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HSHSP Ep 150: Why All the Language Arts Credits in Homeschool? Interview with Katie Glennon

This week on HSHSP Ep 150: Why All the Language Arts Credits in Homeschool? Interview with Katie Glennon. This post is running concurrently on the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network.

HSHSP Ep 150: Why All the Language Arts Credits in Homeschool? Interview with Katie Glennon. Reading, Writing and Speech skills help teens grow in their thinking and confidence skills!

HSHSP Ep 150: Why All the Language Arts Credits in Homeschool? Interview with Katie Glennon.

Homeschool high schoolers need 4 Language Arts credits on their transcripts. Why so many? We went to our friend, Katie Glennon, of Literary Cafe podcast and Katie’sHomeschoolCottage.com to find out.

Katie and her husband were originally teachers. Katie left education and had 2 children. They began homeschooling when one son was too wiggly for success in the traditional classroom. They kept on homeschool right through high school. (He’s now a Summa Cum Laude college graduate!)

Homeschooling was important for her next son, who has dyslexia (he is now in college, btw).

Katie believes that homeschooling in generally and especially in Language Arts, we will have the most success if we:

  • Play to their interests
  • Play to their skills

Teens need a rich Language Arts experience to help them develop their thinking and communication skills. To help with with these skills, give them exposure to

  • literature at their level and interests
  • speech at their level and interests
  • writing at their level and interests

Giving teens reading, speaking and writing skills  is important because words can plant goodness and growth in their lives!

Giving teens reading, writing and speech skills can give them words that plant goodness and growth in their lives.

Teach them to analyze what they read through their filter as a Christian. We can develop this skill by discussing what they are reading together. Have them participate in the discussion so that they can solidify a good critical thinking filter. (Mom might be wise to read along with her teens so she knows what they are reading and can discuss it. Audiobooks can help with this.)

How did Katie do discussion with her wiggly son? She found that if he was being respected for his opinions and could talk while he wiggled, he did great!

Be sure to give homeschool high schoolers background that helps them understand the context of the writing:

  • General historical context (the world of the Pilgrims was a different context than that of the Enlightenment)
  • The writer’s personal context (Charles Dickens’ family had experience with debtor’s prison)
  • The way the book, poem or speech influenced the world (Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin)

Teach teens basic speech skills (even if they only use it in the living room). This helps then focus their thinking skills and confidence. (7SistersHomeschool.com has a popular Speech curriculum.)

Speech I Public Speaking and Practical Life Skills 7SistersHomeschool.com

Click image for more information.

How did she handle reading with her son who had dyslexia? Read alouds, brain-integration therapy, allowing him choice in reading material.

Join Vicki and Katie Glennon for encouragement on the Language Arts journey!

You’ll enjoy Katie’s podcast. Try this great episode on book reports: Essential Guide to Out of the Box Book Report Ideas and Literary Study.

Visit her website with encouragement, resources, tutoring and courses: Katie’s Homeschool Cottage.

And you’ll enjoy Katie’s favorite Homeschool Highschool Podcast episode: Heavy Equipment Mothering.

Why is Language Arts Such a HUGE Credit?

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HSHSP Ep 150: Why All the Language Arts Credits in Homeschool? Interview with Katie Glennon.

HSHSP Ep 149: Got-to-Have Types of Courses for Homeschool Transcript

This week on HSHSP Ep 149: Got-to-Have Types of Courses for Homeschool Transcript. This post is running concurrently on the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network.

HSHSP Ep 149: Got-to-Have Types of Courses for Homeschool Transcript. Basic requirements for homeschool transcript for graduation.

HSHSP Ep 149: Got-to-Have Types of Courses for Homeschool Transcript

What kinds of courses do homeschool high schoolers need for graduation?

That is one of our FAVORITE topics! Join Sabrina and Vicki for a rollicking conversation about homeschool transcripts, courses and credits.

In a nutshell, teens need these four kinds of courses for a powerful transcript:

Core academic courses:

  • Core academics are the basic courses all transcripts need. Core academic courses include Language Arts, Maths, Social Studies, Science, and World Languages.
  • The number of credits needed in each of these categories varies by state, supervising organization or college of interest to your teen.

Other courses required by your state, supervising organization or college your teen wants to go to:

These types of course requirements vary widely from state to state. They also vary from family to family. Each family’s needs and interests are different. That’s the joy of homeschooling! Your teens can develop the transcript that is right for each of them. Examples of other courses would be: Fine Arts, Physical Education, Health, Social Sciences, and Drivers Education.

