to stay interested? Or is your child a voracious reader & enthusiastic future author who might do better with open-ended journaling, creative writing prompts , and research papers on topics they’re interested in?
Your Child’s Learning Needs & Style: If your child has any learning differences, such as dyslexia , ADHD, or autism, you should evaluate any possible curriculum for accommodations and supports. Also consider the way your child prefers to learn. Do they like variety or lots of structure? Pen and paper or digital? Visual, audio, or hands-on?
Level of Interaction: Consider the level of interaction the curriculum offers. Does it provide opportunities for discussions, peer review, or one-on-one feedback sessions? Interaction can often boost motivation and improve learning outcomes. You could even look for programs that offer live online instruction (we share a few options below).
Alignment with Goals: What are your goals for your child's writing education? Do you want them to homeschool permanently, or do you hope to have them transition to a more traditional high school or college? If so, make sure the curriculum you choose prepares your learner to write aligned to Common Core standards , and make sure you feel comfortable supporting them.
Flexibility: Look for a curriculum that allows flexibility in pace and approach. Every child is unique and might not fit into a rigid learning structure.
Incorporation of Writing Process: The curriculum should teach the writing process – brainstorming, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. This will help your child understand that good writing often involves rewriting and refining.
Grammar and Mechanics: While the primary focus might be on developing expressive and organized writing, the curriculum should also help your child learn the grammar and mechanics necessary for clarity and correctness. But we personally feel at Prisma that too many grammar drills can be counterproductive, and many writing experts recommend teaching grammar mostly in the context of a real writing assignment after elementary age.
Integration with Other Subjects: Writing is a skill that can and should be integrated into other subject areas. A curriculum that encourages writing across subjects can foster more meaningful learning experiences. At Prisma, all writing happens in the context of our fun interdisciplinary themes , like Cities of the Future (where kids wrote a speech proposing a new law for their dream city), Build a Business (where kids wrote a business pitch), and Unsolved Mysteries (where kids wrote research-driven podcast & video scripts for a real life mystery).

Writing Curriculum Guidelines by Grade Level

The specifics of a writing curriculum will vary, but a comprehensive curriculum should cover a progression of skills, increasing in complexity and sophistication from elementary to high school. Here's a broad guideline to assess curriculum options, or if you feel like building your own curriculum from scratch:

Elementary School Writing Curriculum

‍ At Prisma, elementary school writers focus on developing key skills in our live Literacy Labs & completing writing missions connected to our project-based themes. Content covers:

Sentence Structure: Understanding the basic elements of a sentence, like nouns, verbs, and adjectives, and how to construct simple sentences.
Paragraph Writing: Introduce the concept of a paragraph, topic sentences, and supporting sentences. Graphic organizers often help in this process.
Basic Grammar and Punctuation: Understanding the rules of capitalization, the usage of periods, question marks, and exclamation points.
Story Writing: Introduction to narrative writing, creating simple stories with a beginning, middle, and end.
Writing for Different Purposes: Practice writing informative, persuasive, and narrative pieces.

Middle School Writing Curriculum

‍ Middle school Prisma learners build up to longer writing assignments to prepare for high school writing, and increasingly complete multiple revisions and use peer feedback to perfect their work. They build skills of:

Advanced Grammar and Punctuation: Dive deeper into the intricacies of grammar and the use of more advanced punctuation marks like semicolons and colons.
Essay Writing: Understanding essay structure, crafting thesis statements, and creating coherent arguments.
Narrative Writing: Developing complex narrative techniques, such as point of view, character development, plot structure, and dialogue.
Research Skills: Learning how to conduct research, evaluate sources, and incorporate evidence into their writing.
Revision and Editing: Strengthening the ability to revise and edit their own work for clarity, coherence, and correctness.

High School Writing Curriculum

‍ Prisma high school students develop real-world writing assignments for real audiences, preparing to share their writing with the world and developing college-ready writing skills:

Advanced Essay Writing: Enhancing argumentative, expository, and analytical writing skills. Practice writing longer, more complex essays.
Literary Analysis: Writing essays that analyze literature for theme, symbolism, and other literary devices.
Research Papers: Learning to write comprehensive research papers with proper citation and referencing.
Persuasive Writing: Developing the ability to write persuasively, shaping arguments and using evidence effectively.
Creative Writing: Exploring different creative writing genres like poetry, short stories, and script writing.
College Application Essays: Learning to write personal essays that can be used for college applications.
Critical Thinking: Developing the ability to critique, analyze, and evaluate arguments in writing.

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Prisma is an accredited, project-based, online program for grades 4-12.
Our personalized curriculum builds love of learning and prepares kids to thrive.
Our middle school , high school , and parent-coach programs provide 1:1 coaching and supportive peer cohorts .

Online Homeschool Writing Programs

Live online writing courses.

If you don’t feel comfortable teaching or designing writing curriculum yourself, an online course can be a great way to give your learner an interactive, high-quality language arts curriculum.

In a nutshell: Marketplace for online courses in all subjects, including writing. You can read teacher reviews and course descriptions to get a good feel of which classes will work best for your child (and try a bunch to see what works!)

Grade Levels: K-12 and above

Cost: Depends on the length, format, and teacher. Expect to pay around $10/class for most offerings, and up to $50/class for private, 1-to-1 tutoring.

Format: Depends on the class and instructor. Some courses may only be live sessions, and others may include asynchronous materials like worksheets, rubrics, and journal prompts.

Pros: Low-lift for parents, high interactivity; and often fun, engaging topics like Comic Strip Stories or Fan Fiction

Cons: If you switch instructors frequently, your child may have gaps in their knowledge or struggle to build momentum with one writing process

Written Out Loud

In a nutshell: Written Out Loud’s three core principles are transforming how kids learn - and love - to write. Prisma partnered with this organization the past two years and we can say that kids LOVE learning to write with this program. Kids write a whole book as part of a team.

Grade Levels: Ages 10+

Cost: Fee per class or camp. Current summer camp offerings are $529.

Format: In virtual courses (or in-person if a homeschool group reaches out to form a class together), kids work in teams to “break” a story in the style of Hollywood writers (decide verbally as a team what the story will look like) and then write their portions, ending in the publication of a full-length book!

Pros: Helps kids love writing, low-lift for parents, high interactivity

Cons: Doesn’t teach more traditional or “academic” forms of writing, so likely will need to be a supplement.

Prisma & Other Online Private Schools

Some homeschooling families choose to enroll in comprehensive online schools like Prisma, especially as their children get older and need more teacher support or rigorous curriculum. Although these options do charge tuition, they offer a comprehensive, intentional, expert-driven approach to academics (including writing) while still offering the personalization, flexibility, and environment of homeschooling.

Best Online Writing Apps & Websites for Homeschoolers

Choosing an online program is great if you want something your learner can do at their own pace with minimal supervision from you. These programs can also be great at motivating learners by providing gamified elements (like points, badges, and achievements).

Essentials in Writing

In a nutshell: Former schoolteacher Matthew Stephens’ popular online program delivers direct instruction & writing practice aligned with the traditional way of teaching writing.

Grade Levels: K-12

Cost: $69-89

Format: A video-based online course with corresponding workbooks

Pros: Low-lift for parents with a consistent structure

Cons: May not be enough variety or interactivity for easily bored learners

Night Zookeeper

In a nutshell: A highly engaging game-based online world for kids to explore writing through mini games, interesting writing prompts, and drills

Grade Levels: Ages 6-12

Cost: Subscription costing about $9-13/month, depending on if you pay annually or monthly

Format: Learners sign on to the platform and explore the online activities freely. Parents can view insights into their progress on the back-end.

Pros: Both reluctant and enthusiastic writers tend to LOVE this platform, and the subscription model makes it easy to try out.

Cons: Doesn’t offer as much instruction as more traditional programs.

In a nutshell: No Red Ink is used in 60% of school districts and although the platform is primarily built for teachers, homeschool parents can register for teacher accounts and provide their children access to this interactive, comprehensive writing program.

