Homeschooled high schoolers should be proficient in several types of writing. Each of my 5 kids had some writing projects that they loved and some that they hated, but I required them to have experience in them all. In fact, in our local homeschool umbrella school requires it, too. Never once, in twenty years of high schooling, have any of those kids come back to me after graduation and said, “I sure wish you hadn’t made me do all that writing.”
Writing Projects for the Homeschool Transcript
Rather, many of the homeschoolers (including my own kids) have reported that they are confident in their writing skills and get some of the best grades in their college composition classes.
Here are the 5 writing projects that our teens complete each high school year:
1. Research paper (MLA, APA or Chicago style)
Homeschool high schoolers should write research papers. Research-paper writing builds thinking and communication skills for all teens. For college-bound teens writing these papers prepares them for the rigors of their courses.
The paper length varies according to our homeschoolers’ grade and level (average to honors).
Click here for the guidelines we use on how many papers teens should write for each year and ability.
Download one of our research paper guides.
MLA Research Paper Guide teaches the defense of an idea and
Chicago-style Research Paper Guide teaches detailed quotes and footnotes
Each style’s guide takes students step-by-step through the process. They are simple, user-friendly, not overdone, and NO busywork.
2. Five-paragraph essays
Essays are the basics of writing. Teens will use essays to apply for college and in college classes. Even average, non-college-bound teens will find themselves writing an occasional essay for trade exams.
There are a number of these essays that need to be covered: SAT topics, persuasive, compare-contrast, literature analysis and more. The number of essays varies each year according to grade and level.
Middle-schoolers through upperclassmen can work through the 7Sisters essay guides in a few minutes each day. The guides are quick, easy, and confidence-building. Download one today.
3. Poetry
Sometimes people are surprised that we require our homeschool high schoolers to write poetry. Here’s why we do: Even homeschoolers who hate poetry should learn the word-power skill of poetry. Poetic language skills help students write great research papers and essays. My sister, who is a college professor, tells me how grateful she is when she sees a well-worded paper (when you read 200 freshman papers on the same topic, to discover good writing is a relief).
Try our poetry guides! They begin so simply that even a total novice can gain creative word skill in only 15 minutes per day for 5 weeks. Download Introductory Poetry Writing, then explore the many other choices later on.
4. Short Stories
The creativity employed in constructing short stories helps high schoolers develop good paper-writing skill. Some homeschool high schoolers will even discover that they love writing short stories and move on to writing novels!!
Fun, non-threatening, self-directed and NO busywork short story guide are a delightful way to develop short story skills through family narratives, tall tales, and myth-fantasies.
Start by downloading Family Narrative Short Story Writing, if your homeschool high schoolers have little creative writing experience.
Want some holiday creative writing experiences? For your teens, download the Christmas Family Narrative Writing Guide. AND in Senior Year, your teens will LOVE the Creative Chronicling Guide (you might have fun with it, too).
As always, 7Sisters Short Story Writing Guides are meant for fun and growth. They contain NO-busywork and lots of step-by-step instructions. Download some for your homeschool high schoolers, they may be shocked at first, if they’ve never done creative writing, but they will love it once they are started!
5. Business and Technical Writing
Business and Technical Writing includes important writing skills that homeschool high schoolers will need in their adult lives, like:
- Writing a Business Letter
- Writing a Letter of Complaint
- Writing an Organizational Newsletter (2 weeks recommended for this lesson)
- Taking and Formatting Meeting Minutes
- Writing Advertising Copy and Press Releases
- Writing a Product Review
- Writing a Book Review
- Writing a Set of How-To Instructions
- Writing a Professional Bio
- Writing an Expository Speech (2 weeks recommended for this lesson)
- Writing a Project Proposal and Abstract
7Sisters Business and Technical Writing workbook is called Professional Writing and contains all the above topic in our famous, step-by-step, no-busywork format.
For more thoughts on writing projects and Language Arts in general, check out this post from our friend, Betsy, at BJ’s Homeschool.
Check our our Authoritative Guide on High School Writing Requirements and for a in-depth discussion on goals and grading writing assignments for homeschool high school, check out this post.
Prepare your homeschooling high schooler for the next things in life with these 5 writing projects. Take a look at Sabrina’s vlog on plagiarism!
Writing Projects for the Homeschool Transcript
7Sisters email subscribers receive periodic practical encouragement, special offers and NO SPAM EVER.
Click the image above to periodically receive real homeschool value in your inbox.
For a sixth, a CV since homeschoolers do so many wonderful activities!
Oh, my, yes!! Thanks for the reminder, Terriann! CV writing is a necessary life skill!