Elective courses:

These are courses that help your homeschool high schooler explore or develop an interest or skill. For teens who don’t have a clue what they are interested in, choose a wide variety of different kinds of courses until they land on something they love. For teens who are already invested in an interest or talent, enrich their experiences with courses in those areas.

7Sisters offers LOTS of elective choices (because we’ve had LOTS of different kinds of teens in our families and in our co-ops and group classes, so we’ve developed curriculum to meet their needs).

Career Exploration courses:

Career Exploration courses may be the most important courses of all. It is such an anxiety-producing experience for teens to come to senior year and feel like they have no direction. Get them started with a comprehensive Career Exploration program (our popular course has been, for years, getting homeschool high schoolers on the road toward their future).

Career Exploration: A Comprehensive Curriculum from 7 Sisters Homeschool

Click image for full product description.

Join Sabrina and Vicki for a you-can-do-it discussion of the courses your homeschool high schooler needs!

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HSHSP Ep 149: Got-to-Have Types of Courses for Homeschool Transcript

You Could Win in Our HSHSP 100,000 Download Celebration!

You could win in our HSHSP 100,000 Download Celebration!

HSHSP 100,000 Download Celebration! Homeschool Highschool Podcast is having a party!

You could win in our HSHSP 100,000 Download Celebration!

What’s cuter than a hedgehog having a party? Homeschool Highschool Podcast having a party, that’s what!

Well, not really. The hedgehog wins but we think YOU’LL be cute if you win one of the ten $10 coupons for free 7SistersHomeschool curriculum!

The first 10 people who leave a comment in 7SistersHomeschool Facebook group listing their favorite Homeschool Highschool Podcast episodes will win a $10 coupon toward any 7Sisters curriculum they want.

Haven’t joined 7SistersHomeschool Facebook group yet? NO problem. Just click here, we’ll approve you right away! We love to add our friends to this low-key, fun, supportive group.

Don’t remember which of the many episode where your favorites? Visit the Homeschool Highschool Podcast’s page at Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network and scroll through the titles to trigger your memory. There are 147 episodes as of today, so that’s a lot to choose from.

Think about it. Were there any episodes that:

  • Encouraged you?
  • Helped you understand how to homeschool high school?
  • Helped you deal with your teens?
  • Made you laugh?
  • Connected you with cool resources and ideas?
  • Inspired you with the stories of homeschool high schoolers and graduates?

Let us know!

We would also love to hear your ideas for episode topics? What are some things you would like for us to discuss? Are there some favorite people you would love for us to interview? We are always up for good ideas from our 7th Sisters.

AND in case you forgot…WHO is our 7th Sister? YOU ARE!

We love having LOTS of 7th Sisters in our homeschool friend group!

Be happy like the hedgehog! Hop over to 7SistersHomeschool’s Facebook page and leave a comment naming your favorite episode. If you are one of the first ten comments, you will win that $10 coupon!

You could win in our HSHSP 100,000 Download Celebration!

HSHSP Ep 148: Coding for Homeschool High Schoolers, Interview with Code Apprentice

This week on HSHSP Ep 148: Coding for Homeschool High Schoolers, Interview with Code Apprentice.  This post is running concurrently on the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network.

HSHSP Ep 148: Coding for Homeschool High Schoolers, Interview with Code Apprentice's Paul Drake. Teens can learn employable coding skills during homeschool high school.

HSHSP Ep 148: Coding for Homeschool High Schoolers, Interview with Code Apprentice

Paul Drake of Code Apprentice joins Vicki for a discussion on ways to introduce your homeschool high schoolers to coding, and to bring them to expertise level.

Paul is a homeschool graduate. He homeschooled all the way through, including co-ops during high school. Paul’s mother believed that it was important to explore interests, so when he asked to explore website building. His mother hopped on it and found experiences for him.

Paul got his introduction to website building from his dad. His dad introduced Paul to John at Samaritan’s Purse, who became his mentor. Paul did a lot of his own personal training, but John inspired him and opened doors for him to work at Samaritan’s Purse as soon as he graduated from homeschooling.