Grade Levels: Grades 3-12

Cost: Free version, plus a premium version with additional features

Format: A mix of targeted exercises to help students master sentence structure & grammar, scaffolded writing and revising activities for a range of genres, and diagnostics & quizzes to assess your learner’s skills

Pros: Research-driven, interactive, and incorporates learner interests (kids take a fun quiz at the beginning to tailor the curriculum to what they like to write about), plus built-in assessment (a rarity for writing platforms!)

Cons: Since it’s built for teachers, may not be user-friendly for solo homeschooling parents

Online Grammar & Comprehension Practice

At Prisma, we use grammar apps to supplement our more in-depth writing assignments. Some of our favorites are:

IXL : We like their initial diagnostic and that you can assign individual skills to learners to practice. The format is not the most exciting or engaging, though.
Freckle : Elementary school-age writers enjoy the gamified elements of this math & language arts platform.
Quill : Built around the research-backed strategy of sentence combining & revising as a way to learn key grammar and mechanics, this tool is both free and highly effective (though it may get boring if used too often!).

Best Traditional Homeschool Writing Curricula

Brave writer.

In a nutshell: Brave Writer is a writing curriculum designed to help children discover their own unique voice in writing. It emphasizes creativity and individuality, incorporating various elements of language arts such as grammar, spelling, literature, and writing. This curriculum is by far the most popular one with Prisma parents!

Grade Levels : Pre-K to 12th grade

Cost: Individual online classes range from $99 to $199 per course. Home study courses are available from $79 to $149.

Format: Online classes, home study courses with lesson plans and teacher’s guides, and resources for self-study. The courses take a unique approach, focusing on having lots of conversations before getting writing out on the page.

Pros: The curriculum is flexible and customizable to meet the needs of each student. It also encourages a positive attitude towards writing, reducing stress and resistance. It’s great for engaging and empowering young writers.

Cons: The less structured format may not work for all families. Parents may need to be more involved and excited about teaching writing to ensure progress and there is no built-in evaluation or assessment.

The Institute for Excellence in Writing (IEW)

In a nutshell: IEW is a tried-and-true homeschool curriculum option that employs a method that builds writing confidence and competence. It uses a structured and systematic approach, focused on helping students create quality writing pieces.

Grade Levels: K to 12th grade

Cost: The cost can range from $19 for single items up to $249 for a comprehensive level course.

Format: Mostly DVD-based courses, workbooks, and some online classes.

Pros: Provides clear instruction and step-by-step methods that are easy to follow. It is suitable for a variety of learning styles and abilities. The curriculum covers a broad range of writing styles.

Cons: It can be perceived as rigid by some and may stifle creativity for others. It is more traditional, we have found, than many Prisma parents are looking for. It might be too intensive for students who are not used to structured learning.

Classical Composition

In a nutshell: Based on the ancient principles of storytelling and rhetoric, Classical Composition is a rigorous writing program that leads students step-by-step through the process of writing. If you resonate with the classical approach to homeschooling, you’ll likely be drawn in by this approach.

Grade Levels: 4th to 12th grade

Cost: The cost can vary, but most books range from $15 to $30. DVDs range from $55 to $85.

Format: Textbooks and DVDs.

Pros: It provides a thorough, rigorous program that can help students become proficient writers. It's ideal for parents who prefer a traditional, structured approach to teaching writing, similarly to IEW.

Cons: According to curriculum reviews, it can be challenging and time-consuming. Some students may find it too rigorous or not creative enough.

In a nutshell: WriteShop is a writing curriculum that helps parents teach writing to their children in a step-by-step manner. It focuses on both the creative and mechanical aspects of writing.

Cost: Books and resources range from $7 to $50. Full-set curriculum kits range from $120 to $160.

Format: Books, digital downloads, and online resources.

Pros: The curriculum is easy to use and provides parents with detailed lesson plans. It encourages more creativity than some of the traditional options above while still teaching the technical aspects of writing.

Cons: Some parents have found it to be too teacher-intensive. It requires more preparation than other programs.

Writing Strands

In a nutshell: Writing Strands provides a step-by-step approach to teaching writing, focusing on a broad range of skills such as creative writing, report writing, composition, and critical thinking.

Grade Levels: 2nd to 12th grade

Cost: Individual books cost about $20 each.

Format : Books.

Pros: Even though it’s step-by-step, it is flexible and can be adapted to suit individual student needs. It's also affordable.

Cons: It lacks extensive grammar instruction, and some parents find it lacks depth in certain writing skills. The book-only format may not work for some kids who need more varied types of assignments.

New York Times Writing Curriculum

In a nutshell: This is a modern, real-world-focused curriculum, drawing from The New York Times resources. It emphasizes critical thinking, research, and journalistic writing skills.

Grade Levels: Middle school to high school

Cost: The online resources from The New York Times are often free, but for detailed curriculum materials, cost can vary.

Format: Online, leveraging articles, essays, and multimedia from The New York Times.

Pros: It offers contemporary, engaging, and relevant content. It helps students understand and engage with current events. Great for developing research and critical thinking skills.

Cons: Less emphasis on creative writing. The content might be advanced for younger students. Parental guidance might be necessary due to potentially sensitive topics.

BJU Press Writing & Grammar

In a nutshell: BJU Press Writing & Grammar is a Christian-oriented program that emphasizes grammar and the writing process, incorporating both traditional and creative assignments.

Grade Levels: 1st to 12th grade

Cost: Subject kits can range from $100 to $150, while individual books can range from $15 to $40.

Format: Textbooks, workbooks, and tests.

Pros: The program provides a comprehensive approach to teaching grammar and writing. It's straightforward and structured, providing detailed lesson plans.

Cons: Some parents have found the curriculum to be too rigid and not engaging enough. The Christian worldview integrated throughout the material may not be appealing to everyone.

Well-Trained Mind

In a nutshell: Based on classical education principles, the Well-Trained Mind approach guides parents in crafting a rigorous, comprehensive homeschool curriculum.

Cost: The core book "The Well-Trained Mind" costs around $20 - $30. Other resources' costs vary.

Format: Books and online resources.

Pros: It provides a detailed, rigorous roadmap for classical education at home. It is highly customizable, allowing parents to adapt to their children's learning style and interests.

Cons: It requires significant time and effort from parents. The approach may be too rigorous or structured for some students.

Does Your Writing Curriculum Prepare Your Kids for the Real World?

At Prisma, one of our learning values is that education should prepare learners for the real world . 98% of Prisma parents say that our school does a better job preparing their learner for the real world than their last school. “The real world problem solving the learners do is unlike anything they do in more conventional schools,” says one parent. “If anyone tells you kids aren't ‘ready’ to consider meaningful topics like the world refugee crisis, neurodiversity, building a business, or scientific research, don't listen!”

When kids see why what they’re learning matters, they’re much more motivated and engaged . When we compartmentalize subjects, we make it unclear for learners how those subjects are used in the real world. When the only writing assignments you are given in school are to write 5-paragraph essays only your English teacher (or parent!) will read, you’re unlikely to grasp why writing is an essential skill in so many careers. Imagine if, instead, you’re asked to write a product pitch for an invention you developed to solve a real-world sustainability problem, like our learners did for the Biomimicry Youth Design Challenge in our interdisciplinary theme Wild Inventions . Prisma learners are still taught foundational writing skills, they’re just asked to apply them to real world problem-solving in an interdisciplinary way.

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The Five-Paragraph Essay: What, Why, and How for Homeschoolers

Overview: The five-paragraph essay is a helpful tool — here are ideas for teaching it! Note: Contains referral links.

In one of my articles about high school writing, I shared the story of when my eldest daughter took the ACT and got a poor score on the writing portion. I was flabbergasted at the time. I read the essay myself, and it didn't seem so horrible to me. She had great grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structure — what was their problem?

I have since come to realize that the ACT (and SAT, for that matter) writing scorers are looking for a very particular type of essay — the five-paragraph essay. And no matter how well your child writes, if they don't craft their ACT/SAT essay as a five-paragraph essay, then they are going to get a low score, too. So it's a good idea to get your teen familiar with it before they need to take those tests.

