Category: Design Curriculum

Benefits of Adding Web Writing to Homeschool Curriculum

1/30/2015

by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff

Looking for something new and innovative to add to your child's homeschool curriculum? Need something more challenging or just something different? Try adding web writing. If you are already an online freelance writer, this should be simple for you. If not, study up and teach the kids what you learn. Web writing is a valuable skill for the workforce.

How Does Web Writing Differ?

Web writing varies from print writing, in that it needs to appeal to an audience with a shorter attention span. It needs to be more concise. It also needs to be easily found by the search engines. If no one can find it, there is no point in writing it. You can't just go to the magazine stand and pick up a copy. Search engines are generally the way people find works published online.

Because of that, it needs to be written in a way that is not only understandable to readers, but to the search engines as well. Catchy titles should be substituted for more to-the-point titles so that readers and the search engines will understand what you are discussing. Those are just some of the notable differences. The Yahoo! Style Guide is a great resource when learning about web writing.

Why Add Web Writing to Homeschool Curriculum

Web writing skills can be beneficial to many different career paths. In the digital age, it may even be safe to say that web writing is a vital skill. Unless a business is very small or is just starting out, chances are, they have a website or at least a blog or Twitter page. Companies are finding out more and more how important it is to have an online presence.

Adding this to your child's homeschool curriculum can help give him or her a head start in life. Even if your child is not planning on being a writer, she may need to maintain a company website for her business. Knowing how to write for a web audience and search engines will help that website (and in turn, the business) get noticed easier.

Ways to Add Web Writing to Homeschool Curriculum

If your child is old enough, he can sign up for content sites and submit work for publication. Just be sure to check guidelines. Some sites allow 13-year-olds plus to join. While others only allow those 18 and over to write for them. Also, not all sites will pay for your child's work. If she is just doing this to learn or for fun, the payment part may not be that big of a deal.

Another option is to have your child maintain a blog or even his own website. It all depends on what your child is interested in and what you think she can handle. Don't put too much pressure on your child. Allowing freedom is important when it comes to creative endeavors, such as writing.

What Should My Child Publish?

School research papers are a great way to get started with article writing. Writing an article is similar to doing a research paper in some aspects. This makes it easy for you to transition your child into writing articles. Start with one or two things at a time, such as making wording more simple or using SEO.

Your child may also want to publish poetry and short stories. Keep in mind that these don't generally do well online, as far as getting views without an existing audience. You can explain this to your child. Poetry and short stories can be optimized for the web. But it's much harder with stories because web readers don't generally stay on the same article or story long enough to read past a page or two. Non-fiction articles generally have the best success online. But allow your child to be creative and publish what he feels in his heart to publish.

*I originally published this via Yahoo Contributor Network

How to Homeschool: Integrate Field Trips Into Homeschool Lessons

12/25/2014

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by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff

Field trips are a very important part of learning. They teach hands-on learning and learning through experience and observation. As a homeschooling mother, I have planned many lessons that also involved utilizing trips outside the home. Learning how to integrate field trips into homeschool lessons gets easier as you go.

Consider the lesson topic. Look up places in your area that center around that Subject. For instance, if your child is learning about the heart, find out what museums in your area have coordinating exhibits. Some museums also have IMAX theater showings on various educational themes. Keep up to date on the listings so you can incorporate field trips for those into appropriate lessons. See if local hospitals have any related tours or classes they offer to students. If none of those work out, there's always the library. Every lesson has an extra place you can go to in order to learn more.

Be inventive. Think of hands-on things that require leaving the house, but may not necessarily be a formal field trip destination. This could be area parks and trails, the beach, an animal shelter, and more. Any place that can involve hands-on learning and is related to a recent lesson can be considered field trip. Be creative and versatile with your choices. Plan trips to these locations in accordance with the lessons or curriculum.

Research museum, library, and community classes in your area. These are the perfect destinations for field trips. While some may be just like a classroom setting, it is a chance for your students to do something different. Sign the kids up for classes and be sure to teach related lessons in the same timeframe. This may require some shifting around.