Teens need to learn to network! Paul can attest to that. His experiences with networking made his after-high-school success possible. Paul points out that homeschooling high school set him up for confident networking because homeschool teens are not age-group isolated, but are often having chances to chat with others

  • Talk to people older than you
  • Spend time in different organizations (volunteering, asking questions)

Paul reminds us: You can absolutely get a job in tech without having to go to college and get a degree. 

You absolutely can get a job in tech without going to college and getting a degree. Paul Drake of Code Apprentice tells how to develop employable coding skills.

There is greater demand for coders than there is supply. If you have built a portfolio in high school, you will be attractive to companies that need skilled coders.

Paul organization, Code Apprentice, helps teens build their coding skills, create portfolios AND work one-on-one with an expert mentor. Parents get progress reports and grades so that the training can be recorded on the transcript. Perfect for homeschool high schoolers!

Important goals of Code Apprentice is students obtain a *full stack coding education* and create an *end-to-end application* as they progress semester through semester during high school. Student develop a portfolio through project-based learning that makes them highly employable!

There are many resources for learning coding, Paul says coding training is available at:

  • Code Apprentice
  • Coding bootcamps
  • Co-op classes
  • Online courses
  • Mentoring experiences
  • Community college classes

Contact Paul Drake at [email protected]

Visit CodeApprentice.tech for more information.

Join Vicki and Paul for an enlightening conversation.

Get more Career Exploration information in these episodes of Homeschool Highschool Podcast:

Career Exploration for Teens who Love Everything

Career Exploration for Teens who Don’t Have a Clue

You’ll also be blessed by these Career Exploration posts:

5 Steps to Helping Teens Find Purpose

Homeschool Career Exploration: 5 Steps to Help Teens Find Purpose 7SistersHomeschool.com Finding purpose is part of comprehensive Career Exploration course.

Click image to read post.

Discovering Interests and Skills

Homeschool Career Exploration: Discovering Interests and Skills 7SistersHomeschool.com Expand your teens Career Exploration skills.

Click image to read post.

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  3. This will take you to iTunes and our own podcast page.
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  6. Thanks!

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HSHSP Ep 148: Coding for Homeschool High Schoolers, Interview with Code Apprentice

HSHSP Ep 147: Soft Skills for Teens: Teaching a Welcoming Culture

This week on HSHSP Ep 147: Soft Skills for Teens: Teaching a Welcoming Culture. This post is running concurrently on the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network.

HSHSP Ep 147: Soft Skills for Teens: Teaching a Welcoming Culture. Homeschool Highschool Podcast episode on empowering teens with the soft skills for a kind culture.

HSHSP Ep 147: Soft Skills for Teens: Teaching a Welcoming Culture

We’ve all had the experience of being the new person in a group and NO ONE talking to you or welcoming you in. We’ve all had an experience with cliques. We don’t want our kids to be part of that kind of unwelcoming culture. Instead we MUST teach them to create a welcoming culture. Join Vicki and Kym for one of their favorite topics!

To create a welcoming culture, we have taught our teens and our homeschool umbrella school necessary soft skills. The basis of the skills is the Principals of GOOF.

Principals of GOOF:

  • Respect God
  • Respect Others
  • Respect Ourselves
  • Respect Facilities

To make GOOF work:

  • Establish the norms and teach them to teens and adults.
  • Empower some thought-leader teens to be *facilitators* who introduce teens around, usher them through the day, sit with them at lunch, answer questions.
    • Practice with these facilitators ahead of time. Even introverts can play this role, because it is a role (they don’t have to worry about *being themselves*, in a way). This is good for extroverts, too, they need the practice and the role so that they remember to be inclusive.
    • Teach them to look around the perimeter of a group, find teens who are standing alone. Walk up and talk to them. Include them.
  • For new kids.
    • Teach them the magic nonverbals: Simply smile through the day, keep the shoulders up and chin up.
    • Sit near the front.
Teach your teens to create a welcoming culture. It's a skill that will last for a lifetime.

Remember, if you invest in a few leaders catch the GOOF, it will spread…  HOWEVER, all homeschool high schoolers, need to be GOOF trained. Talk it, talk it, talk it.

Remember, as our friend Dr. Melanie Wilson says, “Relationship before rules”. Develop those relationships and listen in on her podcast: Homeschool Sanity.

Remember, teaching drama class to homeschool high schoolers helps develop the confidence in playing a role like *facilitator* in real life. That’s why we have our drama resources that our teens have loved available to you at 7Sisters.