Trying to teach the five-paragraph essay in your homeschool? Here's what we do! Your teen will need to know this skill for the ACT and SAT writing tests.

WHAT is a five-paragraph essay?

It is a composition that is written with — you guessed it — five paragraphs: an introduction which states a thesis, then three supporting paragraphs, then a conclusion. So a five-paragraph essay is a persuasive essay, because the writer states an opinion about something and then proceeds to back it up. It follows the standard formula that we've all heard many times: tell 'em what you're gonna tell 'em (introduction), then tell 'em (body), then tell 'em what you told 'em (conclusion).

WHY teach your kids to write a five-paragraph essay?

1) I've alluded to one answer to this question already — your kids will need to know how to craft a five-paragraph essay in order to score well on the writing portions of the ACT and SAT . Do I agree that it seems silly that the scorers can't judge any other type of writing? You bet. Do I understand the myriad problems with relying on test scores for deciding a student's adequacy for college entrance? Totally. I am not here to debate all that stuff today but just to face reality. It is what it is, y'all. Most colleges still require these tests, and if you want scholarship money for your genius, you will want him or her to do well on them.

2) I also have come to believe that the five-paragraph essay is a very valuable tool for teaching writing in general. It is short and doable, so the student feels less intimidated and more motivated. It is also possible to fit a LOT of solid writing education into the formation of a five-paragraph essay — or into several/many of them over time.

Because while it sounds simple, it is actually a little more complicated (ouch! it hurt to use that word! Because you know that I am “too lazy for complicated!”) than just throwing together five paragraphs. Within the essay the student must learn how to execute each paragraph with specific elements and literary techniques. This means that in learning how to create a five-paragraph essay, they can learn how to write WELL. They can then use that skill in all types of writing, whether it be research papers, fictional writing, lab reports, etc. etc.

Having said all this, I think I can predict your next question:

HOW do I teach my kid to write a five-paragraph essay?

In my posts Homeschool High School Writing Help and Homeschool ACT and SAT Practice, I detail what we did to help my second and third high schoolers get a better score on the writing portion of their college entrance exams than their older sister. And they both did — and they will not let her forget it, lol. Check those articles out to see the resources we used for them.

But since starting in Classical Conversations this fall, I have found out that there is another, BETTER way to tame this five-paragraph essay beast, and that is to start earlier than high school . My 12-year-old in Challenge A is learning step-by-step how to write a persuasive essay in the five-paragraph format by using the writing curriculum called The Lost Tools of Writing . And I have to say that I am very impressed with how they do this.

First, LTW uses quality, engaging literature as the basis for the content of the essays the students will write. Students find an issue in the book they are reading and form an opinion about it. This becomes their thesis statement; and events, characters, or themes in the book become their supporting arguments. Can you say “teach them literary analysis without them even realizing it?” :-)

Second, LTW assigns several essays over the course of the year, with each one being more complex than the last. The first essay is nothing more than a skeleton essay. By the third essay they have learned how to construct a thesis and find supporting arguments. Currently (in October) the students are working on finding attention-grabbing opening sentences. They will also gradually add other various literary devices such as parallelism and alliteration, among others.

While LTW is not the easiest curriculum to use (and you know I prefer that they require little prep or effort to understand — can't claim that about this one), I have to say that so far it seems to be a very effective means to teach the five-paragraph essay. Which means that by the time #5 has reached the age to take those nasty tests, she'll have been writing these essays for several years. Which further means that she'll totally blow her sisters' scores out of the water! Muahahaha…

UPDATE: LTW is great for older teens, too

Since writing this, I have seen LTW used successfully with upper high schoolers, as well. It may seem a bit basic at first, but the older students progress faster through the program and are more inventive with how they use the various elements in their essays. I think this curriculum is a great way to get ANY kid in grades 7-12 to feel better about writing.

Another solid option for older teens is WriteShop . This one won't seem like it's talking down to them like LTW might. Both WriteShop I and WriteShop II are amazing for high school writing, but I believe it is WriteShop II that teaches the five-paragraph essay. See my complete review of WriteShop here (includes two videos): WriteShop I & II for High School Writing .

ANOTHER UPDATE:

It's been five years since this article was originally written. The daughter who used LTW in 7th and 8th grade was preparing to take her ACT Written portion for the first time this past spring, and guess what she did? She pulled out her LTW notes! She reviewed the essay structures and the different techniques, and then she took the test.

And my prediction was correct! Her score was a 9, y'all. That's the score that is recommended to aim for in order to get accepted to Ivy Leagues. Yup! She is not going to an Ivy League, but that's how well the Lost Tools of Writing prepared her for that test! Woot!

So even after this many years, I'm still a fan!

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13 thoughts on “The Five-Paragraph Essay: What, Why, and How for Homeschoolers”

The 5 Paragraph Essay is about the only writing method I remember from my (public) school years =) I remember starting it in middle school. That’s interesting that the ACT/SAT folks are only looking for that kind of essay. Clearly there are other types of writing, but I guess they know that the typical public school student is learning that kind of writing.

WriteWell sounds like a neat program. Thanks for sharing about it!

I don’t remember learning it as an actual format when I was in school — but I don’t even remember them having writing on standardized tests then, anyway… I know I’m dating myself with that statement! LOL. But these days that’s definitely what they expect! Thanks for stopping by, Amy! :-)

Thank you for writing this. I like being prepared and if our children want to go to college, then essays are something I must prepare them for. Really informative post. ?

Writing is such a tricky subject to teach, and these resources have really helped me a lot. Thanks for the comment, Erin! :-)

Please do not teach only this format to students who plan to attend college. It is not appropriate for college-level work. It is a rudimentary format, one that I UN-teach in my freshman composition courses.

What is it the next level up, above the 5 paragraph essay, that would be important to teach in preparation for a college level paper Nathan?

The research paper is probably the next step up. But I’ll confess, my eldest kids never did one of those, either. I have always been very scared of the process of teaching writing, lol. My youngest is doing one in Classical Conversations as part of her 9th grade curriculum, and I am glad about that.

I believe you, Nathan. But you need to preach that to the ACT and SAT people. Until they change their standards, we kinda have to teach this to our kids. I personally think it’s a good first step towards writing longer and more researched papers. But then, yes, it is best to move on from there, and let our kids know that this was only a stepping stone.

As a parent I would love to see any writing corrected instead of just a grade at the top of the paper. If 5 paragraphs is all a busy teacher can handle well with a teaching overload of students, I would rather 5 paragraphs really scrutinzed than no real editing/suggestions at all.

Good point!

Great article. I don’t remember doing much writing at all in high school (40 years ago), but learned enough to score well on the SAT. It wasn’t until I was in college that I even learned the 5 paragraph essay. Once I learned how to write that way, may grades soared in college English classes. May daughter hates writing for school but happily writes fan fiction and publishing it on the web. I suppose I should at least try to teach her to write this kind of essay.

Would you recommend using both WriteShop and LTW over different years? If you picked one or the other, which one would you pick?

I start teaching the 5 paragraph essay in Kindergarten based on The Four Square Writing Method by Judith Gould. It actually just starts with a paragraph in K, but evolves into a 5PE by Grade 2. We share write paragraphs in their journal all year. In 1st grade they definitely have the hang of it and can start writing independently. By the end of 2nd grade, they evolve to 5 paragraphs independently. It’s awesome! Check out her books, they’re great!

Start with a good foundation

That is, of course, what The Write Foundation teaches. Don’t just throw your homeschooled-child into the middle of essay crafting. Focus on sentence structure and basic paragraph composition before moving to more complicated formal essay composition . Learn to write essays one bite at a time. This helps students develop writing skills by using writing tools which helps them gain confidence and enables parents who are insecure about their own writing skills learn with their students.

Hold their hand as much as they need you hold their hand.

An abstract assignment with limited instructions can appear quite daunting to a reluctant, struggling, or new writer; tiny decisions can become writing blocks in a new writer’s mind.

