BJU Press Blog

Meredith

How Do You Plan Your Homeschool Year?

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Planning Your Homeschool

One of my earliest homeschool memories is that Mom had a plan. She might not have printed it out for me to read, but it was clear that our day followed an organized schedule. Some homeschool days we stayed at home; other days I took my textbooks with me while we ran errands. Some were longer; others shorter, like the Fridays I attended art class with other homeschool kids.

Having a plan meant Mom could leave the room to take a long distance call and expect me to do what was next on the schedule. It also was a way to make sure that I reached the academic goals that she and my dad had set for me. But the plan was also flexible enough to allow for events that interrupted our day, like days at the park or doctor appointments.

As you prepare for the new homeschool year, what thought have you put into planning a daily, weekly, or monthly schedule? Here are some tips and helpful suggestions to plan your homeschool.

Now please don’t fall into the trap of “over-planning.” Some people might argue there’s no such thing, but I have learned that there’s a balance that must be learned, and it looks different for every family. You might be a minute-by-minute-schedule person, but that kind of planning overwhelms me. The real key is to keep Isaiah 46:8–10 in mind. God is in control of all (including the “interruptions” to our plans) and always works out His good pleasure. There’s comfort in that truth.

What does your homeschool schedule look like?

Dates to Remember in June

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To me, June is the official start of summer. The weather has finally warmed up in most regions of the country, and our days are still getting longer as the northern hemisphere tilts toward the sun. And when I was a kid, June also meant that my workbooks and academic projects were put aside for swimming lessons and family visits.

But the one thing I didn’t take a break from was reading! Every time we got in the car, I brought a book along. For you and your little bookworms, our JourneyForth books provide great summer reading material. We’re also going to be promoting reading the entire month of June. Keep an eye out for what’s coming!

Writers Born in June

  • Gwendolyn Brooks (born June 7, 1917) wrote the poem “We Real Cool” found in Fundamentals of Literature.
  • Ben Johnson (born June 11, 1572) wrote the poems “Song to Celia,” “Still to Be Near,” and “On My First Son” included in British Literature.
  • Anne Frank (born June 12, 1929) wrote a journal, now published as a book titled The Diary of a Young Girl, excerpts of which can be found in Excursions in Literature.
  • Joyce Carol Oates (born June 16, 1938) wrote the short story “Murder” included in American Literature.
  • Helen Keller (born June 27, 1880) wrote an essay called “The Most Important Day.”

WP-Remembrance in Action: A Memorial Day Project; Rebecca, 5/2016; WP-Dates to Remember in June; Meredith; 5/2016

June 6

Known as D-day, June 6, 1944, was the day near the end of World War II when the Allied Forces began an attack to free Europe of Nazi occupation. General Dwight D. Eisenhower led this campaign—Operation Overlord—the largest amphibious operation in military history. It quickened the end of the war in Europe. View the Untold Stories of D-day from National Geographic to learn about the planning and scale of this invasion.

June 14

Show your patriotism on Flag Day. Today we remember when the Continental Congress passed a resolution to choose a flag that represented our nation. The US flag changed in layout and design as our nation grew, but today its form is defined. The Stars and Stripes is an important national symbol that reminds us about our freedom. Each of the fifty stars represent one of our fifty states, and there are thirteen red and white alternating stripes to symbolize the original thirteen colonies. See how the flag changed as states were added to the Union.

homemade Father's Day card with gift coupons

June 19

Don’t forget to tell Dad you love him on Father’s Day! A father’s love is the closest human comparison we have to our heavenly Father’s tender care for us. And despite the times our earthly fathers disappoint us, we can be sure that God in His wisdom always does what is good (Romans 8:28-32). The kids can offer to wash the car, clean the garage, or take Dad to his favorite game with this coupon template.

diagram of Earth rotating around the Sun

June 20

This year summer officially arrives on this date. Today is the summer solstice. That means the sun’s rays are shining straight down on 23½ degrees N latitude at noon. This latitude is also known as the Tropic of Cancer. The seasons are a direct result of the earth’s motion around the sun, and this day is defined by a distinct point in the earth’s orbit. It’s when the North Pole is tilted toward the sun, and that’s why we have warmer temperatures and longer days. Take advantage of the longest day of the year to go on a family hike. This blog post has some nature trail tips and a hiking trail journal for the kids.