Remember, that Alexa will read 7SistersHomeschool.com posts to you. Here’s a post to tell you how.

AND remember that Vicki has LOTS of free resources at Vicki Tillman Coaching, including Confidence-Building Skills for Meeting New People. Download it for your teens.

Join Vicki and Kym for a fun and enlightening how-to discussion on soft skills, welcoming skills for teens.

 

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HSHSP Ep 147: Soft Skills for Teens: Teaching a Welcoming Culture

Suggested Syllabus for Human Development from a Christian Worldview

Here is a suggested syllabus for Human Development from a Christian Worldview.

Suggested Syllabus for Human Development

Suggested Syllabus for Human Development from a Christian Worldview

We have received requests for a syllabus for homeschool high schoolers who are working on 7Sisters’ Human Development text. While we believe that there’s not ONE right way to homeschool, sometimes it is nice to have a guide that can be easily tweaked.

Before we get started, let me also suggest that you, as mom and/or co-0p teacher, use the Lesson Plans for Human Development. It is a teacher’s guide and resource list full of extra activities, discussion and video links that are keyed, week-to-week with the text.

Lesson Plans for 7SistersHomeschool's Human Development from a Christian Worldview

Click image for full description.

Here is a suggested syllabus based on the course I have taught at our co-op and group classes.

Syllabus for Human Development

Name of Texts:

Human Development from a Christian Worldview, 7SistersHomeschool.com

Lesson Plans for Human Development from a Christian Worldview, 7SistersHomeschool.com

Human Development from a Christian Perspective by 7 Sisters Homeschool

Click here for more information.

Purpose of the course:

To learn the ways people grow and change from youth through old age, physically, cognitively, emotionally and socially. Upon completion of the course, student will have covered the scope and sequence for an introductory Human Development course and earned one credit in Human Development as (state level: Average, College Prep, Advanced, Honors. See chart on page 4 of text for instructions for achieving each level.)

Topics covered:

  • Prenatal Life
  • The Neonate
  • The First Two Years
  • Preschool Years – Ages Two to Five
  • The Elementary Years
  • Adolescence
  • Young Adulthood
  • Middle Adulthood
  • Senior Adulthood

Grading Scale (adjust to your needs):

  • Attendance 10% (if in co-op or group class)
  • Class Participation 40% (For co-op:this includes passing around homework,- so you must keep homework current to get a good participation grade. For individual: this includes attitude and timeliness of assignments)
  • Assignments 50% (must be neatly written and stapled-if text is printed out, or neatly typed in the editable text; and handed in according to syllabus)
  • Papers (if leveling up, must be neatly done, stapled together, and handed in according to syllabus)

Due Dates for Projects (to Level Up from Average to College Prep, Advanced or Honors. Add dates):

Test Dates (add dates):

  • Test 1: for Chapters 1 & 2
  • Test 2: for Chapter 3 
  • Test 3: for Chapter 4
  • Test 4: for Chapter 5
  • Test 5: for Chapter 6
  • Test 6: for Chapters 7, 8, & 9

Weekly assignments:

Week 1 Chapter 1: Prenatal Life

  • Read chapter and answer questions.

Week 2 Special Projects/Enrichment Activities for Chapter 1

Week 3 Chapter 2: The Neonate

  • Read chapter and answer questions.

Week 4 Special Projects/Enrichment Activities for Chapter 2

Week 5 Complete any extra work. Study for Test 1. Take Test 1 on Friday. (Read this post for test-taking skills.)

Week 6 Chapter 3: The First Two Years

  • Read chapter and answer questions.

Week 7 Special Projects/Enrichment Activities for Chapter 3

Week 8 Complete any extra work. Study for Test 2. Take Test 2 on Friday.

Week 9 Chapter 4: Preschool Years – Ages Two to Five

  • Read chapter and answer questions.

Week 10 Special Projects/Enrichment Activities for Chapter 4

Week 11 Complete any extra work. Study for Test 3. Take Test 3 on Friday.

Week 12 Chapter 5: The Elementary Years

  • Read chapter and answer questions.

Week 13 Special Projects/Enrichment Activities for Chapter 5

Week 14 Complete any extra work. Study for Test 4. Take Test 5 on Friday.

Week 15 Chapter 6: Adolescence

  • Read chapter and answer questions.