Share the experience with your homeschooler. Discuss writing blocks and ways to overcome them. Discuss the planning process and experience how it helps flesh out an essay. Walk them through each lesson making sure they complete each step successfully before attempting to move on in the writing process. Working side by side with your student also helps you become a better instructor by solidifying the lesson for yourself. As students gain confidence with their new skills they will need your help less and less so they will shoo you away as they learn writing is much easier using the complete writing process.

Use concrete assignments

Creative writing is very subjective, and it is also very abstract for a new writer. You need a writing curriculum which focuses on concrete assignments and provides a variety of writing topics that fit the type of writing being taught in that assignment. Give your students a structure to work into a paragraph using their creative information. Leaving several factors to the unknown, such as type of writing, structure, and so on, leaves more decisions that the novice writer is not ready to determine. An abstract assignment with limited instructions can appear quite daunting to a reluctant, struggling, or just new writer; tiny decisions can become writing blocks in a new writer’s mind. Even experienced writers face writer’s block. Students need to be given tools and taught skills that overcome “But, what do I write about?”

Know your audience

Let your child select from a list of possible writing topics that may be interesting to them. Your child may enjoy the experience more if he is writing about his favorite pastime instead of writing about your favorite pastime. Choosing topics about things that directly influence your child, such as different views about their favorite sport, the influence of network TV or political topics that hit close to home may open the doors for lively discussion and insight into your child’s mind.

Writing is a necessary life skill. When teaching writing remember you are not alone. If you are worried about teaching formal writing to your homeschooler, use the support system of The Write Foundation for any questions you may have through the process, and know that you are not alone. Look into a homeschool writing co-op in your area to lighten the burden and give new perspective on your child’s essay writing development. Use The Write Foundation and use a proven writing system.

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The Easy Way To Teach Paragraph Writing

Teaching paragraph writing to kids can be a really frustrating process.

Even with all of the correct information, curriculum, worksheets, encouragement, and practice – it can still be a significant uphill challenge.

This is especially true if you are dealing with reluctant writers or kids with perfectionist tendencies (and I’ve got both of those!).

I am a homeschool mom of three girls – currently in 6th grade, 3rd grade, and 1st grade – so I have a first-hand look into the struggle.

With my oldest child, we have gone from writing resistance complete with tears to writing paragraphs with confidence!

I want to share with you the VERY EASY thing I did to navigate this path and help you and your child do the same thing.

In this blog post you will find:

My Own Writing Experience
The Typical Way to Teach Paragraph Writing
The Disconnect For Many Kids
Why We Love Paragraph Writing For Kids
Results We’ve Seen
My One Complaint

My Own Paragraph Writing Experience

Upfront, I was an overachieving student who probably took school a little too seriously.

I did well in school and excelled in my college writing classes. I even taught some of my roommates how to write 5 paragraph essays during my freshman year.

Today, I am a professional writer and I still really enjoy everything about putting my thoughts into written form.

My oldest daughter, who I’ve homeschooled since 1st grade, is an outstanding creative writer.

I have reviewed tons of homeschool writing curriculum , and I feel comfortable teaching writing & grammar – parts of speech, complete sentences, brainstorming, punctuation, journaling, etc.

With all of these points, I thought for sure that teaching paragraphs would be a walk in the park.

In fact, please cue the frustrated groans of an 11-year-old who has just been told she needs to write a paragraph about Native American culture.

The Typical Way To Teach Paragraph Writing

Long before that writing assignment for my child, I went through the standard paragraph writing steps below:

Paragraph structure worksheets about identifying topic sentences, supporting sentences, and concluding sentences
Instruction on how to identify supporting ideas that “don’t belong” between the top bun (introduction sentence) and bottom bun (closing sentence)
Brainstorming maps or graphic organizers to come up with ideas, topics, and supporting details
Reviewing the correct steps of the writing process, including editing and revising after the first draft of the paragraph is written
Ensure all verb tenses match
We even wrote paragraphs together, with me writing side by side with my student
I attempted to create a low-stress environment by telling my student to “just start writing.” I told her we have to “make the playdough” today. Tomorrow we’ll take it and mold it into a finished product.
Encouragement and positive feedback were always sandwiched around any criticisms that I had to make about the writing.

Sounds like a recipe for a well-written paragraph, right?

Well…

The Disconnect For Many Kids When It Comes To Writing Paragraphs

There are some kids that can do the above steps and be completely fine, writing good paragraphs with minimal guidance or additional instruction.

But there are others who get to the end of the lessons and still feel paralyzed by the idea of writing a paragraph on their own. Similar to how some people get a mathematical concept right away, and others need much more explanation and practice.

The typical paragraph writing lessons are simply not enough information, structure, or time to feel confident with writing an effective paragraph.

Younger students feel overwhelmed with coming up with a single topic, choosing details, putting the details in order, and unraveling the confounding mystery of an introductory and conclusion sentence.

Instructions like, “Write a sentence about the main idea of the paragraph,” or, “Write a concluding sentence that brings a sense of closure to the paragraph,” can be infuriatingly vague to kids.

Kids are also disheartened by how subjective writing can be.

With math, questions are either right or wrong. Writing has so much more “gray area” that always has room for improvement.

The Easy Way To Success In Paragraph Writing

I knew we needed help when I assigned my child to write a brief essay about the history topic we had covered over the last few weeks.

She had tons of information to work with, and she seemed genuinely interested in the topic.

But no matter how much support I gave her, she just seemed to be lost. Paralyzed. Confused. Stuck.

I got online that day to look for resources because I was out of ideas. My first stop was of course Common Sense Press . They put out such high-quality products, and we love their Language Arts Curriculum .

Thankfully, they had exactly what we needed – Paragraph Writing For Kids !

I ordered it right away and we stopped all other writing assignments while she worked through the material.

The workbook consists of 55 lessons – 11 lessons each to teach informative, narrative, persuasive, expository (how to), and comparative paragraphs.

What I Love About Paragraph Writing For Kids

1. Completely Independent

As I said earlier, I have three kids in my homeschool, so having a curriculum that can be done independently is always a winner for me.

The material is written directly to the student in an easy to understand – often funny – manner. My daughter is able to sit down and do the lessons, complete simple worksheets, make outlines, and write paragraphs without me.

I do look over her work and talk with her about any questions, but that has taken a minimal amount of time so far.

2. Very Budget Friendly

Paragraph Writing For Kids Outline Pages

There is some writing curriculum out there that will blow your budget socks off.

Paragraph Writing For Kids is currently only $18 for the printed version and $13 for the E-book .

To top that off, the Answer Key is a free download from the Common Sense Press Website.

You really can’t beat that for a high-qualty writing supplement.

3. Step-By-Step Process With Tons of Examples

Paragraph Writing For Kids Example Pages

Each style of paragraph is taught through 11 separate lessons.

The student is taken through simple steps as they learn how to choose the topic, make an outline, come up with specific details, put those details in order, build an introductory sentence, and come up with a fantastic closer.

Throughout each step, young writers are taught what they need to do with interesting paragraphs written by other children. Many lessons have multiple paragraphs for the student to read and learn from.

I never heard from my child, “I don’t know what to do!” or “I don’t understand this!” It is laid out in such a slow, progressive formula style that every lesson seems short and simple.

The end result is a well-organized paragraph and a lot of confidence for the student.

4. Fantastic Tips On Introductory And Closing Sentences

As I flipped through the lessons and reviewed my child’s work, I was nearly slack-jawed looking at the formulas the workbook offers for introduction and closing sentences.

I grew up with very broad instructions like, “Just write a sentence that introduces your topic, and then the last sentence should bring the paragraph to a close.”

Um…to an elementary-level kid that can be really challenging and confusing.

But the Paragraph Writing for Kids formula is so much more direct and helpful. I honestly wished I had something like this available to me as a kid.

5. Lessons Are Written In A Conversational Tone

Keep it simple on piece of writing paper

These lessons are written to the student, and you can tell that the author took the time to make the lesson engaging and fun to read.

My daughter and I still laugh about one of the lessons that centered around a community Easter Egg Hunt gone wrong. I thought it was so clever and interesting!

Definitely not dry, complicated material that kids will have to struggle through.

6. Goes Through Five Different Types of Paragraphs

Paragraph Writing for Kids teaches informative, narrative, persuasive, expository, and comparative paragraphs.