How do you celebrate the beginning of summer? Let me know in a comment.

How to Plan for a Writing Project

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It’s that time again. You’re probably starting to do some homeschool planning for next year. The browser history on your phone might be full of pages from your favorite homeschool websites. You might even have notes either typed or handwritten comparing and contrasting the textbooks you might switch to. But deciding what curriculum to use is only one piece of the planning process for next year. There’s also planning the day-to-day schedule, extra activities, chores, household details . . .  You understand.

Planning a writing project may not be quite as involved as planning for the next homeschool year, but in both situations the results are affected by how well we prepare. Just as you use a homeschool planner to organize your day, your child can use graphic organizers to plan his writing project. Let’s take a look at some planning tips and graphic organizers that can help your child succeed with his writing projects.

Planning, the first step in the five-step writing process, helps make writing the first draft easier by creating a clear framework for the entire project. The writer (your child) is able to see the flow of thought he wants to communicate. A good way to start planning is by having him answer these questions.

  • What topic are you writing about?
  • Why are you writing?
  • Whom are you writing for?
  • How are you going to format your writing?

As he answers these questions, have him take time to brainstorm (and possibly research) ideas and information related to his topic. A practical way to group these details together and decide the order to arrange them in is with a graphic organizer. Some graphic organizers work better with different writing projects.

Plot Pyramid

A word web is one type of graphic organizer. It can be used to organize details about a topic, an event, or even a character in a story. After listing out details, your child can number them in the order in which he wants to write about them.

Creating a senses chart is another way your child can plan out a writing project. Just like it sounds, this chart relates to the five senses and is great for helping your child write a description. Have him draw five columns on a blank piece of paper and answer the following questions:

  • How does it look?
  • How does it sound?
  • How does it taste?
  • How does it smell?
  • How does it feel?

Have your child list sensory words in each column to describe the object. This list of words should include terms that help the reader mentally see, hear, taste, smell, or feel what is being read. (Sometimes only a few senses can be used to describe an object.)

A plot pyramid is a graphic organizer that establishes the beginning, middle, and end of a story. (Its counterpart for planning nonfiction writing would be a time-order chart.) Visually showing the arc that takes place in a creative story is important to help children see that the problem (usually a conflict between characters) and the solution are the transition points of their whole story.

You and I both know that taking time to plan brings benefits in multiple areas of life. Teaching your child to be a good, clear communicator for the glory of God begins with the planning stage.

Find more graphic organizers and writing resources in the BJU Press elementary English curriculum.

Remember These Dates in May

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It’s not often that the name of a month can also be used as another part of speech. In fact, I think only three months qualify—May (verb), March (verb), and August (adjective). So here’s my wish for you: may your month of May be filled with wonderful possibilities! Here are a few celebrations for your family to add to your list.

photograph of Alan Shepard in astronaut suit

May 5

Alan Shepard entered space in 1961. He was the first American astronaut to do so. His space flight on a Mercury spacecraft lasted less than sixteen minutes, but it proved to be a successful step toward our country’s future voyages to the moon. Learn more about Alan Shepard and his contribution to our space program.

May 8

It’s mothers’ special day! Mothers everywhere deserve recognition for giving the gift of life. And having a godly mother is a special blessing from the Lord. Have you been blessed by having a “Titus 2 woman” in your life? Thank (or remember) her on this day with your words and actions.

Train-illustration

May 10

Completion of the transcontinental railroad took place this day in 1869. Civil War veterans, Irish immigrants, and Chinese immigrants built a railroad track that would connect our nation. One team (Union Pacific) worked its way west while the other team (Central Pacific) pushed east. They met in Promontory Point near Ogden, Utah. The transcontinental railroad brought change to the Great Plains as people and agricultural products moved easily across the grasslands, but the vast herds of buffalo the nomadic Indians depended on declined after that. Use this video to show your kids how the transcontinental railroad changed America.