Week 16 Special Projects/Enrichment Activities for Chapter 6

Week 17 Complete any extra work. Study for Test 5. Take Test 5 on Friday.

Week 18 Chapter 7: Young Adulthood

  • Read chapter and answer questions.

Week 19 Special Projects/Enrichment Activities for Chapter 7

Week 20 Chapter 8: Middle Adulthood

  • Read chapter and answer questions.

Week 21 Special Projects/Enrichment Activities for Chapter 8

Week 22 Chapter 9: Senior Adulthood

  • Read chapter and answer questions.

Week 23 Special Projects/Enrichment Activities for Chapter 9

Week 24 Complete any extra work. Study for Test 6. Take Test 6 on Friday.

Week 25 Complete any further leveling up work.

This post will help your teen understand how to use a syllabus. Read and discuss it together.

 

Suggested Syllabus for Human Development from a Christian Worldview

 

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HSHSP 146: How to Find Teens’ Passions, Interview with Cindy West

This week on HSHSP 146: How to Find Teens’ Passions, Interview with Cindy West. This post is running concurrently on the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network.

Helping Teens Find Their Passions, Interview with Cindy West. Help homeschool high schoolers explore interests and talents for transcript credit.

HSHSP 146: How to Find Teens’ Passions, Interview with Cindy West

Join Vicki and our friend, Cindy West, of Our Journey Westward, NaturExplorers, and Homeschooling Gifted Kids. Cindy, who is well-known to many homeschool families,  has been homeschooling for 18 years has specialized in helping her homeschool high schoolers find and develop their interests and passions.

Cindy West of Our Journey Westward shares with Homeschool Highschool Podcast ways to help teens capture their passions as part of their academics.

Cindy West.
Photo used by permission.

Cindy’s teens learned how to identify, develop and make choices for their futures in their homeschool programs. Cindy shares how she helped her homeschool high schoolers lean into their interests and allow them to become passions.

  • Observe: Where do they get excited? Where do they invest their free time?
  • Get experiences: Go on field trips. Do some volunteer work, help others out who are in the field of interest. Go to the library
  • Discuss with experts: Interview adults. See if you can find shadowing or apprenticeship opportunities.
  • Include as part of their academic studies: Develop science, history and/or language arts courses.
  • Include as part of their career exploration electives: Give it an appropriate name and capture it on the transcript.

One of the special things that Cindy has done with her teens is allowing her teens to develop their own courses.

  • Divide the year into 36 weeks
  • Explore on the internet what other people cover for those courses
  • Ask teen to pinpoint their interests/goals for the course
  • Find a *spine*, a textbook or detailed, informative book (probably not in the juvenile section) as a base
  • Choose at least one major project: research paper, prepare a presentation, design an experiment
  • Plan out the year, month by month based on the topics of teen interest and what others cover
  • Turn the plan into a syllabus
  • Learn more about this with Cindy’s post on the topic.

Teens who develop their interests in homeschool high school gain important skills for life. Homeschool Highschool Podcast interview with Cindy West.

Cindy’s daughter was passionate about equine studies and developed high school courses to develop those interests. Her son has been interested in guitar, so they have deeply developed this interest and giftedness.

You’ll be blessed by this interview with Cindy West. Visit her website and social media, curriculum AND check out her book on homeschooling gifted kids to learn more!

Take a look at 7Sisters Career Exploration curriculum to help discover interests and gifts. You’ll also enjoy these posts:
How to Earn Credits in Homeschool High School
Helping Teens Identify Interests

HSHSP 146: How to Find Teens’ Passions, Interview with Cindy West

 

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HSHSP 145: Using Movies for Educational Purposes

This week on HSHSP 145: Using Movies for Educational Purposes. This post is running concurrently on the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network.

HSHSP EP 145: Movies for Educational Purposes. Movies can be an inspirational part of your homeschool high school Language Arts program.

HSHSP 145 Using Movies for Educational Purposes

Need some fun in your homeschool high school? Think: movies!

Movies and reading can both count for Language Arts assignments?

Movies can’t count as books, but they can be used to learn themes, plots, characters and other tools of literary analysis. Studying a movie can add some sparkle to a year that is getting bogged down in heavy literature books. However, you want to have good tools (like 7Sisters Cinema Studies for Literature Learning Study Guides).

Literature Analysis, Literal Thinkers and Movies

Click image for more information.