It honestly did not even occur to me before buying this curriculum supplement how different each of these styles really is.

The basic paragraph writing instruction I mentioned earlier only really applies to the informative or narrative paragraphs.

I love that this curriculum takes a very thorough, step-by-step approach to explaining each of these types of paragraphs and provides an easy-to-follow formula for writing all of them.

I feel like my daughter is going to be so prepared for future middle school wiritng assingments and we will definitely be keeping the book to reference back to.

7. Easily Added To Any Language Arts/Writing Curriculum

Paragraph Writign For Kids Workbook page examples

Because the workbook is only 55 lessons, you can very easily customize it to fit your lesson plan and schedule.

You can stretch it over a year by only doing a couple of lessons a week. There is also the option to go straight through the book and finish it in less than three months.

And of course, you could do something in-between those two options.

We have been working fairly quickly through the curriculum, but it’s nice to take days off when we’re rushed for other things.

8. It’s So Easy To Use In My Homeschool

This whole article is about how to teach paragraph writing the easy way – and I can’t imagine anything that is easier, more streamlined, or more effective than Paragraph Writing For Kids.

I am so pleased with the material, writing formulas, length of lessons, and the number of lessons. I love that my child can do it mostly on her own.

I will definitely be purchasing more for my younger kids when they get to the paragraph writing point.

Results We’ve Seen From Paragraph Writing For Kids

I knew I had to write this review when my daughter first handed me a three-paragraph essay she wrote for her language arts curriculum .

There was no complaining. It took a reasonable amount of time.

And the results were shocking to me.

Her introductory and closing sentences were flawless.

The detail sentences were completely on point.

The paragraphs weren’t too long or too short.

And there were no tear stains on her cheeks. I literally saved it to go into her end-of-the-year portfolio to prove we did something besides creative writing this year.

As we continue to work through this curriculum, my daughter has been challenged, but she now feels like she has tools to help her write.

I also like that she and I now have a shared language to work through the writing process together.

My Only Complaint About Paragraph Writing For Kids

Both my daughter and I were hoping that Common Sense Press offered another level of this curriculum that focused on essay writing.

We would love to see the same incremental, formulaic approach to writing introductory paragraphs, concluding paragraphs, and transition sentences for a multi-paragraph essay or research report.

This is a huge struggle for many middle school students and high school students, so please don’t leave us hanging, Common Sense Press!

Frequently Asked Questions

1. how many lessons are there.

There are 55 lessons in the workbook.

11 lessons each for 5 different styles of paragraphs.

2. How long does it take to get through a lesson?

The lessons have been about 10-30 minutes, depending on what the lessons are about.

Some require more reading and writing. Others have simple worksheets.

My daughter considers it to be one of the easy parts of her day, so it has not been a struggle or drain on her energy.

3. Do I need a teacher’s guide?

Nope! The workbook is written to the student, so you do not have to teach these lessons. Depending on how well your child works independently, I would recommend reading through the lessons yourself.

This will help you give the student any additional support they might need.

I would also recommend bookmarking the online answer key for easy grading.

4. What ages is it intended for?

Paragraph Writing For Kids is appropriate for 4th grade – 6th grade.

If you have an older student who needs some help or review, I would just rip the cover off the book that lists the grade level.

5. Where do I buy Paragraph Writing For Kids?

You can purchase the workbook at the Common Sense Press website .

They also offer an eBook version, if you don’t mind printing it yourself.

6. What if my kid is a really resistant writer?

I have dealt with a very resistant writer, so you have my sympathy.

In my experience, there were some things that made an enormous difference.

The first and biggest thing I did was have my child do online typing lessons, and I allowed her to type all of her work. That caused the writing floodgates to open for her. For this workbook, she does write her outlines by hand, but she types most everything else.

If your kid struggles with spelling, that could very well be affecting their attitude about writing. Switching to All About Spelling helped my daughter feel much more confident about the words she was writing.

Lastly, encourage a love of creative writing before getting too crazy about more academic writing and paragraphs. Try daily journal writing or look into these amazing picture writing prompts to get your child excited about writing!

Recap Teaching Paragraph Writing To Kids

Are you hoping to find a tool that will help your kids become better writers?

If you are looking to work with your student on the basic structure of a strong paragraph, informational writing, narrative writing, descriptive paragraphs, persuasive paragraphs, or comparative paragraphs, this writing skills supplement is a fantastic tool to get you there.

I truly believe that Teaching Paragraph Writing to Kids is the best way to help elementary school students nail down the key components of writing in a fun, easy-to-understand way.

As a huge bonus, it’s inexpensive and doesn’t require a significant time investment from you.

If you have more questions, please drop them in the comments below! I’d be happy to answer all your paragraph writing questions!

Happy Writing!

Easy to Use Homeschool Writing Curriculum for Teaching Practical Writing Skills for High Schoolers

Homeschool writing curriculum choices can run the gamut from creative writing to essay writing. Students can learn a five-paragraph essay format in the hopes of preparing for college. Or they can take creative writing courses where they put their narrative writing skills to work. So what kind of writing course should your student take? Is there a form or method of writing that will benefit them in the long run? And will it be difficult for you to teach high school writing if you’re not a writer?

My high schoolers and I were excited to take a look at a great curriculum that answers these questions. It’s an easy-to-use homeschool writing curriculum that will prepare your student for writing for life with practical skills. (Keep reading for a discount and giveaway!)

Homeschool writing curriculum from Common Sense Press

Disclosure: I received curricula and compensation for this post. All opinions are always my own.

Common Sense Press offers a high school writing curriculum that will help your kids learn the practical writing skills they’ll need throughout life. This curriculum- Wordsmith Craftsman – is part of their Wordsmith writing series. And it’s an easy-to-use course that your student can use independently to learn writing skills…even if you don’t consider yourself a strong writer.

Why Your Homeschool Writing Curriculum Should Teach Practical Writing Skills

As a mom of two homeschool graduates and a former traditional school teacher, I can affirm that practical writing skills are critical to a child’s future success. Whether you have a student headed to college or one who is starting a career right out of high school, these skills are important.

Students Need to Know How to Use Practical Writing Skills to Organize Their Lives and Days

Yes, we can all use digital tools for planning and organizing now. But should we? Sometimes it helps to be able to write goals and plans out on paper.

Wordsmith Craftsman begins with the basics. In the opening lessons, students are taught how to make lists and how to plan their days. Assignments guide them in setting up a notebook that will help them plan out everyday routines as well as set goals for the future.

Students Need Writing Skills to Get Into College…or Apply for a Job

Sometimes we think about college applications but assume that kids who don’t go to a four-year college won’t need the skill of applying to a college. But applying for a job requires similar skills. Students need to know how to organize their thoughts. And they need to know how to craft a formal letter that introduces themselves.

In the Wordsmith Craftsman curriculum students are taught how to write a business letter. They’re taught how to sound respectful and clear in their writing. They’re specifically taught about what a letter requesting employment needs to include and the style it should be written in.

Using writing curriculum from Common Sense Press

Students Need to Know How to Take Notes and Paraphrase

These are also skills we sometimes assume are limited to students in college. And students in college certainly need to know this. (I’m constantly surprised when college kids don’t understand that they need to take notes!) But students entering the workforce need to know this as well. They may not be required to write out notes or paraphrase. But they may need to read training materials for a job. And practicing these skills in writing can help them to mentally take notes and summarize information when they’re learning a new skill or getting instructions from an employer.

In the Wordsmith Craftsman curriculum students will learn how to take notes and how to organize that information and paraphrase. They’re taught how to pick out relevant information and how to get the general idea of a long passage of writing. And they are taught that creating a summary can be a good tool to hone comprehension of the material they’ve read.

Students Need to be Able to Communicate Ideas in Writing

Whether or not students end up writing for a grade in a college class, they need to know how to express themselves in writing. Could they explain in an essay why they wanted to attend a certain college or obtain a certain job? Could they write a statement in an online space backing up a belief or opinion? Do they know how to evaluate and edit what they’ve written?

