Archives for 2013

Filed Under: Curriculum · Language Arts · Strategies & Tips · Journalism · Language Arts

DIY Journalism Curriculum for Homeschoolers

My 14-year-old daughter is very interested in pursuing a career in journalism, specifically investigative journalism. (UPDATE: Actually, she's pursuing a very different career path now.) When I first looked online for a journalism curriculum for high schoolers—one that dove into more than just the how-to's of crafting an article—I didn't find anything very comprehensive. Since I wasn't […]

Filed Under: Curriculum

Charlie & Noel: An Advent Calendar Story

Author Franziska Macur has graciously agreed to give away a Kindle or PDF copy of Charlie & Noel: An Advent Calendar Story to three Five J's readers. Charlie & Noel is a very creative way to help families discuss the real meaning of Christmas. In the story, you will get to know Charlie, a little boy who wishes […]

Filed Under: Curriculum · Language Arts · Language Arts

Essay & Writing Contests for 2013-2014 (Elementary, Middle, and High School)

A list of essays & writing contests open for homeschoolers from kindergarten through high school.

Filed Under: Planning & Organization · Strategies & Tips · Homeschool Planning

How to Homeschool When Both Parents Work From Home

This will be our first year to homeschool and have both parents working from home. For the first several years we homeschooled, I worked from home teaching piano lessons from 3-6PM, Monday through Friday, and my husband worked from 9-5. With that type of work schedule, I was available during the day to help homeschool […]

Filed Under: Planning & Organization · Reviews · Homeschool Planning · Reviews

Homeschool Planet Review (Lesson Planning & Record-Keeping Software)

I was recently given the opportunity to try out Homeschool Planet, which is a new homeschool lesson planing and record-keeping software by Homeschool Buyers Co-op. I've tried several different planning software in the past, both desktop and web applications. The online planner I used all last year met my planning needs for the most part, […]

Filed Under: Language Arts · Life Skills · Strategies & Tips · Free Curriculum · Language Arts · Life Skills

Resources for Teaching Children About Idioms

Teaching children about idioms beyond an explanation every time one comes up can be challenging but it is a necessary life skill. One could argue that the study of idioms falls under the umbrella of the three R’s, but in reality, idioms are generally taught—if at all—only haphazardly in regular language arts curriculum. Yet understanding […]