Join Sabrina and Vicki for an enlightening discussion of movies for educational process. Let’s start with another of Sabrina’s famous quotes:

Stories are stories.

So, a story in a movie is still a story.

Stories are Stories. Literature analysis through movies.

Learning story analysis skills by watching movies is good for all teens. Homeschool high schoolers with learning difficulties will find analysis skills more accessible when they watch and discuss movies.

So where do you start? Choose one or two aspects of the story to discuss and analyze, even if the movie has lots of outstanding features that could be explored. That way teens can actually learn and hold onto their learning. We suggest 7Sisters Cinema Studies for Literature Learning Study Guides for this.

When teens learn some concepts from a film story, they can then find those concepts when they read books. Making these connections is a necessary facet of education (and an important life skill).

Watching movies as an educational tool, helps teens begin to think that any time they watch a movie, they can use their brains and think about what they are consuming. In other words, when given tools for analysis in a gentle way, most teens will have more critical thinking skills for watching movies any time.

All 7Sisters curriculum is level-able (adaptable for Average- through Honors-level studies.) Homeschool high schoolers who are college-bound Honors level cinema studies will find interesting and meaningful leveling-up activities in 7Sisters Cinema Studies for Literature Learning Study Guides.

The way the Cinema Studies guides work:

  • Students watch the movie.
  • They take notes as they watch the movie on anything that is interesting to them.
  • They watch the movie again several days later.
  • Then they complete the study guide (questions and a writing assignment).

As an aside, Vicki and Sabrina rabbit trailed onto the topic of audiobooks for books and poetry. They noted that Benedict Cumberbach is one of their favorite readers. Vicki has several pins on her Pinterest Poetry board with him reading a poem.

Join Sabrina and Vicki for a *moving* talk about movies!

Here’s a post about using Cinema Studies in your homeschool co-op.

Cinema Studies for Literature Learning in your High School Homeschool Co-op

For more creative ideas in Language Arts, check out this episode!

Homeschool Highschool Podcast Ep 89: A NOVEL Approach with Highschool Literature

 

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HSHSP 145 Using Movies for Educational Purposes

Test-Taking Skills for Homeschool High School

Here are test-taking skills for homeschool high school.

Test Taking Skills for Homeschool High School. 7SistersHomeschool.com shares tips for success and confidence for teens learning to take tests for their high school courses.

Test-Taking Skills for Homeschool High School

If you’re like me, you didn’t do much in the way of testing during elementary and middle school. We’d do spelling tests and our (at that time) mandatory achievement tests, but very little curriculum-based testing. For us, one of the major goals of homeschooling was to foster a love of learning (rather than having a goal of measuring outcomes). To me, testing worked against that goal.

However, goals change in homeschool high school. Teens need to develop a transcript, thus they need to show that they have accomplished their academic goals of earning the necessary credits for graduation. (Here’s a post on the 26 credits needed for graduation.)

Besides needing some objective criteria for assigning grades in homeschool high school, our local homeschool grads would tell me that taking tests helps build teens’ college prep skills. College includes a lot of test-taking!

Here are some test taking skills that our teens have explained helped them succeed in their high school and college courses.

General Tips for Answering Test Questions

  • Write your name on the test (or answer page, if the test is in that format). (This, of course, is the biggest hurdle for many homeschool high schoolers!)
  • Take 3 deep breaths. (Oxygen will help keep your mind clear).
  • Eat something nutritious about 30 minutes before the test. (This will give your brain the energy for heavy thinking.)
  • Talk well to yourself. (Saying things like: *I’m so worried, I’m afraid I’ll bomb this test* will work against you. Try: *I’ve studied well and I can pray for God’s help to think well* for better performance.)
  • Start with a quick look over the test. Ask yourself:
    • How long is this test?
    • How much time do I have to complete it?
    • How much time can I devote to each question?
  • Read the test’s instructions. Really. Many people forget this and it works against them.
  • If you are stumped on a question, put a star in front of it, then move onto the next question. You can come back to the starred questions after you have the easier questions answered. (Sometimes, you will find the answer later in the test buried in another question.)
  • If you finish the test early, go back and read over the questions again. Make sure you read each correctly but don’t change any answers unless you are sure you read the question incorrectly.
History and Philosophy of the Western World from 7SistersHomeschool.com

Tests and answer keys are included in this text. Click image for full description.