Wordsmith Craftsman teaches students how to start with gathering information, organizing that information, and then writing effectively. The curriculum teaches students about using language effectively. It covers different types of essays. And students learn how to evaluate and edit their writing.

Using Wordsmith Craftsman from Common Sense Press

How This Homeschool Writing Curriculum Teaches Practical Writing Skills

The Wordsmith series from Common Sense Press is a writing series that teaches students writing skills from basic to complex. The series includes books for three levels that cover 4th-12th grade. Common Sense Press is often known for its Learning Language Arts Through Literature series . And this writing series is a perfect accompaniment to that literature series. The series begins with the basics of grammar review and then moves to sentence writing, paragraph writing, and essay writing.

Wordsmith Craftsman is intended for 9th-12th graders. The first part of the course covers practical writing. Part two reviews grammar skills and composition skills. And part three covers formal essay writing. Students can begin using the curriculum in 9th grade. Or you can adapt the material to fit into one to three years. The front of the book has a suggested schedule for these different options.

This course is self-paced. It is designed for students to read through the sections and then complete the assignments independently. In the first section when students are learning to make notes and to-do lists the curriculum teaches them how to break up and plan assignments. There are some shorter exercises and then longer assignments as well. Most of the assignments are writing assignments with no right or wrong answers. But there are some exercises in the second section that need to be checked. The Appendix includes answers to these.

Homeschool writing curriculum for high school

Why Wordsmith Craftsman is the Homeschool Writing Curriculum You Need

So why do you need Wordsmith Craftsman in your homeschool? There are a few features I really liked, and I think you’ll love as well.

This course is self-paced. Homeschooling is all about flexibility . There are a number of different ways that you can pace this course depending on the needs of your student.
Students can complete the course independently. Are you homeschooling other kids? Cleaning the house? Cooking food? Taking care of little ones? Working from home ? If you are doing any or all of the above, at least your high schooler can work on this course independently.
This course covers the writing basics that kids will need to know for life as well as for college. Not all kids will go to college. Some high school writing courses focus only on preparing high schoolers for college. Wordsmith Craftsman can help your student with that as well. But students who aren’t headed to college can also learn important skills that will help them in day-to-day writing.
This writing course isn’t extremely intensive, and it can fit in with your other language arts curricula. The course is specially designed to use in conjunction with Common Sense Press’ literature course. Sometimes I’ve tried a writing curriculum that’s so intensive that it’s hard to use in addition to a literature course that also might have writing. Wordsmith Craftsman avoids that.

Ready to check out Wordsmith Craftsman? You can use code Summer2021 for 15% off through July 31, 2021. You can also enter the giveaway below to win a choice of a literature or science curriculum from Common Sense Press. (See those courses here!)

About the author

Leah Courtney is a former school teacher turned homeschool mom. She has homeschooled her four children since birth and is now the mother of two homeschool graduates. She blogs at As We Walk Along the Road, posting literature-based homeschooling resources and encouragement for other homeschooling mamas. She’s also the author of several ebooks and unit study resources for homeschoolers.

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These tips & tricks will show you how to get kids writing more, whether they’ve just started struggling or have never liked writing.

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10 Halloween Writing Prompts for Homeschooling Through the Holidays

Halloween is one of the most exciting holidays of the year! It’s a time for costumes, candy, and, of course, Halloween writing prompts!

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Essentials in Writing

Where learning to write well has never been so easy

Strong written communication skills are the vehicle to a child’s self-expression, setting students up for success in their academic, professional, and social lives. A step-by-step method for teaching writing takes away the mystery and inspires confidence in young writers.

Different Types of Essays for Homeschoolers to Learn

Kristy Robins

Homeschool parents often wonder, “How do I teach homeschool writing?” Homeschool students should practice various styles of writing, both formal and informal, to prepare them for professional, personal, and civic responsibilities after high school. This article will discuss the differences between formal and informal writing and give some tips and guidelines for writing four of…

Teaching Sentence Structure to High School Students

The ability to write well plays a huge role in a student’s success in academics and in future employment. To compose an effective composition, college application essay, business letter, or work email, students must be able to execute an array of sentence structures. Teaching your homeschool students about the various sentence structures will help them…

How to Motivate Students to Write

Teaching writing can be tricky, especially with reluctant or struggling writers. Some students resist writing with every fiber of their being. Unfortunately, sometimes a well-intentioned homeschool teacher’s attempts to help can backfire, making some students feel demotivated and defeated. How can homeschool teachers offer hope and inspiration to their students and avoid sending the message…

Teaching Paragraph Writing

In order to write effectively, students must understand how to structure a paragraph appropriately. The study of paragraph structure should begin after the student can write a complete sentence with ease and confidence. The importance of understanding how to write a good paragraph cannot be overstated. It is a fundamental skill upon which many other…

What is the Writing Process?

The writing process is a series of steps used to create a thoughtful and polished piece of writing. While the individual approach may vary from writer to writer, these steps lay the foundation for good writing for all types of compositions. Teaching the writing process to your homeschool students is vital to their success. As…

Difference Between Writing Curriculum & Writing Prompts

Homeschool teachers may wonder, “What is the difference between homeschool writing curriculum and writing prompts?” While the two are related, there is a difference. Writing curriculum is a broad term that applies to a set of materials used to teach a writing course in a traditional school or a homeschool. A writing prompt refers to…

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Whether your fourth through eighth grade writer is reluctant, rambling, or just plain “stuck,” he’ll discover that writing can be FUN. (Why not use live earthworms to teach grammar?) Writing can be EASY. Learn the formula, plug in some powerful words from your workbook, and voila!

Dive deeper into the concepts taught in PowerHouse Writing: Grades 4-8. PowerHouse Writing Intermediate is intended for students in grades 8-10 and prepares them for our more rigorous college-prep writing course: PowerHouse Writing: High School. (It is not necessary to complete PH Writing Grades 4-8 before the Intermediate course.)

If your high school student starts sweating bullets over the word “essay,” she can boost her confidence AND her grades with essay-specific graphic organizers. This simple system will prepare her for ACT and SAT exams, college entrance essays, and any academic writing she encounters throughout high school, college, and beyond.

Reviews from Homeschool Moms

My boys really enjoyed your class - even my "reluctant writer."

I will definitely be recommending this class to others. Thank you for making writing exciting and fun for my boys.

My 10th grade daughter has done a few lessons this week and is taking to it like butter on toast!

Amazingly wonderful experience! Ready for more! My son was thoroughly encouraged and inspired!

We had fabulous success with the writing class! My son now wants to enter an essay contest... whereas a year ago that was punishment for him to hear about the idea of writing an essay!

My son said he loved the "formula" approach to writing and is actually looking forward to writing his next paper... WOW... I'VE NEVER HEARD THAT FROM HIM!!! Thanks for taking the scariness out of writing for him!

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Essays on Homeschooling

When it comes to homeschooling, essay writing can be a valuable tool for students to develop critical thinking and communication skills. However, choosing the right topic is crucial to ensure that the essay is engaging, informative, and relevant to the homeschooling experience. In this article, we will discuss the importance of selecting appropriate homeschooling essay topics and provide a detailed list of recommended topics for students to consider.

Choosing the right homeschooling essay topic is essential for several reasons. Firstly, it allows students to explore and express their thoughts and opinions on relevant homeschooling issues, which can contribute to their personal and academic growth. Secondly, a well-chosen topic can make the writing process more enjoyable and meaningful for the student, leading to a higher quality of work. Lastly, the chosen topic should be relevant and engaging for the intended audience, whether it's the student's teacher, classmates, or the wider homeschooling community.

When selecting a homeschooling essay topic, students should consider their personal interests, experiences, and knowledge. It is essential to choose a topic that is meaningful and relevant to the student's homeschooling experience. Additionally, students should consider the audience and purpose of the essay, as well as the availability of credible sources and research materials. By carefully considering these factors, students can choose a topic that will allow them to showcase their critical thinking, writing, and research skills.