Check event schedules, local listings, and local organizations. Most communities have festivals, expos, free days, and other events that would be useful in teaching kids various things. For instance, zoos and museums often host free days. Libraries often have classes and story time. They also might hold book sales. Animal shelters may host fun events with the animals or have free classes on animal care. Kids can even volunteer if they are the right age. The same is true for some nursing home and rehabilitation facilities. Check calendars and other local listings to see what is going going on in your area. Some of these will be repetitive or ongoing and can be worked into the lesson schedule as needed.

Pulling it all together. When looking over the classes and events scheduled, you may see that some don't align well. If you're teaching your child about the brain, one museum has a related lecture, and another has a hands-on lesson, but they are not scheduled together, this can be an inconvenience. It's ideal to keep as many related lessons together as possible. But don't miss out on good lessons if they are available. Any opportunity to learn should be taken advantage of.

*I originally published this via Yahoo Contributor Network

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Should I Design My Child's Homeschool Curriculum Myself?

12/3/2014

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by Lyn Lomasi, Write W.A.V.E. Media Staff

If you have recently made the decision to homeschool, you may be pondering the best curriculum choices. There are so many options, such as pre-packaged curriculum, online curriculum, virtual school, co-ops, and more. You may even be thinking "Should I design my child's homeschool curriculum myself?" Our family has tried many, many options, including me writing out every single lesson by hand.

What is your lifestyle? This is the very first thing you need to ask yourself. Your family's lifestyle will have a great deal to do with which choices may be best. If you like to be on the go, certain curriculum choices will not work with that. For instance, if the materials are not very portable, you're going to have a big problem. If you choose an online curriculum, you need to have Internet access at all times, even when you leave the house. An active family might benefit from free schooling or unschooling. Designing the curriculum yourself can be beneficial with many lifestyles, as it's customizable. However, some people may not have the time needed to fully commit to this. Be sure to consider your family's lifestyle and habits when you make your decision.

Can you commit to this plan all year long? Unless you are an experienced writer, you probably cannot write your child's entire curriculum at the beginning of the year. You'll probably need to do it in segments year-round. Can you commit to this? Will you? You may be feeling ambitious at the moment. But if you have a habit of starting major projects that don't get finished, this may not be the best method for you. However, if you're known to plow ahead even through tough projects, writing your child's own curriculum might work for you.

Do you know the state standards? This is extremely important when writing your child's lessons yourself. You should know what the standards are for the area you live in. You can find those out by by checking with the Department of Education in your state and also by checking to see if your state has adopted the Common Core State Standards Initiative. The Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA) does not support having a national system like this. However, since it has been adopted, it is wise to follow at least the core standards. Depending on your state, it could also be the law to follow them. The HSLDA has a handy list to help you figure out what the legalities of homeschooling are in your state.

Is there a better option? When choosing between writing your child's curriculum or other methods, be sure you are making the correct decision. In some cases, a curriculum customized and written by the parent may be the best choice. In other cases, the child may learn more effectively another way. Weigh all your options and make the choice based both on your child's needs, as well as your ability to effectively teach your child using that option. There are ways to customize your child's education (such as combining materials) without having to develop an entire curriculum yourself.

Does this actually work? As someone who has used this method before, I know firsthand that it can definitely work for the right family. However, be prepared to be fully committed and very busy. If weighing all the options doesn't scare you away and it sounds like something that will fit your family's lifestyle, then go for it. If it doesn't work out, you can always move on to the next method. While writing the curriculum myself was a great option, because I also write for a living, I found that in order to have more time with my kids, it wasn't the best option for us. I would be spending entirely too much time writing. While I still write lessons and design games for them on occasion, I no longer do it full time.

*I originally published this via Yahoo Contributor Network

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Benefits of Adding Web Writing to Homeschool Curriculum

How to Homeschool: Integrate Field Trips Into Homeschool Lessons

Should I Design My Child's Homeschool Curriculum Myself?

Heart 'N Mind Homeschool Journal

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