Tips for True/False Questions

  • Read the question carefully.
  • Start by assuming the statement is true, then look for a part of it that might be false. Pretend you’re a lawyer 😉
  • If PART of a statement is false, the ENTIRE statement is false.
  • There are often more True answers than false.
  • You have 50/50 chance of getting it right, so an educated guess is often worth the risk.
  • Watch for *absolute qualifiers*. When you see absolute qualifiers the statement must be true every single time. These are words like:
    • Never
    • Always
    • Every
    • All
    • Completely
    • Best
    • Worst
    • None
  • Watch for *general qualifiers*. When you see general qualifiers the statement can be true or false depending on the circumstances. (Often these are True statements, but not always. Think it through.) These are words like:
    • Generally
    • Usually
    • Sometimes
    • Seldom
    • Few
    • Frequently
    • Ordinarily
Psychology from a Christian Perspective from 7SistersHomeschool.com

Tests and answer key included in this text. Click image for a full description.

Tips for Matching-Column Questions

  • Read both columns completely before answering.
  • Read the column with definitions first, then match the best-choice word to it.
  • Answer the easiest questions first, then go back and answer any that are left. (The answers may be obvious by that time.)

Fill in the Blank Questions

  • Read the question carefully.
  • Notice the length of the blank line and the number of blank lines. This will give you a clue about the correct answer.
Human Development from a Christian Perspective by 7 Sisters Homeschool

Tests and answer key included in this text. Click here for more information.

Tips Multiple-Choice Questions

  • Read the question carefully and answer it in your head before looking at the choices.
  • Read all the choices before selecting your answer.
  • If you are stumped, cross out the answers that you are certain are incorrect.
  • Usually your first choice was the correct answer, so don’t keep changing it.
  • If one of the choices is *All of the above*, then EVERY SINGLE choice must be correct.
  • If one of the choices is *None of the above*, then EVERY SINGLE choice must be incorrect.
  • Often (but not always) the choice with the most information will be the correct answer.
Financial Literacy from a Christian Perspective

Tests and answer key included in this text. Click image for full description.

Short Answer Questions

  • Notice whether the instructions tell you to answer in complete sentences or not. If not, don’t waste time writing out sentences.
  • Read the question carefully.
  • Think the answer in your head, then write it as briefly or clearly as possible.
  • Handwriting that is illegible or in tiny print may automatically earn an incorrect score.

Long Answer or Essay Questions

  • Watch your time! Before you start, jot an approximate number of minutes for each essay question. Questions that count for more points, should be given more time.
  • Read the question carefully.
  • Notice the are instructions within the question:
    • Compare
    • Contrast
    • Explain
    • Discuss
    • Give an example
  • Notice if it is a two-part question. If so, you will need at least 2 paragraphs. Be sure to address both parts of the question.
  • In the margins or back of the test, jot down ideas and facts that you know before answering the question. It is easy to forget details when you start writing paragraph format before capturing what you know.
  • If you don’t know enough for a full answer, jot down what you do know in the margins then come back to that question later.
  • After you jot down information on each question, go back and write out answers. It may help to write a quick outline to organize your thoughts.
  • Use complete sentences and paragraph style, as much as possible.
    • This can include turning the question into a *thesis statement* as the first sentence of the first paragraph.
    • The difference between an introduction paragraph on a test and in an essay paper is that, you don’t need a grabber or the full 3 sentences. Jump right in answering the question.
    • Give each part of the question a separate paragraph.
    • Don’t use *filler words* or off-topic information just to make the essay appear longer. That might work against you.
  • As you have time, give examples for each part of the question.
  • Use words from the question in your answer.
  • Concentrate on what you do know. Include as much information as you have time to write.
  • Don’t stress about what you don’t know.

Test-taking cartoon reminds us to remind you that 7SistersHomeschool.com's texts with tests and answer keys are geared for student learning and success.

Want more information? These college websites have some good tips:

Test-Taking Skills for Homeschool High School

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Homeschool Highschool Podcast 144: Writing Research Papers with Kat Patrick

This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast 144: Writing Research Papers with Kat Patrick. This post is running concurrently on the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network.
HSHSP Ep 144: Writing Research Papers, Interview with Kat Patrick. Tips for helping homeschool high schoolers develop skills for research paper writing.

Homeschool Highschool Podcast 144: Writing Research Papers with Kat Patrick

Our friend, Dr. Kat Patrick, joins us for this episode to help guide through the important task of writing research papers.