Educational Benefits of Homeschooling

The impact of individualized learning on homeschooling students
The role of parents as educators in the homeschooling environment
The benefits of homeschooling for students with special needs
Comparing the academic achievements of homeschooled students to traditional school students
The effectiveness of homeschooling in fostering creativity and critical thinking

Social and Emotional Development in Homeschooling

The socialization of homeschooling students in comparison to traditional school students
The impact of homeschooling on the development of social skills and emotional intelligence
Addressing the misconceptions and stereotypes surrounding homeschooled students
The role of extracurricular activities and community involvement in homeschooling
The influence of the homeschooling environment on mental health and well-being

Homeschooling Curriculum and Methods

Comparing different homeschooling curriculum options
The benefits and challenges of online homeschooling programs
The impact of technology on homeschooling education
Exploring alternative teaching and learning methods in the homeschooling environment
The role of field trips and hands-on learning in homeschooling

Homeschooling and Legal/Social Issues

The legal requirements and regulations for homeschooling in different states
The impact of homeschooling on the public education system
The influence of cultural and societal attitudes towards homeschooling
The rights and responsibilities of homeschooling parents and students
The role of homeschooling advocacy and support groups

Personal Experiences and Reflections on Homeschooling

The impact of homeschooling on family dynamics and relationships
Challenges and successes of transitioning from traditional school to homeschooling
The role of self-motivation and discipline in homeschooling education
Personal growth and development through the homeschooling experience
Addressing misconceptions and stereotypes about homeschooling through personal narratives

Global Perspectives on Homeschooling

The prevalence and acceptance of homeschooling in different countries
Comparing homeschooling practices and policies in different cultural and social contexts
The impact of globalization and technology on homeschooling education
Exploring the role of homeschooling in addressing educational inequality and access to quality education
The influence of international trends and movements on the homeschooling community

Parental Involvement

The role of parents as educators in homeschooling
Challenges and benefits of homeschooling for parents
Effective communication between parents and children in homeschooling
Parental support for extracurricular activities in homeschooling
Balancing work and homeschooling as a parent

Cultural and Diversity Perspectives

Homeschooling in different cultural contexts
The impact of homeschooling on religious and cultural beliefs
Addressing diversity and inclusion in homeschooling
Homeschooling and multicultural education
The role of language and heritage in homeschooling

These essay topics should give you a good starting point for exploring the various aspects of homeschooling. By considering these categories and the suggested topics within each, students can identify a relevant and engaging topic for their homeschooling essay. Whether they choose to explore the educational benefits of homeschooling, reflect on their personal experiences, or delve into legal and social issues surrounding homeschooling, there are ample opportunities for students to showcase their critical thinking and writing skills in the context of homeschooling.

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14 Homeschooling Essay Topics for Elementary and High-School Students

Hello everyone! In this article, we’re going to talk about some really cool essay topics just for kids who are homeschooled. If you’re learning at home, either as a younger kid or a high school student, you’ll find some fun and interesting ideas here for writing essays. We’ll look at different topics that you can write about, like your favorite book, what your day is like when you learn at home, or even your thoughts about technology in education. For each topic, I’ll also tell you why it’s a good idea to write about it and what you might want to include in your essay.

So, get ready to explore some exciting ideas that will make your homeschool writing projects super fun! Stuggling to get started? A writing service can bean excited to help you find the perfect topic, so let’s jump right in and start exploring these fantastic essay ideas!

Homeschooling Essay Topics for Elementary Students

“my favorite book and what i learned from it”.

This topic is great because it lets you talk about a book you really love. You can explain why it’s your favorite, what the story is about, and what important things you learned from it. Maybe the book taught you about being brave, kind, or how to solve problems. You can share your favorite parts and what you think about the characters.

“A Day in My Life as a Homeschooler”

This essay is fun because you get to describe what a typical home schooling day looks like for you. You can talk about your daily routine, the subjects you study, and the special activities you do at home. It’s a good way to show others how homeschooling is different from going to a regular school and what you like about it.

“How I Would Design My Dream Playground”

This topic lets you use your imagination! You can dream up your perfect playground and describe what it would have in it. Would it have super tall slides, a maze, or maybe a treehouse? You can explain why you chose these things and how you would enjoy playing there.

“Creating My Own Learning Adventure”

This topic is fantastic because you can write about how you design your own learning experiences in homeschooling and public schooling. Talk about choosing what you want to learn, how you like to learn it (like through books, videos, or experiments), and why this makes learning fun and exciting for you.

“The Role of Parents in My Education”

This essay idea is great because you can discuss how your teachers and parents help you learn at home. You can describe what they do, like teaching you subjects, setting up experiments, or taking you on educational trips. It’s a chance to think about how learning with your family is special and different from regular schools.

“How I Stay Connected with Friends and Community”

This topic is important because it’s about social life in homeschooling families. You can write about how you make and keep friends, participate in community events or clubs, and what activities you do to meet new people. It’s a good way to show that homeschoolers can have a vibrant social life too.

“My Favorite Homeschool Project and What I Learned”

This topic is perfect for young homeschoolers because it lets you talk about a project you really enjoyed doing at home. You can describe what the project was, whether it was a science experiment, a history presentation, a piece of art, or even growing a plant. Explain why this project was your favorite and what new things you learned from it. Maybe you discovered interesting facts, developed a new skill, or just had a lot of fun while learning. This essay topic gives you a chance to share your creativity and curiosity, showing how homeschooling allows you to explore topics you’re passionate about in your own unique way.

Homeschooling Essay Topics for High School Students

“the impact of technology on education”.

This is a great topic because technology is a big part of our lives, including education. You can discuss how technology has changed the way we learn, like using computers for research or apps for learning new things. You can also talk about the good and bad sides of having technology in education.

“Comparing Homeschooling and Traditional Schooling”

This essay topic is interesting because it lets you explore the differences and similarities between homeschooling and going to a regular school. You can talk about things like teaching methods, social interactions, and how each type of schooling prepares you for the future and society. It’s a chance to think about what each method offers and what could be improved.

“The Role of Outdoor Activities in Education”

This topic is important because it’s about how doing things outside, like sports, hiking, or even gardening, can help with learning. You can discuss why these activities are good for health, how they can make learning more fun, and what skills they can teach, like teamwork or problem-solving. This essay can show homeschooled children that education isn’t just about books and classrooms.

“Self-Directed Learning: My Experiences and Challenges”

This essay topic is insightful as it allows you to reflect on managing your own education. Discuss the independence and responsibility of choosing what and how you learn, the challenges you face in the world of self-directed learning, and how it prepares you for life beyond school.

“Public or Private Schools: A Comparison from a Homeschooler’s Perspective”

This topic is really interesting because it gives homeschooled students, a chance to explore and compare what you know and think about both a public school and private school. Even though you’re homeschooled, you can research and write about the differences and similarities between these types of schools. You can discuss things like teaching methods, class sizes, types of subjects offered, and the overall environment.

This essay allows you to think about how each kind of school might affect students’ learning and experiences, and how your homeschooling experience compares to them. It’s a great opportunity to understand more about the different ways people learn and to appreciate the unique aspects of your own homeschooling journey.

“Balancing Academic and Personal Interests in Homeschooling”

This topic is great for exploring how homeschooling allows for a balance between school work and personal interests. You can talk about how you integrate your hobbies, like music or sports, into your learning plan and how this balance benefits your child for overall education and well-being.

“Preparing for the Future: College and Career Readiness in Homeschooling”

This essay is valuable as it focuses on how homeschooling prepares you for college or careers. Discuss the skills you’ve gained, like time management and independent study, how you’re preparing for college entrance exams or exploring career paths, and the advantages and challenges you face in this preparation as a homeschooler or homeschooling parents.

Writing essays is a fantastic activity for homeschool students, including those who might find writing challenging. Essays give you a chance to express your thoughts and ideas in your own words, which is a great way to learn and remember new things. For students who have difficulties with writing , essays can be especially helpful. They offer a way to practice and improve your writing skills at your own pace, without the pressure of a traditional classroom setting.

