Home Schooling with Writing.com

         In our family, we celebrate All Saint's Day (Nov. 1st) with a huge costume party at church where the kids dress in saint/Biblical-themed costumes, play games, get candy, etc. Each year at this time of year, the kids do a "Saint Report" on the saint they have chosen for the party.

         This is a two-day assignment for us (one day research, one day writing), since the kids think about this for months before the party each year. If your kids have little exposure to the lives of the holy men & women who have gone before us, you may want to take more time simply reading brief accounts of their lives. The variety of personalities, lifestyles and examples of holiness will astound you!

          This is NOT a research unit, so don't worry about formal instruction on this one. Grade for neatness & basic mechanics you have covered thus far (complete sentences, paragraph form, spelling, punctuation). Set the length for whatever is reasonable for your child to write in one class session.

Note for 1st-3rd grade:
         For this age group you may want to read to them about some of your favorite saints. Have them write a sentence telling one thing about the saint, then draw a picture of the saint or one of his/her symbols. Or better yet, have them dress up as the person, using items you have around the house and making simple props (crowns, shields, flags, scepters, etc. are great projects for young kids!). There- now you have art as well as writing!