May 12

Celebrate Limerick Day by creating a rhyme. Usually humorous in tone, a limerick consists of five lines and has a defined meter (often anapestic) and rhyming scheme (AABBA). The first line introduces a person and place and establishes the poem’s main rhyming scheme. Ask your kids to write their own limericks—just copy this example (by Eileen Berry and Dawn Watkins) from BJU Press Reading 4 (2nd edition):

There was an old man from Pompeii
Who gave talks on volcanoes each day.
When the mountain erupted,
He got interrupted
And forgot what he wanted to say.

illustration of Lewis and Clark expedition

May 14

The Lewis and Clark expedition began on this date in 1804. Sent by President Jefferson, Meriweather Lewis and William Clark and their Discovery Corps set out to explore the regions of the Louisiana Territory, which our nation had purchased from the French. Beginning at the Mississippi River, the expedition traveled west and documented geography, peoples, and vegetation. See what date they reached the Pacific Ocean, and use this interactive lesson to teach your kids about this important expedition.

photograph of Clara Barton

May 21

On this date Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross in 1881. During the American Civil War, Clara Barton saw a need to provide supplies and medical aid to people. Known as the “Angel of the Battlefield,” she used her skills to fulfill God’s command that we love our neighbors (Matthew 22:36–40). After the war, Clara traveled to Europe and learned about the International Red Cross organization that provided relief to the sick and wounded. An inspiring role model, Barton’s service to others reached global proportions when she was given presidential approval for the United States to join the Red Cross network. Learn more about her achievements and take a virtual tour of her home, which served as the headquarters of the American Red Cross.

May 24 & 27

Ever since studying Physics in high school, I have found bridges fascinating. Their history, beautiful designs, and construction amaze me. On May 24, 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge opened to connect Brooklyn and Manhattan. A little over fifty years later, California’s Golden Gate Bridge opened on May 27, 1937, spanning San Francisco Bay.

  • Learn about John A. Roebling and how he and his family influenced the construction of both bridges.
  • See how the Brooklyn Bridge influenced America in this video.
  • Find tips for visiting the Golden Gate Bridge.
  • Learn about the history of the Golden Gate Bridge with these FAQs.

illustration of a veteran saying the pledge to the American flag

May 30

Today we honor those in the armed services who gave their lives for us so that we could be free. Taking time to reflect on their sacrifice as well as the sacrifice of their families should make us grateful. Use this blog post to teach about the history of Memorial Day and find ways your kids can participate in this holiday.

What observances are you adding to this list? Let me know in a comment below!

How to Teach Paragraph Writing

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We could argue that paragraph writing is a lost art these days. Technology has brought about huge changes in written communication. From status updates to texting, messages seem to be reduced down to abbreviations. But does that approach work for your child’s writing project? Maybe, maybe not.

The answer mainly depends on how well the entire written message communicates. And that’s where the need for paragraph writing comes in.

Paragraph Definition

A paragraph sets up a logical flow of complete thoughts (sentences) about a particular topic. The first sentence gives the main idea of the paragraph. All of the other sentences tell more about that idea.

In its simplest form, the paragraph includes these three elements: a topic, a topic sentence, and supporting sentences. Once your child has developed some writing and grammar skills, the sentences should also add interest and explain details.

Spring Word Web

Writing Activity

You can introduce the paragraph to your child by using this word web about spring. The first sentence of the paragraph should introduce the season and the main idea of the paragraph. Each sentence that follows adds more detail about the main idea.

Mastering paragraph writing looks different for each child, but this foundational skill is typically developed in second or third grade. By communicating his thought process through the use of multiple paragraphs, your child can launch into more advanced types of writing such as personal narratives, book reports, letters, and creative stories.

Extra Practice

If your child needs some extra practice in paragraph writing, assign a paragraph topic and then discuss these questions with him when he’s finished writing.

  • What’s the main idea?
  • Does the first sentence give that idea?
  • Are the sentences written in an order that makes sense?
  • What else would you like to know?

Having him read the paragraph aloud will allow him to see if the flow of thoughts is logical. Repeating these steps strengthens your child’s understanding and application of the paragraph so that he can then be guided through the five-step writing process.

Writing projects should be simple at first and then build on your child’s skills as he matures in his writing and grammar. Teaching writing this way helps prepare him for the next writing project without overwhelming him. It also places emphasis on communicating a clear written message, which is something Christians need to be good at doing.

Find writing exercises and projects like the ones suggested above in BJU Press elementary English.

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