Writing about topics that interest you, like your favorite homeschool project or your thoughts on public and private schools, can make the process more enjoyable and less intimidating. Remember, each essay you write helps you become a better writer and thinker, and that’s something to be proud of. So, whether writing comes easy to you or it’s a bit of a challenge, embrace the opportunity to express yourself through your homeschool essays. It’s a wonderful part of your learning journey

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Homeschool Essay Curriculum for ANY Kind of Writer
Presented in a 10-week, 4 days per week, format these downloadable pdf guides will teach your homeschooler the steps to writing a coherent essay including: -Basic essay format. -Persuasive essays. -Literary analysis. -Compare/contrast essays. -Editorials/letters to the editor. -Tips for taking a short-answer essay test)
Homeschool Writing Curriculum: 17 Actually Engaging Options
It emphasizes creativity and individuality, incorporating various elements of language arts such as grammar, spelling, literature, and writing. This curriculum is by far the most popular one with Prisma parents! Grade Levels: Pre-K to 12th grade. Cost: Individual online classes range from $99 to $199 per course.
Complete Guide to Homeschool Writing Curriculum for Every Budget and
WriteShop Junior (ages 8-13) can pick from a number of things or bundle them all together: activity pack, teacher's guide, fold-and-go grammar guide, and time-saver pack. WriteShop 1 & 2 (Middle School/High School) requires a student workbook, teacher's guide, and dictation/copy work guide. Price: $41 - $110.
Homeschool Writing Curriculum
Writing Doesn't Have to be a Struggle. The Write Foundation is a homeschool writing curriculum developed to equip students with the tools to quickly organize and compose sentences, paragraphs, and essays with confidence. Lessons break down writing into bite-sized pieces so students confidently move step-by-step to complete their writing ...
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Top 5 High School Writing Curriculums. IEW. Easy Grammar. Analytical Grammar. Jensen's Grammar. BJU Press Grammar & Writing. Research papers, essay writing, grammar, and communication are several of the critical writing skills that are learned in high school.
Online Homeschool Writing & Literature Curriculum
Considered a best homeschool writing curriculum, EIW is featured in Cathy Duffy's Top102 Picks! Free Parent/Teacher Support Any time you have a question while working through the curriculum, you can call customer service, submit a ticket to the curriculum team, or schedule a call with one of our teachers.
Homeschool High School Writing
WriteShop is a homeschool high school writing option that is VERY user-friendly. It helps your teen work on the writing process step-by-step, and it also provides a LOT of support for whoever is doing the grading (that's you, mom!). WriteShop provides a rubric (i.e., grading checklist) for each assignment, so there is no more guessing about how ...
The Five-Paragraph Essay: What, Why, and How for Homeschoolers
It is a composition that is written with — you guessed it — five paragraphs: an introduction which states a thesis, then three supporting paragraphs, then a conclusion. So a five-paragraph essay is a persuasive essay, because the writer states an opinion about something and then proceeds to back it up. It follows the standard formula that ...
Different Types of Essays for Homeschoolers to Learn
This article will discuss the differences between formal and informal writing and give some tips and guidelines for writing four of the most commonly assigned types of essays: expository, personal, persuasive, and compare/contrast. Mastering these different types of essays will set your homeschool student up for success in college and in his or ...
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Discuss writing blocks and ways to overcome them. Discuss the planning process and experience how it helps flesh out an essay. Walk them through each lesson making sure they complete each step successfully before attempting to move on in the writing process. Working side by side with your student also helps you become a better instructor by ...
BEST Homeschool Writing Curriculum Picks // Options 2024
The Writing Life: Learn to Write Well homeschool course offered by Schoolhouse Teachers provides an essential platform for students to cultivate concise, clear, and influential writing skills, irrespective of their future career paths.. With a comprehensive duration of 34 weeks and tailored for grades 9-12, this text-based program underscores the universal importance of effective written ...
WriteAtHome.com
WriteAtHome exists to support families by helping students reach their writing potential and develop a love for literature, language, and history. Writing Courses. Asynchronous. Grades 6-12. With WriteAtHome, you can be confident your students are getting the instruction, practice, and coaching they need to become capable, college-ready writers.
The Easy Way To Teach Paragraph Writing
6. Goes Through Five Different Types of Paragraphs. Paragraph Writing for Kids teaches informative, narrative, persuasive, expository, and comparative paragraphs. It honestly did not even occur to me before buying this curriculum supplement how different each of these styles really is.
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Wordsmith Craftsman is intended for 9th-12th graders. The first part of the course covers practical writing. Part two reviews grammar skills and composition skills. And part three covers formal essay writing. Students can begin using the curriculum in 9th grade.
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Writing curriculum is a broad term that applies to a set of materials used to teach a writing course in a traditional school or a homeschool. A writing prompt refers to…. Students become better readers, thinkers, and learners in a discipline by processing their ideas through writing.Writing curriculum also helps students prepare for the day ...
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Writing Courses
This simple system will prepare her for ACT and SAT exams, college entrance essays, and any academic writing she encounters throughout high school, college, and beyond. PowerHouse Writing is your one-and-done homeschool essay-writing curriculum that is simple, thorough, and engaging. We offer a Grades 4-8 course and a High School course.
Essays on Homeschooling
When it comes to homeschooling, essay writing can be a valuable tool for students to develop critical thinking and communication skills. However, choosing the right topic is crucial to ensure that the essay is engaging, informative, and relevant to the homeschooling experience. In this article, we will discuss the importance of selecting ...
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The Effects of Homeschooling Essay Example. Traditionally, about 3% of American students study at home, but this year the figure could rise to 10%. This is due to a new reality - a global pandemic. Homeschooling was allowed in 1980 and is fully regulated by the local government of each state.
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Advantages and Disadvantages of Homeschooling. According to Lyman, the continuous rise in the number of home schooled students is a clear indication of the amount of dissatisfaction with the quality of education delivered at schools. We will write. a custom essay specifically for you by our professional experts.
14 Homeschooling Essay Topics for Elementary and High-School Students
Writing essays is a fantastic activity for homeschool students, including those who might find writing challenging. Essays give you a chance to express your thoughts and ideas in your own words, which is a great way to learn and remember new things. For students who have difficulties with writing, essays can be especially helpful.
The Effects of Homeschooling: Essay Example and Writing Tips
Conclusion. In conclusion, homeschooling has various effects on students' academic, social, and emotional development. While it provides personalized education and flexibility, addressing potential concerns such as standardized testing and socialization is essential. By actively participating in homeschooling communities, utilizing online ...
IELTS Writing Task 2: Homeschooling (Corrected essay)
Corrected essay: There is One view that suggests that children should be taught at home for their better development, while there is another view that suggests claims that it is essential for them to attend school. There are benefits attached to both views. Youngsters who go going to school often develop better social skills and life skills ...

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The Five-Paragraph Essay: What, Why, and How for Homeschoolers

WHAT is a five-paragraph essay?

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Start with a good foundation

Hold their hand as much as they need you hold their hand.

Use concrete assignments

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My Own Paragraph Writing Experience

The Typical Way To Teach Paragraph Writing

The Disconnect For Many Kids When It Comes To Writing Paragraphs

The Easy Way To Success In Paragraph Writing

What I Love About Paragraph Writing For Kids

1. Completely Independent

2. Very Budget Friendly

3. Step-By-Step Process With Tons of Examples

4. Fantastic Tips On Introductory And Closing Sentences

5. Lessons Are Written In A Conversational Tone

6. Goes Through Five Different Types of Paragraphs

7. Easily Added To Any Language Arts/Writing Curriculum

8. It’s So Easy To Use In My Homeschool

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2. How long does it take to get through a lesson?

3. Do I need a teacher’s guide?

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Easy to Use Homeschool Writing Curriculum for Teaching Practical Writing Skills for High Schoolers

Why Your Homeschool Writing Curriculum Should Teach Practical Writing Skills

Students Need to Know How to Use Practical Writing Skills to Organize Their Lives and Days

Students Need Writing Skills to Get Into College…or Apply for a Job

Students Need to Know How to Take Notes and Paraphrase

Students Need to be Able to Communicate Ideas in Writing

How This Homeschool Writing Curriculum Teaches Practical Writing Skills