Kat has helped us out with an episode about homeschooling in the United Kingdom and the United States AND in another episode, she shared how to teach Shakespeare and enjoy it.

Kat and her family have lived in England for 25 years (where her husband teaches at Oxford). They recently moved to Texas, where Kat was born. Kat started Dreaming Spires Home Learning, a Charlotte Mason inspired online program. She offers lots of popular live courses in lots areas.

Kat Patrick of Dreaming Spires Online Homeschool Courses, Interviewed on Homeschool High School Podcast

Photo used with permission.

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Kat is an expert in teaching writing skills. She began teaching research paper writing during her graduate studies at University of Delaware. (Interestingly, just a few miles from where the 7Sisters live, we just never met at that time.) Kat loves teaching the skills of research paper writing, especially in taking notes and noting sources.

As Vicki points out, teens often complain about writing research papers while in high school because they are a LOT of work! However, they often come back to her to thank her for that requirement, because in college they more easily earn top grades in their composition courses. Even non-college-bound skills benefit from writing research papers.

Life skills that all teens gain from writing research papers include:

  • Building attention to detail
  • Building stick-to-itiveness and organization skills for doing large projects
  • Building patience for redos until things get batter
  • Building research skills for life (such as products, trips or services teens will need in life)
  • Building skills to evaluate sources (they can apply this to things they read on social media and elsewhere)

What are some resources Kat recommends?

  • Books (usually more than one book, including more than one perspective)
  • References from library
  • Good Reads website
  • Google Books
  • Sources listed at the bottom of Wikipedia articles (the sources cited in the article), not the article itself
  • Primary sources, including digital documents of out-of-print sources. (Simply Google search: *Primary source for…*). This is good because teens can begin to come up with some of their own thoughts by reading original docusments, rather than only discuss other people’s thoughts. (This is particularly helpful with MLA and Chicago-style papers that are thesis based papers.)

Discuss plagiarism.

  • Help teens understand: How long a quote can you use and how do you cite it? (Follow the guidelines for each paper style: MLA, APA, Chicago Style.) Teens in college can lose scholarships and fail classes if they plagiarize. Here is a post to help explain plagiarism to your homeschool high schoolers.
  • Discuss paraphrasing and citing the paraphrase. (Developing this skills is one reason Kat loves Charlotte Mason’s traditional paraphrasing of books!)

Teach note-taking skills:

  • Remind teens to research before they start the paper or even write a thesis. They need lots of information before they start writing their papers.
  • Use index cards for note taking. Put quotes, statistics and other important information. Put citation information. Number the cards. Using card helps prevent accidental plagiarism.
  • Mind map or spread out the cards on a table to help teens organize their thoughts.

Teach time management skills:

Work with teens with solid dates on when they start researching, finish their cards, complete the first rough draft, final draft, etc. 7Sisters freebie Scheduling Backwards can help with this. All of 7Sisters’ Research Paper Writing Guides are chunked out into day-by-day assignments to help homeschool high schoolers stay on track.

Kat suggests this order for writing research papers.

  • Research
  • Write the first draft of the paper
  • Read the paper and find the gaps in the information presented
  • Research to fill in gaps
  • Rewrite
  • Check citations
  • Edit for grammar, punctuation, etc
  • Complete a final draft

Kat also includes these 2 fascinating requirements that truly help her homeschool high school students succeed as writers:

  • Students keep a journal where they daily record what they have done on their research paper.
  • At the end of the paper, she has her students write a *review* of the paper-writing process. It is a self-reflection about what they have learned about the process and the topic.

There are many styles of research papers, however, these are the most commonly used papers for high schoolers:

Check out Kat’s online courses such as English Literature that includes writing extensions, including research papers as well as multi-genre experiences with Prezis and plays. Also visit her at:

Keep an eye out for Dr. Kat Patrick’s upcoming text on Chicago-style research papers. Also, download Kat’s FREEBIE: Shakespeare Copywork.

Join Vicki and Kat for this fun discussion on research papers, your teens will benefit from the tips you learn!

You’ll also enjoy these posts and this HSHSP episode with more information on research papers.

Suggested Syllabus for 7Sisters MLA Research Paper Writing Course

High School Research Paper: MLA? APA? Other?

Homeschool Highschool Podcast 144: Writing Research Papers with Kat Patrick

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